ABOUT TOM EPLEY

Tom Epley is an incredibly experienced turnaround CEO, an expert in rescue management. He's a tough, hands-on, results-oriented executive who knows how to make bold decisions and take meaningful actions – and implement them swiftly in difficult environments.

For more than 30 years, Tom served as the General Manager, President, CEO, and/or Chairman of more than a dozen independent companies, divisions, or subsidiaries spanning a variety of industries. All of these organizations, with revenues of $50 million to $1 billion, were either in a slow descending drift, facing an ominous cliff, caught in an accelerating downward spiral, or nearing a state of total collapse.

During Tom's relatively short stint, each organization rebounded rapidly, was positioned to continue this highly positive trend, and produced an immensely profitable return for its owners. Remarkably, Tom accomplished this without any prior knowledge of the business, industry, products, or markets of any of these companies.

_____________________________________

Principles of Rescue Management

Tom credits his ability to turn ailing, dysfunctional businesses into successful and sustainable organizations to a set of principles and techniques which are based on his first-hand experiences and real-life observations. These ideas are not found in the business literature nor are they taught in graduate schools of management. As practiced by Tom Epley, they blend common sense with the courage of conviction, and culminate in many of the same conclusions reached by behavioral scientists who seek to understand human nature and organizational dynamics.

According to Tom, most organizational wounds are self-inflicted and remain uncorrectable without a significant mid-stream change in management style. Most General Managers and CEOs could dig themselves out of their self-imposed dilemma if they had the courage to challenge their own personal status quo and completely re-think their approach to inducing cultural change, engaging their employees, realizing higher levels of performance, and, ultimately, transforming dying companies into thriving ones.   

_____________________________________

Expanding the Comfort Zone

Tom's unique management concepts and techniques may be outside the mainstream, but they're thoroughly tested and proven. Whether it's called transformational thinking or transformational management, one thing is clear: business decisions must be made urgently and effectively, problems must be attacked in an organized way, and employees must be enlightened about management decisions so that desired outcomes will occur.

Tom Epley's breakthrough management techniques radically increase the likelihood of success for decision makers in any environment from MBA students and recent graduates to owners, investors, LBO partners, and CEOs. It's all about making bold decisions and taking effective actions that are outside the purview of one's normal comfort zone. It's about realizing that the benefits of being a Bold Exec far, far outweigh whatever risks are associated with bringing about real change. It's about making a difference --- a significant difference.

_____________________________________

Tom Epley received his BSME in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Cincinnati and his MBA at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University. He is a member of the Board of Governors and the Executive Committee at UCLA's Anderson Graduate School of Management and a member of the Board of Trustees at the Frederick S. Pardee RAND Graduate School in Policy Analysis.

Comments

[SEMICOA FRIEND]

Hi Tom,

Friendly timely advise...
Be aware of PD & his sidekick BC at the new "Semi" Venture...they are known to talk big, cash for themselves, and hit & run...give or take every 18months, and complain that they did not get enough resources and sales people in the process...to support their grandiose impressive plans. Just look carefully at their past 10 years where they have been and for how long...
Keep a very watchfull eye...and monitor what they will accomplish by Aug 20th 2010...Actual vs. Plan !
The Chief Scientist is not organized or disciplined to drive Teams or capable of transfering Proof-Of-Concept R&D projects to manufacturing...due to well known lack of documentation and lack of "Design for Manufacturability". He is well known from his past career path to "create" "good looking data" on "paper" that do not correspond to reality...or have any traceability with statistically meaningful data...of any statistical importance...Expect a lot of "fingerpointing" in the process...which is the first sign...of bad news...
You do need to start asking "hard questions" why Actual vs. Plan do not match...in 6-9 months from now...They will keep asking for more...and more resources...and eventually they will start blaming the Team...and the need for a new Team...well known practice in their past...
They have managed to mislead you at the Onset..as they are always quite persuative and talk impressively...but they always fail short from delivering...
They also have a special talnet in overinflating on paper "actuals"...but you hav eto ask where are the "profit margins"...?
Your main big customers are still very concerned...and they expect results with actual on-time deliverables...and not just promises...
You have a very good Technical Team overall ...but watch the Leadership very closely...

[Charline Kellerman]

HI Tom,
Just googling and found you name the same as my deceased brother. Originally my
Dad's family was from Sayre , PA area. Just curious if your family came from nearby. Epley is not a common name here.
Thanks for sharing,]
Charline Epley Kellerman

wWe

[hannah gould]

thanks for coming to the wedding-Im sure our families will meet again. I look forward to it! HannaH