Description:
Would you like to discuss the future of performance improvement together? How do we prepare ourselves for such a future? What does the International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI) provide to assist professionals with their career advancement?
This is your unique opportunity to gain invaluable insights from George Gu, the president of ISPI, and Nancy Burns, the Executive Director of ISPI.
Panelists:
George Limin Gu, CPT
Co-founder, Improvement Consulting
George is a management innovator with over thirty years of working experience in both China and the United States. He specializes in management innovation, performance improvement, talent strategy, corporate university, instructional system design, e-Learning and curriculum development. He has served in various world-class companies such as IBM, Ericsson, HayGroup, and Qwest. He has been the lead on a variety of projects with various responsibilities in both countries and possesses a verifiable track record of creating proven results. He has successfully helped organizations solve capability management problems and brought value to their growth, especially in fast-growing economies.
Since 2011, George has co-developed with Mr. Hui Ding an innovative management method called “GPS-IE® Management System”. It solves pragmatic problems in a truly mathematical, systematic, logic, result-oriented, and sustainable fashion. In 2018, GPS-IE® became the basis for IPP (International Performance Professional, aka. Management Driver’s License, MDL) and CID (Certified Instructional Designer) certifications, which are both ISPI official credential. George and Hui also co-authored The Logic of Management in 2017 and Improve in 2021, both in Chinese, on GPS-IE®.
George is the producer and interviewer of Training Masters Series (TMS50) from May 2020 – May 2021, interviewing world-class industry leaders, thought leaders, and experts. He also produced TMS China Edition 2021 (TMS China 2021), interviewing talent development leaders from top-notch Chinese companies during Chinese New Year 2021. Since 2011, he has introduced and translated about 4 million words from English to Chinese in learning and development and performance improvement, including masterpieces from ISPI and ATD. George also possesses the record of being the first Chinese to become a Certified Performance Technologist (CPT) jointly by ISPI and ASTD in July 2003.
George has served on the ISPI board since 2017. In May 2021, he became President-Elect of ISPI (term 2023-2025). Before ISPI, George also served as a board member of IBSTPI between 2011-2017. He is also the main initiator of ISPI Asia Pacific Center (ISPI-AP). George received the Distinguished Alumni Award from St. Cloud State University in 2012; Distinguished Alumni Award from Nankai University in 2019. He is also the adjunct professor at Tianjin Foreign Studies University.
Nancy Crain Burns, CPT, PhD, MBA, PMP, CAEL
Dr. Nancy Crain Burns, CPT, MBA, PMP, CAEL, is the current Executive Director of the International Society of Performance Improvement (ISPI) and Past-President. ISPI is a non-profit, membership organization that believes “Being Better Matters!” Founded in 1962, the Society helps people and organizations make a difference: in their co-workers and clients, their communities and their world.
Dr. Burns is the founder/president of Crain Burns Associates LLC. As a Certified Performance Technologist, she leads individuals, teams and organizations through strategies, identifying opportunities that achieve effective solutions. Projects include Strategic Planning, Visioning, Grant Evaluation. Performance Improvement and Entrepreneurial workshops.
Dr. Burns is active in her community and has served on several non-profit boards. She was the chair of the steering committee for the Crossville Cumberland Horizon Initiative (visioning for the future) and served on the Joint Economic and Community Development Board..
During her corporate career, she served multiple roles in automotive/financial services. She has worked in operations, accounting, project and information technology management, as well as a liaison with business Executives for strategic planning and technology requirements.
Dr. Burns education/training includes a doctorate in Business Organizational Management, Master of Business Administration, Certified Performance Technologist designation, Project Management Professional certification, and Council for Adult and Experiential Learning Mastery in Prior Learning Assessment.
Her dissertation research connected aspects of leadership, communication and influence styles that enhance self-reflection and collaboration with others. During her career in an automotive/financial services organization, Nancy worked her way through the field organization to a position in the firm’s executive office (from the “mail room to the board room”). She has worked in operations, accounting, project and information technology management, as well as a liaison with business Executives for strategic planning and technology requirements. After “retirement” from the corporate world, Dr. Burns moved into academia as an instructor and Teaching/ Learning Coordinator. In this role, she developed courses, mentored faculty and enhanced courses in the Global Project Management curriculum. She has taught Leadership, Entrepreneurship, Organizational Behavior, Management (Strategic/ Human Resource/Operations), Philosophy of American Enterprise, Training in Organizations and Project Management at the University level.
