Testimonials

I highly recommend the services and programs of Giombetti Associates. Our experience with them has been a very successful and prosperous partnership over the last 8 years. We’ve had over 300 individuals utilize their assessment, training and development services with great results. During our engagement with them, we believe they’ve had a direct impact on our company’s bottom line. Since 2001, our revenue has grown from $350 million to over $1.1 billion this past year. They’ve helped us to understand and cultivate the best we have in our people, and it has proven to be well worth the investment.

The culture of our company, Advanced Drainage Systems (ADS), is something we take very seriously. It is critical for those partners we engage to understand and realize it’s not just what our people do that makes us successful, but that they do so by growing, developing and reaching their potential which matters most to us. Giombetti Associates has developed an innate understanding of ADS as a company. They’ve helped our people realize what they need to work on along with providing the tools and training that mesh with our company’s core values and culture, which is why it has been such a positive experience for us.

In these very challenging economic times, we can’t afford to make mistakes with our most important asset – our people. If we’re not investing in their growth and development, they’re going to go somewhere else and get it. Our employees take pride in what they learn from Giombetti, and their approach to what they do for us and how they do it has helped us to hire, retain and develop top performers.  We’ve leveraged several of Giombetti’s services including:

• Pre – Employment Assessments

The majority of our critical new hires are assessed by Giombetti before they’re offered a position. Giombetti’s assessment feedback provides us with an objective perspective which has helped us to improve our hiring rates over the years. It also helps us to identify potential areas of improvement in those we do hire so we’re already aware of what we can help them work on.

• Leadership Development

Every year, we have dozens of our high-potential employees participate in Giombetti’s Performance Dynamics training. This has helped them develop their leadership, management and interpersonal skills to the point where many of them have become top managers leading different organizations and initiatives within our company.

Since our initial engagement with Giombetti, they have become a true partner – one that knows what they’re talking about and is able to customize and implement truly beneficial and successful programs and training. We have employees who will tell you that it has changed their lives for the better, both personally and professionally. And, it has genuinely boosted employee morale because they see our investment in their future by providing opportunities for growth and development. We are a better company for having worked with Giombetti Associates.

—Erick Piscopo, Director: Human Resources: Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.

People often say after their time at this training that “they learned a lot about themselves.” I see it differently. I knew a lot of what their assessment said. I just didn’t know how it all tied together. This assessment and training have changed my life. It has given me a perspective that I never had before. I went into this expecting to learn how to be a better manager. It taught me how to be a better man. To be the leader I wanted to be, I first had to become the person I wanted to be. I have always attacked everything in my life with passion and a drive, with the purpose of being successful. The problem I had was how I measured success. To me, success was how much money did I make? What job title did I hold? Did I win or lose? After my time with Rick and Ross I have learned the true measure of success will be my legacy. How many lives have I impacted? What will people say about me when I am gone? I have tried to instill this in my associates to build a culture of striving to be the best people we can be and to always do the right thing. What it has shown us is that if we can motivate people with more than just money and give them a larger purpose, the rewards are longer lasting and more fulfilling.

—Rob Phillipo

A cloud has been lifted off me that I didn’t even know was there! Self-deception is a tricky thing in that it is easily hidden behind a high paced environment and even “success.” Although I have a long way to go, I wouldn’t have started without Giombetti, and a company that cares enough to take this path. I look forward to continuing our relationship.

—Stu Arthur, Vice President of Sales: Interstate Gas Supply, Inc.

If you’re not really sure what makes you tick, this exercise will remove all doubt. Rick is the best at working you through the intricacies of the dynamics of your personality and helping you chart a course to deal with those inner demons.

—Mike Callahan, CFO: RiverBend Medical Group

So you want to be a superstar? This assessment is not only accurate, it’s fun! I now know my own behavior in personal and professional communications. It has been extremely helpful in sales and conflict management with fellow team members and business associates.

—Ken Stacey, Sales Engineer: Belt Technologies

Giombetti Associates has been a big part of our Leadership Development strategy for nearly 20 years. They are a great partner that understands our culture, they have been pivotal in our hiring and developmental strategies. They provide candid feedback and really help you connect the dots with their profile assessments.

—Mike Huebert, Vice President Sales: Advanced Drainage Systems

We have used the Giombetti pre-employment assessment and Leadership Development classes for our management positions for several years. The assessment is so simple yet so accurate, I am always astonished at how deeply they can understand a person by having them answer just a few questions. The feedback sessions are probing, educational and most important, supportive. The assessment provides invaluable information that helps put the right person in their best role so both they and the organization see success. It is also a great tool for leaders/coaches to help guide and develop their team members, building on each person’s individual strengths. The Leadership Development classes get high marks from those who attend. They create a fun and safe environment to look inward, everyone leaves with skills to help them be a better person, co-worker, coach, leader.

—Kelly Turley, SVP Operations & Administration: W.W. Williams

Very effective tool for evaluating candidates. Extremely helpful in creating expectations for those hired. It is helpful to understand individual strengths and weaknesses as well as providing direction for goals and improvement. We will not hire any new key employees without having them evaluated through a Performance Dynamics® assessment.

—David Cistoldi, President: FLN-MAR Rubber & Plastics, Inc.

This program provided me valuable and honest feedback about myself that has allowed me to excel in all aspects of my life. As cliché as it sounds, this program has changed my life, and without this program, I would not be as successful as I am today.

—Kristin Rheault

Excellent workshop and learning presentation from a family/team who not only is sincere about their mission but also deeply caring for others in striving for promoting personal development.

—Bob Garde, President: Magnetic Seal Corporation

For nearly 30 years, our team at Riverlake Partners has engaged Giombetti & Associates to help improve our odds of success for key hires across our portfolio companies nationwide. As we build executive teams, we rely on Giombetti’s Performance Dynamics® to assess the qualities and characteristics of each leader, with the goal of assembling highly functional teams where individual strengths and weaknesses complement one another.

One of the first steps in building our leadership teams is the implementation of Giombetti’s 360 Degree Review process, beginning with the CEO and expanding from there. This approach creates buy-in, encourages honest feedback and provides real data to address challenges and build on strengths. Without real feedback, credibility—and ultimately success—is difficult to achieve.

—Erik Krieger, Partner: Riverlake Partners

This is one of the best self-reflective programs I have attended. It included participants from various background with different styles that helped to balance the workshop. I would recommend this to all the team members – It digs deep – Great tool.

—Malik Surani, Human Resources Manager: Tigre-ADS USAm Inc.

I hope you are well. I just wanted to take a minute and let you know how much I truly appreciate the opportunity you gave me. Not only were you a fantastic, energetic and knowledgeable teacher but you became a person that I have much respect and admiration for. You have many things I am working towards, including what seems to be the perfect balance between career, life and fun. I won’t lie, at times hearing and then accepting some of the characteristics I possess was VERY hard, but how can I change those things without being aware of them? I can honestly say that within the last month I feel as if I am an entirely new person. I will never change the energy or good spirit I feel I have but I have taken serious notice when I begin to just give in or hold back what I REALLY want. There are days that I feel as if a gigantic weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I am much more aware of who I am as an individual now. It is beyond refreshing. I will always remember the things I learned in class as well as in the leadership program. This program has given me the chance to become a leader now. I am able to give my opinion and not worry about if everyone in the world is happy with it. It has made me aware of changes I need to make to be more successful. The lessons are unforgettable, and I hope that I can pass even a small bit of what I took in on to others. So – again, thank you millions for providing me such an amazing opportunity and a chance to start living truly happy. Cheers to you and your father!

—Heather Caisse, participant in Leadership Development Training and a graduate student in Ross’s Organizational Leadership class

We use Rick’s assessment process 100 percent of the time for hiring management positions. It’s highly accurate and extremely informative. We don’t hire without it!

—Jeb Balise, President: Balise Motor Sales Company

For me personally it was a wonderful experience. It was an eye opening, life changing, team building exercise. I could go on and on about the positive impact it has had on ME, my team and my family.

Please see below a few things from me and my team:

• I mark the time spent with Ross and Giombetti Associates as truly life-changing. To have clarity about my core values, to understand what makes me tick, to have tools to manage work and life situations – these are gifts. I’m grateful that MORSCO invested in me, and in all of us.
• Spending time with Ross and his team was truly a life-changing experience! Because of my time with Giombetti Associates, I have a greater self-awareness than I ever could have hoped for. This has put me is position to be a more impactful leader for my team, a stronger team member for my company, and a better leader for my family
• Ross and the entire team at Giombetti created a very direct, and self-reflecting approach to personal improvement.  I was struck by the correlation between personal and work. There are certainly things that I continue to struggle with, but I am very aware of my impact on people today. That was not the case in the past. The personal relationship that your team develops with their customer is second to none. I would also recommend the 360 review for any manager or leader. This was incredibly impactful to me on the things that I do that are both good and bad. I learned more about myself and the perception that others have of me. I will always value this time, and hope to continue my path of learning with the Giombetti group moving forward.

Thanks to the entire group for creating a customer for life.

—Nick Colletti, Regional Vice President: MORSCO

The feedback we get from Giombetti allows us to get a deeper view into what each prospective employee brings to the table. We know that the best teams include a range of personality styles, but that can sometimes lead to clashes as well. We work closely as a team, so the insight Giombetti provides helps us learn the best ways to work together and communicate. That understanding goes a long way and has really helped in our hiring process and our growth as a team.

—John Morely, Managing Partner: Incline Equity Partners

Working with Giombetti Associates, especially Ross and Bill, was an outstanding experience for our team. Their ability to help individuals understand their nature and nurture characteristics, paired with actionable development plans and SMART goals, significantly elevated both individual and team performance. As a focused, high-performing aerospace and defense company, the 360 Degree Review and our partnership with Giombetti Associates have made us more aligned, accountable and collectively more productive. I highly recommend this program to any company looking to deepen self-awareness and elevate team performance.

—Joe Feula, President : MagSeal

As CEO and President of MIR, I’ve had the pleasure of working with Giombetti Associates for over 12 months. As a seasoned executive, with an international background, I’ve worked with a handful of similar firms both in Europe and N. American. Without doubt, the approach, processes and “style” of Ross and the team puts them as my premier partner of choice. Not only do they perform their assessments, they get to know the individuals. They get to understand the business culture and refine the individual’s personal programs to suit both business and team needs.

Of significant note is their ability to deliver “opportunity areas for each person” in a direct but empathetic manner.

They have had a significant effect on our “team working and togetherness.” Individual performance and growth are evident across our organization which I attribute to our working with Giombetti. We continue to build our relationship with Ross and the team and tailoring individual programs for continued growth of the business and our colleagues.

—Brian McSharry, CEO: MidWest Industrial Rubber, Inc. A portfolio Company of Incline Equity Partners

Great experience! Gives you tools to improve your effectiveness. Provided the opportunity to role play and interact with peers who are faced with similar challenges to be effective with our personnel. I learned that collaboration and communication are important skills to use to solve any problem. Rick Giombetti and his staff created a challenging and fun packed seminar.

—David Cistoldi, President: FLN-MAR Rubber & Plastics, Inc.

We have been working with Giombetti Associates for the past eight years partnering with them both on candidate selection and development. The candidate selection process provides us a deeper level of evaluation of each candidate and insight into how the candidate may perform and behave. The assessment results enhance our ability to dig in deeper to ensure we are selecting the right candidate for the role. In addition, the Giombetti team has become an important part in the continued development of our people.

We work with Ross and Amanda to understand the potential of each person and to determine how to manage and guide them through their individual development needs. Our employees appreciate the feedback, even though it is tough at times. This feedback allows them to become more self-aware of their tendencies and behaviors and adjust accordingly.

Giombetti has also been instrumental in teambuilding within our business and facilitates sessions focused on team dynamics and performance. This provides the atmosphere for people to have raw conversations, get to know each other on a deeper level and increase trust and respect. Giombetti has been a great partner to IGS and an asset to our people.

—Jenni Kovach, Chief People Officer: IGS Energy

I’ve partnered with Giombetti Associates for many years, and their impact is consistently exceptional. Their executive coaching approach strengthens leaders and teams in ways that directly improve business performance. What sets them apart is their ability to develop leaders from the inside out—their process is practical, insightful and deeply effective. They have been a trusted resource for every organization I’ve worked with.

—Lindi Lee, Vice President, Human Resources : Kopin