Posted: September 3, 2010

As the president of the Hampton Roads Chapter of the International Society for Performance Improvement, Fred L.E. Stewart is an avid champion of using the systems approach as the means of solving today's complex business problems. And, as the director of international business development for a Virginia Beach company called VSD LLC, he is qualified to discuss what corporations look for in solution providers. Stewart's firm provides strategic planning, assessment and analy-sis support for organizations looking for immediate performance improvement and learning solutions.

I spoke with Stewart in advance of the upcoming chapter meeting.

What are the objectives of the Hampton Roads chapter of the International Society for Performance Improvement?

At HRISPI our objectives are simple - build a community of practice. We want to provide a forum for the advancement of human performance technology among our members and those wishing to serve through mentoring, networking, education and the development of sound research leading to desired outcomes.

Our goals are to promote and enhance corporate and public perception of the value of HPT and the certified performance technologist certification associated with ISPI.

Our meetings, speaking engagements and workshops are designed for individuals or groups looking for solutions. Our members are a cross-section of the Hampton Roads community, including private sector, military/government and academia.

The strength of our local chapter is within our membership and our board of directors. As a community of practice, we want to give our members the experience of interacting with a host of experts in order to establish a forum that cultivates fresh perspectives.

What will attendees be doing at this session?

We are honored to announce that Guy Wallace, an honorary Life Member Award selectee and past president of ISPI, will kick off our exciting 2010-2011 season Sept. 30 at 7 p.m at the ODU Webb Center. Guy's presentation will be on "Performance-Based Curriculum Architecture Design."

As we move forward into the year, we will focus on case studies as a means of showcasing winning strategies. Additionally, our goal will be to highlight the risks and rewards associated with implementation. Finally, we will mentor those members seeking CPT certification.

David Boisselle is director of military affairs at Regent University and a friend of the Hampton Roads chapter of the International Society for Performance Improvement.