Corporate Training - Business Writing - Communication Skills

Corporate Training
“I particularly noticed his passion and knowledge of the subject matter. He gave a well-organized presentation, provided opportunities to practice some of the skills, and encouraged an interactive and fun learning environment.”
Paul Plamondon
Custom Training Design / www.customtrainingdesign.com

Services of Improving Communications Classes by Improving Communications
photo by Neil Peart

ABOUT RICHARD J. ATKINS

Richard Atkins of Improving Communications
Photo by Michael A. Robinson Photography
Dr. Richard J. Atkins is the Managing Director of Improving Communications, a New York-based corporate training firm that offers Business Writing, Public Speaking, Customer Service, Leadership & Management, and U-Based™ Sales training.

Dr. Atkins is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). He currently serves as the Co-Chair of the Human Resources Association of New York's (HR/NY) Career Planning & Professional Development Special Interest Group. Rich is American Management Association (AMA)-certified faculty and is also a Vistage-certified speaker.

Dr. Atkins also presents frequently throughout the nation on the concept of MEDIA TERRORISM™. He has been a guest panelist on News-12's Jobline, and has been quoted in articles appearing in South Florida's Sun-Sentinel, Long Island Business News, and the Erie Times-News. His doctoral research on canine learning styles was the subject of an article titled "One Size Does Not Fit All" in the March 2006 issue of Dog Fancy Magazine.

Presentations

  • Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
    • November 2011 Human Resources Association of New York Networking SIG – "Word Power & Write Insights: Effective Business Writing."
    • October 2011 Human Resources Association of New York Career Planning & Professional Development SIG, New York, NY – " Using Building Excellence (BE) to Maximize Human Capital ROI."
    • October 2011 Garden State Council Annual Conference & Expo, Atlantic City, NJ – concurrent session presenter.
    • March 2011 Human Resources Association of New York Career Planning & Professional Development SIG, New York, NY – "Strategic Human Resourcing: How To Earn a ‘Seat At the Table.’"
    • March 2011 Morris County SHRM, Morristown, NJ – monthly chapter meeting presenter.
    • January 2011 Mid-Hudson Human Resources Association (MHHRA), Poughkeepsie, NY – monthly chapter meeting presenter.
    • November 2010 Garden State Council Annual Conference & Expo, Long Branch, NJ – concurrent session presenter.
    • September 2010 Iowa State Conference, West Des Moines, IA – concurrent sessions presenter.
    • November 2009 Human Resources Association of New York Career Planning & Professional Development SIG, New York, NY – "Improving Presentation Skills: How to Overcome Your Fear of Public Speaking."
    • November 2009 Delaware SHRM State Conference (DE SHRM) – Newark, DE, concurrent session presenter.
    • October 2009 SHRM Vermont State Conference, Stowe, VT – concurrent sessions presenter.
    • November 2008 Human Resource Management Association of Rhode Island (HRMRI), Warwick, RI – monthly chapter meeting presenter.
    • October 2008 Human Resources Association of the Twin Tiers (HRATT) Annual Conference, Elmira, NY – keynote and concurrent session presenter.
    • September 2008 Tuscaloosa Human Resource Professionals (THRP), Tuscaloosa, AL – monthly chapter meeting presenter.
    • June 2008 Gateway SHRM, Jersey City, NJ – monthly chapter meeting presenter.
    • March 2008 Genesee Valley Chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management (GVCSHRM), Rochester, NY – monthly chapter meeting presenter.
    • February 2008 Human Resource Management Association of Rhode Island (HRMRI), Warwick, RI – monthly chapter meeting presenter.
    • January 2008 Central Illinois Chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management (CIC-SHRM), Springfield, IL – monthly chapter meeting presenter.
    • January 2008 East Valley Human Resources Association (EVHRA), Tempe, AZ – monthly chapter meeting presenter.
    • October 2007 SHRM-Atlanta 17th Annual Southeast HR Conference, Atlanta, GA – concurrent session presenter.
    • October 2007 Jersey Shore Association for Human Resources (JSAHR), Neptune, NJ – monthly chapter meeting presenter.
    • September 2007 Human Resource Association of Palm Beach County (HRPBC), Boca Raton, FL – monthly chapter meeting presenter.
    • September 2007 Human Resource Association of Treasure Valley (HRATV), Boise, ID – monthly chapter meeting presenter.
    • September 2007 Mid-Florida Society for Human Resource Management (MFSHRM), Lakeland, FL – monthly chapter meeting presenter.
    • August 2007 Austin Human Resources Management Association (AHRMA) Annual Conference, Austin, TX – concurrent session presenter.
    • June 2007 Westchester Human Resources Management Association (WHRMA), White Plains, NY – monthly chapter meeting presenter.
    • June 2007 Acadiana Society for Human Resource Management (ASHRM), Lafayette, LA – monthly chapter meeting presenter.
    • May 2007 Society for Human Resource Management of Tompkins County (SHRMTC) Annual Conference, Ithaca, NY – concurrent session presenter.
    • May 2007 Professionals in Human Resources Association (PIHRA), El Segundo, CA – full-day Effective Business Writing class.
    • May 2007 Eastern Indiana Human Resources Association (EIHRA) Tenth Annual Management Leadership Conference, Richmond, IN – keynote address.
    • April 2007 Human Resource Management Association (HRMA) Spring Conference, Milwaukee, WI – concurrent session presenter.
    • March 2007 Human Resources Association of the Midlands (HRAM), Omaha, NE – monthly chapter meeting presenter.
    • November 2006 Southern Tier Association for Human Resources (STAHR), Binghamton, NY – monthly chapter meeting presenter.
  • College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR)
    • February 2007 Georgia State Conference, Atlanta, GA – concurrent session presenter.
    • November 2006 Upstate New York Conference, Syracuse, NY – session presenter.
    • November 2006 Ohio State Conference, Columbus, OH – session presenter.
    • October 2006 Illinois State Conference, Springfield, IL – session presenter.
  • International Public Management Association for Human Resources (IPMA-HR)
    • September 2008 Kentucky State Conference, Carrollton, KY – session presenter.
    • March 2007 Virginia State Conference, Portsmouth, VA – session presenter.
    • November 2006 Albany-Capital Region Chapter, Albany, NY – monthly chapter meeting presenter.
  • International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI)
    • March 2008 New Mexico Chapter (NMISPI) Annual Conference, Albuquerque, NM – full-day Improving Customer Service workshop presenter.
    • December 2006 – ISPI Orange County (ISPI-OC), Santa Ana, CA – monthly chapter meeting presenter.
  • Other Organizations
    • June 2011 Hauppauge Industrial Alliance – Long Island's Workforce Development Scholarship Conference, Patchogue, NY - "How You Communicate Can Make or Break the Deal."
    • August 2010 Ascend Convention 2010, New York, NY – Concurrent session presenter.
    • June 2010 Ascend Metro New York Chapter, New York, NY – monthly chapter meeting presenter.
    • January 2010 Great Neck Chamber of Commerce, Great Neck, NY – “Improving Sales Through Improving Customer Service.”
    • July 2009 John Jay College of Criminal Justice: BRAVO! Summer Employee Institute Program – “Effective Business Writing” concurrent session presenter.
    • March 2009 Rhode Island Association of Facilities and Services for the Aging (RIAFSA), Lincoln, RI – "The Power of Attitude" keynote address and breakout session presenter.
    • January 2009 Greater New York Chapter of the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA), East Elmhurst, NY – monthly chapter meeting presentation.
    • January 2008 Human Resources Professionals Association of Ontario (HRPAO) Annual Conference & Trade Show, Toronto, ON – concurrent sessions presenter.
    • May 2007 State University Human Resources Association (SUHRA), New York – concurrent sessions presenter.
    • May 2007 Suffolk County Bar Association, Hauppauge, NY – "Communicating Your Way to the Top" panel discussion.
    • May 2007 Human Resources Professionals Association of Ontario (HRPAO), Toronto, ON – "Communication Essentials for HR Professionals" seminar (2-day class).
    • April 2007 Chesterfield County Supervisory Leadership Conference, Chesterfield, VA – "Essential Qualities of Leaders" keynote address and breakout session presenter.
    • January 2006 Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA – "Sales Principles for Dental Practices."
    • April 2005 Society for Technical Communication (STC) Long Island Chapter – "The Value of Correct Punctuation."
    • August 2003 Long Beach City School District, NY – "Bad Attitude: Confronting Views That Hinder Students' Learning."
  • Media Terrorism
    • May 2007 Long Island Library Conference.
    • September 2005, Port Washington Public Library.
    • November 2004 Long Island University, CW Post Campus.

Publications


Dr. Atkins's other interests include: motorcycling (100K+ miles), cigars, cheese, theater, antiques, genealogical research (12 generations of family tree so far...), and music (electric bass guitar and the Chapman Stick Touchboard). His travel destinations have included most of the United States, Mexico, Canada, Ireland, Northern Ireland, England, Scotland, France, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Greece, and Turkey.

Rich has had numerous travelogue articles published in BMW Owners News. Rich has interviewed and written about numerous celebrity personalities including Jay Leno, Billy Joel, Rush’s Neil Peart, Vertical Horizon’s Matt Scannell, Semisonic’s Jacob Slichter, producer/guitarist Doug Derryberry (Bruce Hornsby’s band), singer Arnold McCuller, and luthier/guitar maker Michael Tobias.

He lives in New York with his wife Patricia, children Ciara and Robert, and their dog, Casey (who was one of the pets used to provide comfort and solace to survivors at the Family Center for victims of the World Trade Center attack).





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