About Us...

Principals

Sherrie Ford, Ph.D.

Provides consulting, facilitation, innovative design in change management methods, and helps tag team members in bringing out their best. She was noted in IndustryWeek, Jan 1997, for creating in Athens, GA the Center for Continuous Improvement, resource to 23 companies for developing high performance workcultures, and for six years starting in 1999, she gave papers and has been a judge for Industry Week's annual "10 Best Plants" award. She is President Southeast Region, of the Association for Manufacturing Excellence (AME), and served on the first and fourth year Board of Examiners for the Oglethorpe Award, Georgia's recognition for excellence. She is an author on work culture, legacy systems and effective strategic alliances, and is a frequent presenter for the American Production & Inventory Control Society (APICS). For four years starting in 1999, she gave papers and facilitated culture change workshops in South Africa on behalf of the South Africa Production & Inventory Control Society (SAPICS). She has served as Acting Chair for the local American Society for Quality, is the Founder of Shock Wave Riders, and was named to Phi Beta Kappa in 1982.

Sherrie became co-owner of a 500-employee distribution transformer factory, formerly ABB, Inc. This plant had been a culture-change client of Change Partners, LLC., when the opportunity arose to acquire the business. Responsible for fulfilling the mandates clarified in the culture assessment conducted in 2000, ensuring that Leadership, Communication and Training have viable strategies as pre-requisites for high performance. Responsible for coordinating the work of the Board of Advisors and for fulfilling the requirements for a certified woman-owned business.

Steve Hollis

... likewise provides consulting, facilitation, innovative design in change management methods, and helps tag team members in bringing out their best. He has diverse management experience, including distribution, sales and manufacturing. He is a certified trainer in coaching, feedback and performance management, systems, experienced in continuous improvement tools, projects and systems and extensive cost management and cost reduction methods. He has facilitated successful safety and quality projects in manufacturing and is skilled in Theory of Constraints (TOC) thinking tools and models. He is a member of AME and APICS and a designer / presenter of original workshops on culture change management also presenting papers and facilitating workshops in South Africa for SAPICS. He is a co-founder of the leadership circle known as the Shock Wave Riders.

Steve is also a co-owner of a 500-employee distribution transformer factory, formerly ABB, Inc. He is Chief Executive Officer responsible for fulfilling the mandates clarified in the culture assessment conducted in 2000, ensuring that Leadership, Communication and Training have viable strategies as pre-requisites for high performance.

Chris Cosper

... facilitates strategic planning, provides executive coaching, and helps tag team members in bringing out their best. Her diverse management experience includes serving as CEO for a large manufacturing company in Gainesville, GA. As a certified Gazelles International Coaching Partner, Chris is skilled in leading executive teams through a planning process that results in strategic clarity, organizational alignment, and a passion for execution. Inspired by Change Partners’ pioneering approach to work-culture advancement, Chris has coached many clients through the successful communication and implementation of their strategic plans through all levels of the organization. An experienced business executive and dedicated community leader, Chris graduated from Georgia Tech’s College of Management and went on to complete an MBA in Leadership Development and Advanced Management Studies at Brenau University. Today, Chris is dedicated to helping other companies find clarity in their business planning and company-wide involvement in its implementation.

As principals of Change Partners, L.L.C. Sherrie, Steve and Chris play interchangeable roles in marketing, sustaining existing customers, and developing new ones. Principals are ultimately accountable for the services provided by the firm.