A Virtual Organization at Work

John A. Fenoglio:

Founder and President of Synergy Solutions, Inc., John spent a 31 year career in the rehabilitation of people with disabilities.  His formal training was in the area of clinical psychology completing his Masters degree in that area and was in the final year of his Doctoral study when he learned that he was about to become a father and had to get about making a living rather than completing his study.  He became a Rehabilitation Counselor, moved into the role of a supervisor of rehabilitation counselors and then became a consultant in the area of catastrophic disabilities, providing guidance in that area to the staff delivering services to that population.  That role led to the upper management positions of Program Director, Deputy Commissioner for Administrative Services and finally Deputy Commissioner for Programs. 

During the final three years as Deputy Commissioner for Programs a system wide effort to improve the organization was undertaken with the guidance of Dr. Russell Ackoff.  Dr. Ackoff is one of the nation’s leaders in the area of systems analysis, quality improvement initiatives and organizational development.  This initiative failed because of the lack of support of the Commissioner of the organization - a hard lesson learned from the costly “School of Hard Knocks.”

That lesson caused John to retire from a long career in order to pursue those concepts that had been applied in the activity of attempting to improve the Rehabilitation Commission.  Synergy Solutions was created and John acquired certification as a professional facilitator and instructor of Quality Processes through the Xerox Corporation's Quality Institute.  These skills were integrated with those acquired from Russell Ackoff and a new career was launched that continues today.
 
In 1994, John founded what is now known as the Texas State University Quality Institute.  Currently the Institute provides services to numerous State organizations in the area of Human Relations, Management, Customer Satisfaction, training development and other special areas requiring special attention.


Walt Shaw

Walt is a key prime contractor.  Retired from an executive career with Xerox Corporation, Walt taught and practiced the quality process that proved to be so successful in the Xerox recovery.  He brings the corporate perspective to the mix at Synergy and has become a specialist in the skills assessment process that comprises a foundational piece of our process of classification, pay and compensation and job assessment activities.

Jim Schwab

Dr. Schwab's primary vocational activity is that of teaching doctoral candidates at the University of  Texas School of Social Work.  His specialty is the area of research design and analysis and he frequently contributes that special talent to Synergy's customers.  He is critically involved in our satisfaction survey development as we custom design each survey for each specific customer in order to tap the precise interest that best serves that assignment.  He plays a key role in the analysis and interpretation of the results of those survey instruments.

Don Warren

Dr. Warren's retired from a key role in the Legislative Council where he directed the research activity for this important function of the Legislature.  He now teaches statistical design and analysis at the University of
Texas at San Antonio.  He plays a key contractual role in performing many of the statistical analyzes associated with our work.  Don's  legislative background and associations as well as his professional knowledge are often consulted.

Tom Wittmer

Tom is a principal in the Wittmer & Wittmer firm.  His role with Synergy is that of a concept developer and political strategist.  His knowledge and history in the political world makes him extremely valuable in that complex area.  His unique thought processes and vast knowledge about most any subject make him even more valuable.  Most recently he has played a key role in Synergy’s activities in the area of wind power generation and iron phosphate battery storage of that green energy.  The ability to store energy developed at off peak time and delivering at peak time offer great financial potential.