Project Management Development

BRIAN W. BERCE

**** **** *****, ** **** Phone: 616-***-****

Rockford, Michigan 49341 E-mail: ******@*****.***

SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS

Executive and Management Professional with experience in educational non-

profit, healthcare, higher education, and financial services. Experience

includes strategic project management, program leadership and

organizational development, administration and HR management, and

industrial social work. Additional experience in:

. Employee Benefits

. Training and Development

. Financial Analysis

. Event Planning

. Fundraising

. Policy Development

. Business Planning

. Marketing

Positive and patient team player with collaborative approach and reputation

for motivating and leading others to accomplish goals and objectives.

Excellent skills in conflict resolution and negotiation resulting in

equitable solutions.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

VANTAGEPOINTE FINANCIAL GROUP, Grand Rapids, Michigan 2007 - Present

Financial Advisor

. Provide comprehensive personal financial planning services utilizing a

6-step planning process assisting clients in developing strategies to

achieve their financial goals and objectives

. Work with business owners to implement customized business plans &

employee benefit strategies

. Manage over $5,000,000 in assets, and actively serve over 150 clients

. Implemented and manage two 401k plans with over a $,1,000,000 in

assets

. Conduct seminars such as "Financial Stress in the Workplace and Impact

on Worker Productivity"

THE CIVICS INSTITUTE (TCI), Rockford, Michigan 2000 - 2011

Executive Director and COO

. Co-Founded The Civics Institute, a 501c3 service learning organization

focused on engaging students in rich, authentic educational

opportunities promoting deliberation on key issues in state and local

communities, and encouraging global citizen involvement

. Administered budgets, fundraising, marketing, strategic planning,

professional development trainings, policy development, HR-related

tasks, and project managed K-16 education programs

. Developed collaborative relationships with diverse stakeholders in the

public, private, and philanthropic civic education and service

learning industries

TCI Curriculum Project Management

. Created 36 state & local government curricular units with 180 lesson

plans for K-16 educators

including assessments, classroom simulations, accompanying procedures,

resources, and web links

. Aligned units with the Michigan Curriculum Framework and included

procedures for instruction, writing activities, rubrics, and all

essential instructional components required for implementation

. Units benefitted over 10,000 Michigan students, and were rated as a

great resource by educators

. Collaborated with Michigan's Governor and the Michigan Department of

Education, in creating and distributing curriculum instructional media

to Michigan educators, state-wide

TCI Program Development

The Michigan House Civics Commission (MHCC) was a bi-partisan adhoc

legislative committee of 22 legislators that conducted over 25 statewide

hearings dedicated to listening to young people share their

BRIAN W. BERCE

ideas for new legislation. The MHCC provided K-16 educators with lesson

plans to prepare young people for effective citizen advocacy through

interaction with lobbyists, and the three branches of government.

. Participation by 84 Public School Districts and 313 Teachers, and

participation by 30 Non Public and Charter Schools and 36 Teachers

. Provided 37 professional development training sessions for 282

teachers.

. MHCC students were responsible for legislative action such as,

"Student Backpack Safety Month"; a Senate budget line item amendment

promoting distribution of prepaid phone cards and other services, to

active duty National Guard members and military reservists deployed

overseas; and a bill requiring alternatives for students with a moral

objection to dissection

. TCI collaborated with Carnegie Foundation to replicate the MHCC

program across 11states

. Created and managed the website, and published the Teacher/ Student

Legislative Impact Toolkit

. The MHCC convened hearings specific to issues of "at risk young males

of color"

TCI's International Youth Initiative (IYI)

Primarily classroom-based, IYI encouraged young people to become socially

responsible global citizens by taking action to improve the lives of peers

locally, nationally, and globally. TCI partnered with the University of

Michigan, international educators, politicians, bi-lateral and UN

diplomats, and various international organizations in the development,

utilization, and execution of:

. Global Student Congress (GSC)

. HighestWire.com newswire service written, edited, discussed, and

published by students

. Six-day professional training seminar in Vienna, Austria for educators

from 18 countries

TCI Collaboration and Events

. Annual "Celebration of Civic Engagement" event hosted and keynoted by

the Governor of MI

. Partnered with Earth Force, a Washington DC based organization, on a 3-

year civics initiative

. Planned and hosted over 1,000 students for the Day at the Capitol

event

. Hosted annual Michigan Civics Summits, convening key Michigan civic

education stakeholders

PRIVATE COUNSELING PRACTICE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 1997 - 2011

Therapist

. Provided assessment, counseling, and psychotherapy for individuals and

families applying a cognitive-behavioral treatment modality

. Averaged 25 client sessions per week and provided supervision for MSW

candidate

BUTTERWORTH'S RESOLVE EAP (currently Encompass, LLC), Grand Rapids,

Michigan 1994 - 1997

Therapist and Educational Consultant

. Provided assessment and brief therapy for a diverse client population

. Account manager and HR training consultant for designated client

companies

. Conducted multiple training seminars on workplace violence prevention,

conflict resolution, communication skills, substance abuse, financial

issues, CISD, etc...

EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL LICENSURES

MSW, Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, Michigan

MA, Student Personnel Administration in Higher Education, Ball State

University, Muncie, Indiana

BA, History, Taylor University, Upland, Indiana

. Licensed Masters Social Worker, State of Michigan

. Series 7, Series 6 and 63 Securities Licensed

. Licensed in Michigan for Life, Accident, and Health

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