Testimonials

Hey guys,

I wanted to take a few days to reflect and absorb the training and see how some of the suggestions and realizations from last week played out once I was back in “the real world”, before sending this email to you. I won’t lie and tell you that I did not come into this training with a certain amount of skepticism. I have done a few of these types of things over my career before and quite frankly, I thought they were a great way for the people presenting to make a living. I mean, you get to stand up in front of a room full of people and tell them how to be a better (fill in the blank here), and how to contribute to their companies in a more effective manner. And get payed for it!

A few things that I observed to help make this a different dynamic are as follows.

1. You all sat at the same level as us.
   • There wasn’t any feeling of this being a PRESENTATION. It truly felt like a discussion. Which I’m sure was by design. It made it so comfortable to actually share thoughts and ideas. It’s much easier to check out when you are being “talked to”.
     1. I have tried to be mindful of my body language and positioning when I have had discussions with team members, co-workers, or family.
2. You allowed us to have different goals.
   • What I mean by this is, you allowed us to have different end games for this training. I know some of the team wanted to try to reach problem employees or be a better manager, while some others wanted to focus on how to be a better husband, father or friend. As well as the evolution of that goal. Some of the statements about the takeaways at the end were not in line with what they thought they would get out of it.
     1. No names, but several folks that said they wanted to be a better manager or better leader at the end talked about not being real or open with personal relationships versus the professional aspect. I think the correlation between who you are outside of work, as a person, and who your team thinks you are was eye opening. At least it was to me!!
     2. I have made a concerted effort to try to make sure that I am sensitive to the fact that different people want/need different things. And that’s OK!
3. You were real!
   • This is huge for me. I like to think that I have a pretty good B.S. meter and the minute the needle starts to move; I tend to shut down and just get through the interaction as quickly and painlessly as possible.
     1. From the second we came in, you all had big smiles and warm invite
     2. You shared personal stories that left you out there, vulnerable. This helped me be real and open.

I can’t tell you how much warmth and genuine compassion I felt from all of you during the training. I know my goodwill score is 96, which I’m sure contributes to me being a bit sappy at times, but I was a bit surprised that I got emotional in a room full of strangers when I talked about how I want to make things better with my family. I know that is a direct result of the environment that you ALL built over the course of the 3 days.

Not to keep going on, but I wanted to share a couple things that I have already done differently that I know was appreciated, even though nobody said a word. The first was as my family sat down for our weekly board game night, I made sure that I was the one to make sure that everyone had drinks, snacks whatever we needed before we started. That has always just been handled by Michelle, my wife. There is NO reason that she needs to be the last one to sit down, even if she doesn’t complain. Another thing is we were going to the grocery store and I turned the radio station to the one that my family likes. The world stopped for a minute…LOL . I despise 95% of the music on “their” station! I mean how can you go wrong with listening to Boston or Van Morrison??? But in that moment of pain and despair of listening to the latest and greatest from, whatever the flavor of the week was, I noticed all 3 of them kind of bounce their heads a bit to the rhythm. That was cool. I mean really, why should I get to decide what music we listen to ALL THE TIME? Just because I happen to be the one driving, which oh by the way, I don’t want anyone else to drive but me??? To quote a very wise man…that’s BAD, BAD, BAD. STOP IT! Haha, I must have heard Rick say that 40 times last week!!

Seriously guys, thank you all for the love and compassion that I felt from all of you. It means more than I can tell you! I look forward to speaking with you soon. Take care.

—Ernie Edgell, Manager C&I Field Sales: IGS Energy

We started using Giombetti several years ago when they were strongly recommended to us when I mentioned to another business leader that we were struggling to hire capable people that fit our culture. We are a small company, but growing rapidly, Giombetti has helped us hire and onboard about 20 people over the last several years and we are so pleased with the results. We are now bringing on top quality people who truly fit our culture. As we continue to grow, Giombetti is helping us develop the leadership team and improve our management staff. I consider them an essential asset to our continued growth and success.

—Dan Rocconi, President & CEO: Bixby International

At Incline and across our portfolio companies, we operate at a fast pace and hold teams to a very high standard. Giombetti’s 360 Degree Review program gives us a clear, well-rounded view of how our leaders are showing up across the organization—not just what they deliver, but how they lead. That perspective is invaluable for focused coaching and for building aligned, high-performing teams in demanding environments.

—Jack Glover, Managing Partner: Incline Equity Partners

This program was the start and push that I needed when I was in high school and I still utilize many of the lessons that they taught me. Through hard work and perseverance and some GA help, I am now a wastewater engineer. I will be forever grateful for the chance to be a part of this great program and for being able to talk with them even after I graduated high school and college.

—Olivia Hicklin

Working with Giombetti Associates has been a game-changer for us at Auxo Investment Partners. Their ability to assess executive candidates goes far beyond traditional evaluations—they have an uncanny accuracy in predicting not just a candidate’s strengths, but also their quirks and potential pressure points. That level of insight has been invaluable as we assess not only how someone will fit into the fabric of a company’s culture, but also how they’ll perform given the company’s specific stage in its investment lifecycle.

What sets Giombetti apart is their holistic view of fit. They enable us to think strategically about how a candidate will align with the needs of the management team, the board, and our partnership dynamic as investors. It’s not just about ticking boxes on experience or credentials—they help us anticipate how an individual will influence, lead, and integrate into a complex organizational ecosystem.

We trust them deeply and view them as an essential partner in our investment and leadership decision-making process.

Brandon Walsh

Vice President

Brandon Walsh Vice President

What was truly exceptional in my mind was the genuine individualized care, attention and motivation embodied by each and every member of the Giombetti team. Their methods to ignite personal growth in students are truly top-notch, and the authentic compassion and energy that they bring to the table are unique and unparalleled. I know that I would not be the person I am today without it.

—Timothy J. Scully

A one-hour conversation with Rick revealed more about my management style than I had learned in five years of management experience.

—Rick Lamb, Plant Manager: Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.

We have worked with Giombetti Associates for close to ten years. Their Leadership Training Program has helped us prepare quite a few high-potential people for transition to leadership roles. In addition, Ross and his team have helped us learn more about ourselves through the Performance Dynamics assessments and have helped us strategize on ways to develop stronger teams throughout our organization. I’ve always found their guidance to be practical, and accurate, and more importantly, they truly care about the people they help.

—Craig Reed, CFO: All States Materials Group

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. 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. This program has given me the chance to become a leader.

—Heather Caisse

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

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

Sometimes it takes someone you know and trust to figuratively smack you across the face to “wake you up” and make you realize your personal weaknesses are affecting your level of overall success. That’s what Ross did for me one day right as I started down a path to lead our family business. Five years later, he has proved to be more of a life coach than anything, which helped me in my personal relations and in turn allowed me to better succeed as a leader in our company. Without Ross, it is clear that my personal and professional relationships would not be as strong as they are today and for that I am forever indebted to him and his team.

—David French, President: Tri- W Group

I have personally developed my own leadership style during the past 12 years with this tool to substantial success. I continually use it as a development tool for my staff and selected high or low performers to determine what we all can do to help drive continuous improvement in the effectiveness of their leadership styles.

—Rob Lindner, Vice President, Quality, Continuous Improvement & Consumer Service: Sunbeam Products, Inc.

It will absolutely have an impact on my leadership style, but also my personal style. A lot of the concepts and ideas cross all facets of my life. The personal development will have a positive impact to my personal and professional life. I am learning that when I am mindful of my opportunities, I am identifying when they kick in and am trying different approaches and seeing different results.

It has been awesome to see this influence my day to day. I find myself thinking about my go to action or the actions of my teammates. Not from the aspect of right or wrong, but from a place of understanding mine/their strengths and go-to responses. It has influenced my thought process in that moment, but also opened my “judgement” in those situations.

—Dustin Marshall, Operations Lead: IGS Energy

WOW! This program is a polite kick in the pants! If you truly want to improve, this program gives you the roadmap to follow for ultimate personal and leadership success. A must do for anyone at any level. I highly recommend this to EVERYONE!

—Nancy Marryat, Bank Manager: 360 Federal Credit Union

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

This assessment has not only helped our organization immensely, but it has done great things for the personal development of some very talented people.

—Steve Mitus, Executive V.P. and CFO: Balise Motor Sales Company

Tremendous content, real life examples. Hit home on many levels. It has knocked home the traits that I need to improve, as well as the traits I need to manage. With this knowledge, I should excel.

—Kenneth Smith, Plant Manager: Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.

This is an opportunity you should not pass up. It will change your life almost immediately if you give them your attention. Both in the long and short term, you will learn lessons that it can take other people years to figure out and some may never realize!

—Matthew Garbecki

The Giombetti Leadership program has changed my life and helped me discover who I am. As I look back on this experience, this program helped me be a better team player, a happier person and overall a better leader in all aspects of my life. The team members create an atmosphere that allows you to improve yourself and truly discover who you are.

—Katie Acciardo

This 3-day program has allowed me to see how my leadership traits have made me into the person that I am today and that I have the ability to change them. My area that I am really trying to focus on is being able to enter into a conversation without being predisposed as to how it is going to end. Valuing all viewpoints so that I can grow as a person and allow others to feel valued and grow as well.

—Dan Hromada, Regional Sales Manager: IGS Energy