The MCG Team
Through Midwest Consulting Group, you have access to highly experienced consultants with a wide variety of skills and diverse areas of expertise. Our core team members currently include:
PAUL KNUDSTRUPPaul is the president and founder of Midwest Consulting Group. He focuses his consulting work on strategic planning, management team development, succession planning, management selection, performance management, and personal productivity. Prior to forming MCG he was executive director of the Fetzer Business Development Center at Western Michigan University. He is certified in the interpretation of both the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and the MLPI 360° feedback survey, making extensive use of these and other instruments in management and organizational development. He also assists nonprofit organizations with fund development strategy and projects. Paul has both a bachelor's and a master's degree from Western Michigan University. E-mail Paul at PaulK@MidwGroup.com
JANET ANDERSENJan is our organizational communications specialist, with expertise in strategic communication planning and implementation, writing and editing, grant and proposal development, interviewing and story development, and technical writing. She also is a consultant and coach to authors and others interested in writing and publishing, with a niche expertise in helping professionals prepare articles for submission to peer-reviewed journals. The president and owner of Beyond Words, Inc. Jan works primarily with health care, education, and other nonprofit organizations, as well as small private-sector companies. With nearly 30 years of experience, Jan has a special gift for the development of “reader-friendly” materials. Prior to founding her own company in 1996, Jan worked for Western Michigan University, the Fetzer Institute, Towers Perrin, and Mayo Clinic. She holds a bachelor's degree from Grand Valley State University and a master's from Western Michigan University. E-mail Jan at janbeyond@earthlink.net
- MARY JO ASMUS
Mary Jo is a leadership expert, Executive/Business Coach and Consultant who partners with CEO's, executives, professionals, teams, and small business owners to support them in achieving their goals in business excellence. She is the owner of Aspire Collaborative Services and has a global Fortune 500 background in human resources; research and development; organizational development; and business strategy. Her clients are motivated leaders and teams in all sectors - public, private, non-profit and government ; leaders who appreciate customized attention to successful change. Mary Jo is a graduate and advisory board member of Corporate Coach University; is active in her profession as the President of the West Michigan Coaching Chapter, and is a member of the International Coach Federation. She coaches individual leaders and their teams in the areas of engaging and mobilizing individuals and teams; priority-setting; improved productivity; transition management; self awareness, increased emotional intelligence; career change; culture assimilation; and vision/mission/strategy development. E-mail Mary Jo at mary.jo.asmus@aspire-cs.com
MICHAEL BUSCHMike has been the president of Busch + Company, for more than 20 years and has been a valued MCG senior associate since 1990. He assists clients with leadership development, managing work conversations, high-performance team development and strategic business communication systems using a unique coaching process. In addition to his work with clients, Mike is an adjunct professor at Grand Valley State University. He has published several articles, has been featured in Training magazine, and was interviewed by the Tom Peters Group for his innovations in management and leadership development. Mike holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Georgia and an M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Denver. E-mail Mike at Buschconsultants@cs.com
JOAN DZUROJoan Dzuro is president and CEO of Dzuro and Associates, a firm specializing in HR consulting and based in Indio, California. She is a consumate Human Resource professional and has held generalist as well as senior HR positions during a 30-year career in aerospace, oil, newspaper publishing, manufacturing, high-tech, insurance and medical industries. Joan has taught HR courses at the university level and understands both the union and non-union environments. She has been involved in the HR professional associations at local, regional, and national levels. Her firm has recently assisted clients by training newly promoted HR professionals, creating and maintaining new HR departments, training teams in effective management skills, conducted HR audits, as well as updating policy manuals, handbooks, and safety manuals. Dzuro and Associates serves as MCG's West Coast headquarters and we are delighted to make Joan's considerable expertise available to our clients and human resource colleagues. E-mail Joan at jdzuro@msn.com
- GRETCHEN JOHNSON
Owner of WordPlay Marketing Communications, Gretchen is a marketing communications expert with more than 20 years of client-side experience in a broad range of marketing, sales support, corporate communications and community development roles in healthcare, industrial manufacturing, bioscience and economic development. She specializes in helping organizations and communities manage for change. Gretchen’s channel expertise has streamlined client distribution programs while reducing costs, increasing sales effectiveness and delivering more selling opportunities to the channel. She has spearheaded global corporate branding campaigns, consistently helping clients achieve corporate goals while meeting strict budget and scheduling constraints. Familiar with all aspects of media and public relations, she has successfully managed numerous campaigns designed to change perception and behavior. E-mail Gretchen at gretchen@virtualwordplay.com
CRAIG McALLASTERCraig’s focus is on executive development and internal consulting skills for human resource professionals. He has extensive experience in the consumer services and electronics industries. Craig has served on the faculty at Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations as well as the University of Central Florida. He was formerly director of executive education at Cornell’s Johnson Graduate School of Management and is currently professor of management and dean of the Crummer Business School at Rollins College in Winter Park, FL. His client list includes General Motors, IBM, Merck, Johnson & Johnson, Pacific Gas & Electric, Prudential, Rohm & Haas, and US West. Craig’s academic background includes degrees from the University of Arizona, Alfred University, and Columbia University. He recently was featured as part of an Executive Education Roundtable in HR Management magazine.
