Our team members will work with you and your organization to meet your specific business needs. Please contact your local office to speak with a team member and co-create the business results that will propel you and your organization forward.
Ralph Nichols President & C.E.O.
Ralph Nichols is the founder of the Ralph Nichols Group, Inc. which offers the Dale Carnegie Courses in southern Michigan and southwestern Ontario. He became a Licensee for Dale Carnegie & Associates in 1968. He received his undergraduate degree from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, New London, Connecticut, and served as a Lieutenant in the Coast Guard for six years before resigning to pursue a career with the Dale Carnegie organization. He is personally active and visible in the marketplace. He was selected for the cover of the January, 1986 issue of U.S. News & World Report, and was featured on ABC's 20/20 show. He has appeared on numerous TV and radio programs. He is the originator of the Positively Yes! Campaign in Michigan.
Ralph is deeply involved in the educational community. He was a featured speaker for Wayne State University's Awards Banquet. He conducted one of the top rated sessions for ASTD's National Conference on Technical & Skills Training. He is a past trustee of the 4H division of Michigan State University. He was president on the board of directors of Henry Ford Community College. He was a trustee of Madonna University in Livonia, Michigan. He also serves as a consultant and is on the board of directors for several small private companies.
Mark Will Partner/Multi-Course Instructor
At the age of 17, Mark Will was managing three gas stations for Pierce Oil Co. While in college, Mark started Computerized Business Services, Inc. which provided accounting and computer consulting services for local companies. After college he served as Controller, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of small automotive supplier companies. He has a BBA degree in Accounting Information Systems (degree in Accounting with minor in Computer Science). In 1998 became an instructor of the Dale Carnegie Course: Effective Communication and Human Relations and in 2002 became a certified instructor of the Managerial Development Course. Mark is the Vice President of Strategic Alliances for the Ralph Nichols Group.
Phil Zeller Partner/Multi-Course Instructor
Mr. Philip L. Zeller is a Franchise Partner of Ralph Nichols Group, Inc. (RNG) which has offered Dale Carnegie Training in southern Michigan for over 40 years. RNG has presented Dale Carnegie Training to over 200,000 people, making Ralph Nichols Group, Inc. one of the top producers of Dale Carnegie Training in North America and in the world. Mr. Zeller joined RNG in 2000 as a Regional Vice President; in 2008 became a partner. Dale Carnegie Training offered by the Ralph Nichols Group, Inc. is honored to work with Michigan's leading companies and organizations that understand their people are their best asset and their competitive advantage. People and organizations that desire to be positively challenged to grow turn to Dale Carnegie methodologies to accomplish profitable results. Mr. Zeller is widely recognized for his work in Michigan assisting corporations, organizations, schools, and teenagers to become more accountable to successful outcomes. He is consistently called upon to deliver impactful presentations, workshops, and training programs that produce measurable results with people. Through his work he has been recognized as one of the top ten trainers and growth producers in the world by Dale Carnegie Training®. He also holds the designation of Master Trainer through Dale Carnegie Training®. In addition to being recognized as business leader, trainer and keynote speaker, he was also the host of his own radio talk show called "Intentionally Speaking" on public radio and has authored several articles for business publications. Prior to his work with RNG, Mr. Zeller was a consultant and educational specialist in the information technology field consulting to corporations, non-profit organizations, K-12 education, colleges and universities, and the State of Michigan. Mr. Zeller is best known in the information technology field for his input on the integration of technology into public schools and colleges, the infrastructure for Michigan Virtual University, and assisting the Regional Educational Media Center Association of Michigan to place computers on the statewide contract. Mr. Zeller has taught programs for both Lansing Community College and Davenport University. He served as the first marketing advisor to the Capital Quality Initiative, facilitated training for thousands of K-12 administrators through "Leading the Future", and formed several technology committees in school districts throughout Michigan. Mr. Zeller has an MSA from Central Michigan University, a B.A. from Michigan State University, and an A.A. from Lansing Community College. He and his wife, Angelina, and two children, Xavier and Amanda, live in Mason, Michigan.
Susan Dooley Dale Carnegie Course Instructor/Sales Advantage Instructor
Susan Dooley graduated Cum Laude from Michigan State University in 1992 with a degree in Environmental Science. The first 10 years of her career were spent lobbying for waste reduction and recycling initiatives within the public and private sectors. She was instrumental in securing financing for a million dollar recycling facility, and administered contracts providing services to a population of over 350,000. She partially credits her success in the environmental realm to the training she received as a student of Dale Carnegie. In 1999, Susan turned her passion for the training into a full time career, becoming certified as an Instructor and Performance Coach. Susan is a multi-course instructor, delivering the Dale Carnegie Course, The Sales Advantage, and customized products related to Leadership and Performance Improvement. Susan has personally trained over 2000 individuals, and serves customers in multiple industries.
Carol Kocan Health Care Industry Focus/High Impact Presentations Course Instructor
Carol Kocan has a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. She worked in the medical field as a Medical Technician doing drug analysis and toxicology. Carol is a multi-course instructor trained in presenting The Dale Carnegie Course, High Impact Presentations, Leadership Training for Managers, Leadership Advantage, and workshops in the Professional Development Series. With her knowledge of the healthcare industry, she partners with clients to develop collaborative skills to increase professionalism and gain a competitive edge.
Linda Meloche Dale Carnegie Course Instructor
Graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Michigan State University in 1984. She has been a Dale Carnegie instructor since 1986 and has personally trained over 2500 people. She has worked with companies in Southeastern Michigan in the development of leadership, quality service, communications, human relations, coaching, team-building, goal setting and management skills. Linda is also host of cable TV show "Around Town with Linda" in her hometown of Chelsea.
Patti Rapson brings a great depth of experience to the automotive team of the Ralph Nichols Group, Inc. For more than 20 years she has been developing and delivering training specifically for the automotive industry, and has personally trained over 10,000 employees from top executives to entry level positions. Patti is consistently in the top 10% of Dale Carnegie salespeople worldwide, and combines her experience and understanding of today's automotive industry to partner with big and small manufacturing companies to improve morale, promote behavioral changes, and develop individual employee leadership. She has been honored by DaimlerChrysler for the 'Highest Standards of Professionalism' in her instruction of the Dale Carnegie Course. Patti is adept at understanding the needs of an organization and developing programs that enhance the objectives and targets of that organization.
Sue Scott Automotive Team/Multi-Course Instructor
Sue Scott has been an account manager and instructor for Dale Carnegie Training, Inc. for more than twenty years. As an Automotive Team Specialist, she assists HR departments to align with their company's business strategies and their managers, doing whatever it takes to help that company compete and gain market share. Working strategically with clients allows Sue to customize programs to meet customer needs and ultimately has a direct impact on their bottom line.
She has worked with such companies as General Motors Corporation, Ford Motor Company, DaimlerChrysler's Jeep Plant in Toledo, Lear Corporation, American Axle and Manufacturing, The Polk Company and ASC, Inc. In addition she has provided customized programs for Comerica, the Plumbing and Heating Industry of Detroit, Limbach Company, David Ruskin, Chapter 13 Trustee and a number of smaller companies, ensuring all of them desired business results.
Sue is a multi-course instructor, including the Dale Carnegie Course, the Dale Carnegie Leadership Training for Managers, the Dale Carnegie Leadership Advantage, the High Impact Presentations Program, and the Professional Development Series. Both Sue's undergraduate degree, from the University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, Washington, and her Masters, from Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan, are in Education, which bring a solid foundation to her dedication to quality results.
Sue maintains her instructional excellence by attending seminars and industry briefings as well as by attending the annual Dale Carnegie "renewal event". During this process trainers receive ongoing coaching and support and are required to demonstrate their competencies. Her commitment to continuous learning gives her the extra edge expected of a leader in her field.
Kathy Tosoian Director of Educational Services & Youth Development/Dale Carnegie Course Instructor
Kathy Tosoian is a certified instructor of the Dale Carnegie® Course, motivating and inspiring audiences since joining the Ralph Nichols Group in 1993. Kathy combines her love for people and her passion for teaching to help individuals develop their confidence, people skills, leadership abilities, and communication skills. Her clients encompass a variety of organizations in the educational, automotive, service, sales, and business communities.
While Kathy enjoys teaching people of all ages and backgrounds, she is especially qualified and gifted to work with teens and young adults in both urban and suburban settings. Earning her undergraduate degree in Education, and a Master's Degree in Counseling, she is highly competent and experienced to teach the Dale Carnegie® Course for Teens & Adults. Her warm and friendly approach and her facilitation style promotes participation in an atmosphere of support and encouragement, where teens feel secure expressing themselves while gaining confidence through speaking. In addition to self-confidence, participants effectively learn to strengthen relationships, overcome fear and shyness, manage stress and worry, create life goals, maintain a positive attitude, develop leadership skills, make better decisions, handle peer pressure, communicate more effectively, and more. Kathy takes a personal interest in helping teens to strive for success and live up to their potential. She has a large following of young adults who maintain contact with her long after graduation from her class, often requesting to be included on her graduate assistant team over and over again. Her passion for the course and her enthusiasm are contagious.
Creating and presenting workshops and customized training for educators, students, parent groups, and organizations is her specialty. As a motivational speaker, Kathy inspires, entertains, and educates her audiences. She also is experienced at teaching a goal-setting mentoring program for high school students.
Kathy is an active member of the Michigan Counseling Association and Birmingham/Bloomfield Families in Action. She resides on the board of directors for two local non-profit organizations, helping to make a difference for those less fortunate.
Kathy is currently hosting a weekly cable TV show, "Good News" in the greater Detroit area and co-host for another show, "The Business Edge".
Bob Stackpoole UAW Specialist
Bob Stackpoole has been an award winning instructor of the world famous Dale Carnegie Course, & the Dale Carnegie Sales Course since 1971. He has trained thousands of people in the United States, Canada and the West Indies, at all levels of the market place, from the shop floor to the executive suite. He regularly speaks to business and industry and sales groups. Besides conducting customer relations training for Siemens technical support staff and Barclay's Bank of England, Bob has trained more than 15,000 people from the Big Three in the areas of human relations, cooperation and teamwork. As a result of his experience motivating and developing people, he has earned the reputation as a man who can tailor the material to fit the specific needs of the client and the participants, causing measurable behavioral change. Participants enjoy his common sense, humorous and dynamic style, which makes change and development an exciting experience.
Liz Scavnicky brings over ten years of business development, interactive marketing, account and project management experience to Dale Carnegie Training. Most recently, Liz was Director of Business Development at StartupNation, LLC where she grew the Dell, Discover, Microsoft, UPS Store and Visa accounts. Prior to StartupNation, LLC, Liz significantly grew the General Mills, NWA, Target and Yahoo! accounts at ePrize, LLC.
Before joining ePrize, Liz lived in Minneapolis where she managed the Best Buy account for Handleman Company. Prior to her tenure at Handleman Company, Liz worked on several web-based applications and CRM initiatives for General Motors and GMAC Financial Services.
Liz earned her MBA in International Business from the University of Michigan in 2002. She has completed semesters abroad at the University of Montpellier in Montpellier, France and Hong Kong Baptist University. Having been awarded a Presidential scholarship, Liz earned her Bachelors degree at Wayne State University in 1998. Liz is fluent in French.
Liz is a member of the Michigan Council of Women in Technology; 313 Digital - Metro Detroit's Premier Digital Organization and the Adcraft Club of Detroit.
What being an instructor means to Liz..."It amazes me that while the adoption of continuous process improvement, e.g. Kaizen, programs are prevalent amongst businesses, few individuals actually set goals and measure performance. How else can one fully ascertain personal and professional growth? Serving as an instructor enables me to share Dale Carnegie's principles on Human Relations and Business Development- indeed tried and true methods for achieving success in any-thing, sale, skill, dream- a person desires. There is no greater reward than to witness class members improve their personal and professional skills by leaps and bounds!"
