CORPORATE TRAINING • MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER • STAFF DEVELOPMENT























Dr. Richard J. Atkins is the founder / CEO of Improving Communications, a New York-based corporate education firm.

He has had several New York-centered travelogue articles published in BMW Owners News. Rich has interviewed and written about numerous celebrity personalities including Vertical Horizon musicians Craig Macintyre and Matt Scannell, Rush's Neil Peart, Semisonic's Jacob Slichter, producer/guitarist Doug Derryberry (Bruce Hornsby's band), and luthier/guitar maker Michael Tobias.

Dr. Atkins's Media Terrorism presentation has been delivered at Long Island University and other locations. 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. Dr. Atkins is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).



Publications

  • "The subdude Roads of New England." BMWMOA.org, October 2007.
  • "Riding the Perimeter of Virginia." BMW Owners News, September 2007.
  • "The subdudes - Street Symphony (Album Review)." The Music Box, August 2007.
  • "Down Time For Musicians? Not Likely: A Candid Conversation with Matt Scannell of Vertical Horizon." Bandradio.com, May 2007; Musicdish.com, August 2007.
  • "Roadshow: Landscape With Drums: A Concert Tour By Motorcycle (Book Review)." BMW Owners News, March 2007.
  • "The Passing Lane, Right?: The Language of Courtesy on the Roads." BMW Owners News, February 2007.
  • "Building Guitars and Riding Motorcycles: An Interview With Michael Tobias." BMW Owners News, March 2006.
  • "When Dollars and Cents Meet Heart and Soul: The Cost of Dedication in the Music Industry." Musicdish.com, March 2006.
  • "A subdude Album and Tour" (Behind the Levee album review). Gritz.net, Ftworthmusic.com, and Dallasmusic.com, January/February 2006.
  • "Route 28 Through New York's Adirondacks." BMW Owners News, December 2005.
  • "Motorcycling: The Perennial Gift-An Interview With Neil Peart." BMW Owners News, April 2005.
  • "A subdude Trip Around New York." BMW Owners News, October 2004.
  • "Obedience School Or Private Trainer - What Is Best For Your Dog?: An Analytical Look at Canine Learning Styles." K-9 Magazine, August 2004.
  • "Urban Motorcycling: I Love New York More Than Ever." BMW Owners News, August 2002.




Presentations

  • Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
    • October 2007 SHRM-Atlanta, Atlanta, GA - 17th Annual Southeast HR Conference concurrent session presenter.
    • October 2007 Jersey Shore Association for Human Resources (JSAHR), Neptune, NJ - Monthly Chapter Meeting Presentation.
    • September 2007 Human Resource Association of Palm Beach County (HRPBC), Boca Raton, FL - Monthly meeting speaker.
    • 2007 Human Resource Association of Treasure Valley (HRATV), Boise, ID - Monthly meeting speaker.
    • September 2007 Mid-Florida Society for Human Resource Management (MFSHRM), Lakeland, FL - Monthly meeting speaker.
    • August 2007 Austin Human Resources Management Association (AHRMA), Austin, TX - Concurrent session presenter.
    • June 2007 Westchester Human Resources Management Association (WHRMA), White Plains, NY - Monthly meeting speaker.
    • June 2007 Acadiana Society for Human Resource Management (ASHRM), Lafayette, LA - Monthly meeting speaker.
    • May 2007 Society for Human Resource Management of Tompkins County (SHRMTC), Ithaca, NY - Concurrent Session presenter.
    • May 2007 Professionals in Human Resources Association (PIHRA), El Segundo, CA - Business Grammar & Usage class.
    • May 2007 Eastern Indiana Human Resources Association (EIHRA), Richmond, IN - Tenth Annual Management Leadership Conference keynote address.
    • April 2007 Human Resource Management Association (HRMA), Milwaukee, WI - Spring Conference concurrent session presenter.
    • March 2007 Human Resources Association of the Midlands (HRAM), Omaha, NE - Chapter meeting.
    • November 2006 Southern Tier Association for Human Resources (STAHR), Binghamton, NY - Chapter meeting.
  • College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR)
    • February 2007 - Georgia State Conference.
    • November 2006 - Upstate New York Conference.
    • November 2006 - Ohio State Conference.
    • October 2006 - Illinois State Conference.
  • International Public Management Association for Human Resources (IPMA-HR)
    • March 2007 - Virginia State Conference.
    • November - 2006 Albany-Capital Region Chapter meeting.
  • International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI)
    • December 2006 - Orange County Chapter meeting.
  • "Workplace Anger Management" and "Essential Leadership Qualities" concurrent sessions. State University Human Resources Association (SUHRA). May 2007.
  • "Communicating Your Way to the Top" Panel Discussion. Suffolk County Bar Association - Hauppauge, NY. May 2007.
  • "Communication Essentials for HR Professionals" Seminar (2-day class). Human Resources Professionals Association of Ontario (HRPAO) - Toronto, ON. May 2007.
  • "Essential Qualities of Leaders" Keynote Address. Chesterfield County Supervisory Leadership Conference, Chesterfield, VA. April 2007.
  • "Sales Principles for Dental Practices." Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. January 2006.
  • "MEDIA TERRORISM: Fighting Fear and Lies." Long Island Library Conference, May 2007; Port Washington Public Library, September 2005; CW Post, November 2004.
  • "The Value of Punctuation." Society for Technical Communication (STC), April 2005.
  • "Bad Attitude: Confronting Views That Hinder Students' Learning." Long Beach City School District, August 2003.



Rich's other interests include: motorcycling (75,000+ miles), theater, photography, 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.



A citizen of The United States and Republic of Ireland, Rich 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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