KAS Concepts

KAS Concepts supports leaders to strategically align learning to drive organizational growth.

Whether building a learning strategy, lining out training processes or standing up training teams, KAS can guide you through the process. 

KAS also exists to support the trainer's themselves to design, develop and deliver training that doesn't suck through it's line of No Boring Training products & services.

Founder

igus Inc.

Created and built out first ever learning & development department and processes for North American operations supporting 500+ colleagues across all disciplines in the organization 

Key Accomplishments
* Aligned learning to business strategy to implement customized learning approaches tied to business outcomes
* Led team organizing end user training of new enterprise software roll out to 300 plus users to increase adoption rates and reduce learning curve of new system 
* Created and implemented job skills training program for sales teams that lead to reduce ramp time for new sales team members 
* Created and delivered leadership development training series with customized in-person workshops, micro-video channel and self-study content to increase retention across the org   
* Created and delivered professional development training series to support continued growth of team members in areas such as interviewing skills and bias 
* Pioneered introduction of micro-learning video content of high cadence targeted trainings that have been adopted by the worldwide organization to fuel self and classroom study options 
* Led introduction of customer service new hire training program to standardize processes & training across teams, reduce order entry errors and increase customer satisfaction 
* Led creation and launch of new onboarding program for office and production team members  

Responsibilities Leading L&D Team 
•	Design, development and deliver of new hire job skills training programs across all divisions 
•	Design & implement comprehensive ongoing training programs to support talent retention 
•	Design, implement, deliver topic specific training workshops to address emergent needs
•	Create, manage and deploy self-study options via e-learning and micro-video platforms 
•	Coordinate with overseas headquarters to synchronize training, share ideas and expand training capabilities

Learning and Development Manager

Rebuilt training program to produce comprehensive onboarding and ongoing training programs for outside & inside sales roles. 

Key Accomplishments: 
•	Designed division wide new hire job skills training program that reduced ramp time from 36 months to 12  
•	Implemented structured instructional design process to create learning material tied to business outcomes
•       Trained SME instructors on Adult Learning Styles which lead to increased training material retention rates based on in-program testing scores and manager post-training review 
•	Designed & delivered various targeted sales process training workshops which directly addressed skills gaps and produced sales growth increases 
•	Created video sales training programs that have been adopted by global organization 


DryTech Division Trainer: 
•	Instructional design of sales team training programs: new hire process, follow on training & targeted workshops
•	Delivering instructor lead training content & coordinating other instructors as required by curriculum during trainings
•	Coordination & organization of ILT training groups  
•	Designing, monitoring and tracking training effectiveness evaluations during & after training cycles
•	Coordinating with and advising executive and field management leaders to identify training gaps and implement strategic vision via training
•	Coordinating with product support staff to develop sale training materials for new product releases
•	Developing & delivering sales training audio programs  
•	Creating & delivering sales training video programs

DryTech Division Trainer 

10 years successfully producing sales growth and building sales teams.  

From Jan17 to Dec20 I held the dual role of Regional Sales Manager and Drytech Divisional Trainer. 


South Region (2011-2016)
* Sales in the region have grown from $3m to $9.6m over 5 years. 
* Onboarded 6 new sales people growing team from 3 to 9  
* 12 states 

South Central (2017-2020) 
*  Built new sales team in under-served and under-performing territories to produce growth of $1,151,787 
* Onboarded 5 new team members 
* 6 states 

Gulf States (2020) 
* Realign sales team with corporate divisional structure changes including evaluation & creation of new sales territories to drive sales growth 
* Guide sales team through organizational change process
* 5 states 
* Guide sales team through challenges of pandemic

Regional Sales Manager

Local sales representative tasked with growing sales of DryTech products (including plastic bushings, linear slides and spherical bearing products) in the Southern Ohio, Southern Indiana and Kentucky area. 

Daily responsibilities included regular sales visits with customers, exploring opportunities for sales growth and identifying key strategic accounts, regular sales presentations to new potential customers, prospecting, and making proposals. As needed would present technical training presentations to customers to strengthen their product knowledge and uncover new sales opportunities. 

I was also tasked to support the Regional Sales Manager, as needed, for special projects. 

Sales for this previously underdeveloped area were increased from less than $200,000 to $800,000 annually. 

Special projects included overhauling existing sales presentation package (PowerPoint). Awarded Employee of the year 2006 and Outstanding Achievement 2007.

Territory Sales Manager

Witt Galvanizing

Sales representative for 3 hot dip galvanizing plants, covering a 6 state area. 

Responsibilities included relationship building with steel fabricators and steel specifying groups to drive sales. For larger projects, quoting prices based off estimated processing rates was required. 

Large profile projects included Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio and the CTA-Blue Line overhaul project in Chicago.

Sr. Technical Sales Representative

Asked to give a training but don't know where to start? ⚙️ Want your training to work? ⚙️ New to training or want to break in? ⚙️ Leaders, do you want happier, more innovative, more aligned people in your orgs? ?

Leaders lay awake at night worrying about revenue, profit, productivity, net promoter score, developing leaders and talent retention. 

How they can carve out a competitive advantage and drive top line performance. 

Aligning learning strategies with big picture vision builds the foundations so the organization can thrive. 

But especially in small to medium sized firms, late stage startups or larger autonomous teams training is a hassle due to workload. So it gets pushed off. 

Sometimes leaders just don't know where to start. 

Or worse yet, the training you do offer is dull, boring and people just don't want it.  

Powerful in-house training, supporting the overarching company goals, is not out of your reach. 

I support leaders to

✅ Align learning strategies with overall vision
✅ Build their own internal training capabilities 

I also support trainers themselves, especially those newer to corporate training or experienced trainers that need a second opinion or outside perspective. 

Built on experience and how people actually learn. I combine training experience with 25 years of sales, sales management and HR success to see the whole picture. 

You want more results and less yawns? 

Let's chat.

Adam Spacht

Tori Whaley, aPHR

Advocate Health

Managed leave of absence department general inquires, answering and researching claims while providing an exceptional employee experience in an organization of 20,000+.

Built and launched a process framework for a longstanding policy, working cross-functionally with management and a third-party vendor to deliver smooth employee payment operations.

Trained team members to navigate and master a complex, multi-step leave of absence process by breaking down difficult concepts into clear, actionable steps.

Audited closed claims, ensuring compliant and complete closure, supporting successful employee transitions back to work.

Established comprehensive SOPs for essential departmental processes, addressing foundational gaps and providing clear guidance for new employees.

Reviewed and updated website content, removing outdated language and aligning updates with standards across business groups.

Developed and launched process improvement teams to address outdated, complex policies, creating actionable tasks from findings to drive measurable change.

Human Resources Coordinator, Leave of Absence

Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits

Delivered compassionate, concierge-level leave guidance to 20,000+ union and non-union employees across 21 states, building trust, reducing confusion, and ensuring a positive experience.

Resolved complex LOA cases with empathy and precision, increasing employee satisfaction and strengthening confidence in HR processes.

Partnered with 50+ executives, HRBPs, and stakeholders in 2023 to navigate challenging leave scenarios while advocating for employees through reasonable accommodations and return-to-work options.

Created user-friendly templates, policies, procedures, and process maps that streamlined HR operations, improved accessibility, and reinforced understanding of technical data.

Collaborated with Legal, Payroll, and Absence Management leadership to ensure compliant, fair, and employee-centered outcomes.

Processed weekly payroll for employees on LOA with 100% accuracy, streamlining workflows to guarantee timely and compliant payments.

Reviewed 2,000+ OSHA files for accuracy and legal adherence, ensuring compliance and mitigating organizational risk.

Facilitated interactive processes with empathy, assessing unique employee needs to deliver equitable outcomes and making separation decisions when necessary.

Liaised with third-party vendors through weekly meetings to address unclear claims, ensure proper handling, and strengthen accountability.

Wrote SOPs, letter templates, and a brochure to aid in understanding technical concepts. Created associated process maps in Visio for SOPs.

North Texas Community Foundation

Included Front Desk Administrator duties plus:

Strengthened internal IT support by learning troubleshooting skills, reducing outside vendor reliance, bringing a chronically over budget line item back within budget.

Partnered with stakeholders to overhaul 30+ outdated policies and procedures, streamlining operations and improving clarity for employees navigating internal processes.

Led cross-functional team to optimize a multi-departmental procedure, reducing procedure completion time.

Developed and cultivated a StrengthsFinder culture by designing team-building activities, creating peer-recognition programs, and facilitating workshops that increased collaboration, employee engagement, and performance alignment with individual strengths.

Trained staff and executives on collaboration best practices for a more inclusive culture.

Selected and implemented video-conferencing hardware for two conference rooms; coordinated install and trained staff.

Handpicked video conferencing equipment, one for primary and another for secondary conference room, overseeing timely installation and training staff.  

Reviewed weekly check deposit reconciliation with Finance to ensure accuracy and transparency.

Championed the recognition of Juneteenth as a company holiday, aligning organizational policies with cultural values and reinforcing employee belonging.

Operations Associate / Employee Experience Specialist

Allied with senior leadership to evaluate employee satisfaction via employee survey I created, shaping strategies that strengthened the workplace culture.

Served as the first point of contact for calls, emails, and visitors, delivering professional, attentive support, ensuring positive experiences.

Designed and led a comprehensive employee experience program spanning development, recognition, events, and retreats that reduced turnover by more than 60%.

Welcomed and onboarded new hires, streamlining system setup and acting as a trusted resource.

Orchestrated company events end-to-end successfully, including planning, logistics, vendor coordination, and on-site management, renforcing comapny dedication to staff.

Streamlined administrative operations by improving organization systems, optimizing database management, supporting projects which improved team productivity, all enhancing the employee experience.

Guided employees through complex LOA cases with compassion and precision, improving satisfaction and trust in HR processes.

Ensured accuracy of a 20,000+ contact CRM, enhancing reporting reliability and supporting data-driven decision making.

Enhanced workplace efficiency and culture by maintaining supply chains, managing kitchen and reception needs, and ensuring clean, welcoming common areas.

Served as primary liaison for vendors and building partners, fostering strong relationships, addressing concerns proactively, and ensuring timely resolution of all issues.

Created a sense of camaraderie and inclusion during the challenges of COVID through online events and activity groups.

Front Desk Administrator / Employee Experience Specialist

As a single mom I wanted to be present for my son. I traded marketing plans for a brush and bowl, becoming a hair colorist, spending most of my years at Neiman Marcus. A meticulous, creative problem solver, I actively listened to clients and provided white glove customer service. 

Trained regularly locally and attending conferences across the USA including New York City.	

Developed personal brand through customized processes and design as well as targeted customer experiences.

Utilized social media including Instagram and Facebook to drive business through examples of work.

Entrepreneur - Hair Color Specialist, Corporate Break

The HR team player you wish you had. People Champion | Leave & Accommodation Ninja | Employee Experience Passionista | Dazzling Communicator | Strategic Business Writer | Policy & Procedure Developer

I spent 15 years as an elite hair colorist in top Dallas salons, including Neiman Marcus, where I learned how to listen, earn trust, and deliver unforgettable experiences.

Today I bring that same mindset to my next company. I know that when employees feel supported, they create better customer experiences, and when customers feel valued, the business thrives.

I’m at my best tackling tough projects, solving problems others avoid, and building programs that make a real impact.

If you want someone who understands how employee and customer experience work together to drive success, let’s connect.

Benefits & Absence Management Partner

• Advocate for employees during the FMLA & ADA process
• Oversee FMLA & ADA process in over 20 states, including New York, Washington, Ohio, and Pennsylvania
• Collaborate with regional and local teams to ensure employees are safe and under state and local laws
• Work with unions to ensure employment agreements are being applied
• Manage a spreadsheet detailing all active, future, worker's compensation, and modified work. 
• Calculate wages for employees on leave, submitting to payroll weekly
• Initiate and administer the employee separation process

taplio

The Battle

Adam Spacht

Tori Whaley, aPHR

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