The Operations Analysis division at Omaha Public Power District serves as corporate internal consultants. They are there to help assess a variety of issues and ideas for possible incorporation into a section of the company or the entire company. Mark Pohl is a Senior Corporate Performance and Process Engineer in that group. In short, he is an industrial engineer (his words).

The Omaha Chamber of Commerce formed a group called Young Professionals. Mark is involved in the leadership of that group. Specifically he coodinating the 2010 Greater Omaha Young Professionals Summit, March 4, 2010. Listen to the interview to learn more about his work with this organization and this event. At the Summit Omaha Public Power District was honored with the Young Professionals Choice Award. Here is an article showing Mark accepting the award on behalf of Omaha Public Power District.

Here are some of the great quotes that Mark shared during the interview:

“Leadership is giving when you feel like keeping…it’s praying for others when you need to be prayed for…it’s feeding others when your soul is hungry…it’s living the truth before people, even when you can’t see the results…it’s hurting with others when your own hurt can’t be spoken…it’s keeping your word when it is not convenient…it’s being faithful when you feel like running…Leadership is serving!”
–unknown author

“You can think big without having to think of everything yourself”
-William Taylor, Mavericks at Work

“You need to walk in stupid everyday‐keep challenging the organization to seek out unexpected ideas, outside influences and new perspectives on old problems”
-Dan Wieden, W+K Marketing Agency

I have had the pleasure of working with Mark on several project over the years. I appreciate his never ending enthusiasm and dedication. Mark works hard to keep the project on task and focused. You’ll see these attributes as you listen to this interview.

ProAct Safety is the world’s most successful provider of Safety Culture Excellence and Behavior-Based Safety (BBS) Solutions. With over 1,000 successful projects in virtually every industry, ProAct Safety has become the global leader of safety excellence. ProAct Safety offers a revolutionary and customized approach to BBS called Lean Behavior-Based Safety. Lean BBS® is based on the philosophy of achieving and sustaining maximum accident reductions with the minimum internal resources and external cost requirements.

I have had the pleasure of working with Shawn on a Behavorial Based Safety implementation at our facility. This give me the opportunity to see Shawn at work on a daily basis. He does an amazing job of leading groups through this process. Hear how Shawn does it.

The Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) is one of the largest publicly owned electric utilities in the United States, serving more than 340,000 customers in 13 southeast Nebraska counties. It was organized as a political subdivision of the State of Nebraska in 1946. Policies and rates are set by an eight-member Board of Directors elected by the people in the areas served.

OPPD’s Fort Calhoun Station, a 484 MW nuclear power plant, is located on the west bank of the Missouri River about 19 miles north of Omaha. The station began commercial production of electricity in 1973. Hear how Jeff leads his organization at Fort Calhoun.

College of Saint Mary, a private Catholic college, offers students learning and growth in a women’s environment. They help students develop their strengths and potential through academics that combine professional and career preparation with the liberal arts.

They offer a Master in Organizational Leadership program. This is a 36-credit hour graduate program committed to the growth and development of professionals in business. It is designed to advance the practice and development of effective leadership for the benefit of employees and employers in business and industry and society as a whole. Listen to hear more about it.

Emergenetics International is a group of professionals who translate research from neuroscientific, psychological, educational, and business sources into information that is useful for individuals, teams, and organizations.

They are making a difference through the development of research-based tools that determine each individual’s unique combination of Thinking and Behavioral Attributes. Emergenetics promote job satisfaction, accelerate learning, enhance communication, and develop personal effectiveness. Emergenetics is based on the fact that our personalities are shaped by our genetics as well as by the characteristics that have emerged from our life experiences. Listen how Geil leads her company and business professionals using the Emergenetics tools.

Bob Taylor works with Environment, Safety and Health at Amercian Electric Power (AEP).  This is a significant responsibility as AEP is one of the largest electric utilities in the United States.  They serve 5 million customers in 11 states.  By owning more than 38,000 mw of generating capacity they also own the nations largest transmission system with nearly 39,000 miles and more 765 Kv extra-high voltage lines than all other U.S. transmission systems combined.  Bob works to keep nearly 22,000 AEP employees safe.  Listen how Bob leads at work and in his community.

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Mary Prefontaine is the Executive Director of the Institute for Career Advancement Needs, Inc. (ICAN) – a leadership development organization helping companies nationwide to develop their next generation of leaders. Ms. Prefontaine has over 20 years of experience in senior executive positions in marketing and business development in both non-profit and for-profit organizations. Prior to joining ICAN in 2006, Mary was the Vice President of Marketing for the Omaha Symphony, the leading performing arts organization in Nebraska.

Prior to moving to Omaha from Vancouver, Canada in 2004, her career was in tourism and destination development. She served as Director of Tourism Communications for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Bid Corporation and as a destination management consultant for the government of British Columbia. She also served as Director of Business Development and Government Relations, and Director of Sales and Market Development, with the Greater Vancouver Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Ms. Prefontaine has served on the board of directors of the Fraser Academy; the International Relations committee for the Professional Convention and Meeting Planners Association based in Chicago; and on the Asia and European Marketing Committee for the Canadian Tourism Commission. She has traveled to more than 14 countries, and in 2007 she spent a month in Africa working for the Kenyan Children’s Foundation helping build a better community for children suffering due to AIDS. Mary is driven by her passion to help make the world a better place through her love of the earth and humanity. She shares her love of travel, diverse cultures, music and nature with her life partner, Rob and their children Ian and Jocelyn.

Mary has several quotes that she lives by:

• To understand leadership, you must understand people, and to understand people, you must understand yourself. – ICAN
• Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has. – Margaret Mead

Here is recommended reading from Mary:

Harvard Business Review

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