Rich Conners

In addition to being a Hayes Group Team Member since 1994, Rich Conners started, grew, and eventually sold Conners Consultants, Inc., a Management Consulting firm serving many prominent International and NC Triangle Area clients, mainly in the areas of Career Management, Executive Coaching, Team Building, and Organizational Development.  He was also an owner and the COO of NextStep Advisory Boards.

Prior to entering the consulting profession, Rich achieved a track record of significant accomplishment as a Human Resources Executive with both American and foreign-based companies.  His experience includes successful change, talent, and performance management in a remarkably wide range of circumstances including rapid growth, acquisition, divestiture, start-up, relocation, downsizing, re-organization and re-engineering.  He is well seasoned in the International arena, having worked with businesses in Canada, Mexico, India, Japan and much of Western Europe.

Rich is highly skilled in achieving measurable business results.  He is especially qualified as an advisor and leader in the areas of: Performance Improvement; New Business Start Up; Recruiting, Assessing, & Retaining Top Talent; Leadership, Motivation, Teamwork & Coaching; Reward Systems; Organizational Planning & Development; Union Avoidance/Labor Relations; Negotiating; International Business; and Outplacement.

Rich has helped a wide range of clients successfully handle a variety of difficult and sometimes sensitive projects and issues.  His ability to help individuals and groups achieve superior results, and at the same time to identify and minimize potential causes of problems and risk for the client organization, is highly valued by those he has served.

Rich holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Wayne State University, and has completed numerous executive development programs in both the United States and Europe.  He has guest lectured at Shenandoah University and North Carolina State University, has contributed as a Senior Executive Day panelist and speaker for the Wake Forest University Executive MBA Program, and has served as a Labor Arbitrator for a municipal fire department.  Rich has been a member of the Wake County Business/Education Leadership Council, the Triangle Area Personnel Executives, SHRM, and several Chambers of Commerce.