The Journey… Creating the Future

"Every evolving new business has "defining moments" that serve to enhance future success. Our time with you was certainly such a moment, and I hope that we will be able to use all of our new insights to achieve more exciting goals. Your approach to our group was just what was needed and you were able to gain trust and confidence quickly which provided the foundation for an important experience."

Ward K. Mooney President, GBFC, BankBoston

Sales Leadership System through Partnering

"Many companies say they customize programs, but they really don't. They try to fit the client's off-the-shelf material. Benchmark works with the artistry of a true designer to fit and shape a program that is truly unique and right for us!"

Terry Dockins, Boehringer Ingelheim

Champion International "Think Like a Customer"

"Although I'm still in recovery mode after the intensity of our Champion "Think Like a Customer" offsite, I want to thank you and tell you how enriching it was. Several components of the whole are particularly memorable. Heightened Self-awareness - created by the feedback that everyone was encouraged to give one another and the process by which we work. Spheracle's - starting the day with promise and thought. The mini group-coaching sessions and subsequent reporting to the office managers - uplifting for one office in demonstrating how far it has come; painful for the other in demonstrating the true nature of on-going conflicts. The discussion groups at the end of the day, reiterating some of the "givens" we work with daily, and adding some new and inspired ideas. And most of all, the generally consistent high energy level that you and all of us responding to you maintained through an extremely long day. Though we all arrived back into New York feeling drained, it was just for the evening. I keep waking up in the mornings with my mind spinning out new ways of looking at our collective dilemmas and many possible solutions to them. I am anxious to see where all this leads us. I hope that you will be on hand to witness our progressions, but meanwhile, my heartfelt thanks."

Shelly Claar, Manager, Client Services, Champion International

Partnering for Success… Merger/Acquisition

"The sessions we had in Florida were fantastic! The results were better than we could have hoped for! The "glow" continues… What more can I say? All parties are working together in a spirit of cooperation, sharing and caring for each other beautifully. People are saying that they can't believe how their counterparts from "the other organization" have accepted them and tried to make them welcome. The anecdotes are too numerous to recount, particularly those from the one-on-one's. The energy levels are way up, the cooperation and teamwork is high and the progress we're making is excellent. Our challenge now is how to follow-up and continue to build from this great start. I look forward to working with you to that end."

Steve Iovino CEO/President, Education First, Chase Manhattan Bank

Strategic Consulting… Growing the Brand

"Your extensive work over the last two years in so many areas critical to the growth, efficiency and well being of The Donna Karan Company will have a growing impact on the company for many years. You helped us improve synergy among our operating units. You began our initiative to better know our customers. You started the process of examining the way our functional units work together that were necessary for us to go through so that we could cut the costs of sourcing, manufacturing, distribution and sales. You introduced initiatives that made our HR operation more responsive to the needs of our employees. You helped us improve not only internal communication among our employees, functional units and divisions, but also played a significant role in helping us focus on improving communication with our customers. I enjoyed working with you, but even more, I appreciated the results you achieved in an environment that was dynamic, tense and competitive as the industry we are in."

Stephen L. Ruzow COO, Donna Karan International

Dreyer's and Edy's Sales Management Institute

"On behalf of the entire Dreyer's and Edy's Foodservice organization, we want to thank you for developing and executing an "outstanding" sales development program. It was obvious to all of us that Benchmark Communications is truly a professional organization, one which will definitely play in our long range plans. The extra time and effort by you to learn our organization and customize everything to fit our needs and opportunities certainly positions you above all other companies. We are looking forward to putting our new skill sin place, and inculcating the new "can-do" attitude within Dreyer's. Thanks again for an excellent hard hitting program."

Martin C. Wehr, Managing Director, Dreyer's Foodservice Division

The Journey… Creating the Future

"You accomplished in weeks what other consultants could not deliver in months. Your approach to solving organizational problems and helping us to focus on corporate goals is unique- no one works as you do. The way that you structured our two-day offsite meeting gave us tremendous focus, inspiration, and guidance. We were able to accomplish a number of major tasks toward future company strategies, and we did this together, as a management team. We feel that most managers came out of these sessions with a better understanding of what needs to be done overall (big picture) and their specific role within it (supply chain). Many associate were able to "let go" of their past feelings and inhibitions, in order to move toward a better future. Thanks again for the enlightening experience."

Mary Wang CEO/President, Emanuel

Creating the Future

I thought I'd take a moment to thank you for the simply outstanding professional and moral support you have given Exide and me over this period. As you know, you have been instrumental from the beginning of the Lutz administration at Exide in helping shape a transformational leadership agenda with the initial efforts surrounding "recharging Exide." The work you did was absolutely outstanding, and the energy you invested over those two years to help Mr. Lutz rebuild the moral, ethical and leadership void left by the previous management were truly exemplary. Upon my arrival a mere 11 months ago, you served as an invaluable "sounding board," voice of the people, change management consultant and just about everything I needed to help me take hold in this difficult environment. The success of the recent meeting is largely due to your efforts. You helped fill whatever void we encountered to bring us together in a way that builds momentum. Your attitude and approach is always refreshing and uplifting. Our conversations, while many times very frank and full of candor, never left me without a positive way forward. The energy and passion you demonstrate for our company and each of us is truly amazing. If I could only get half the people here to have your energy, emotion and edge we would be well on our way to the stars! I've had the opportunity to work with many people over the years, but very few who genuinely left me with such a positive view of what I have learned from them as you have. I have yet to find a challenge you were not prepared to take on or an opportunity that you did not seize. Thanks for everything you have done so far, and I am sure the best is yet to come.

Craig Muhlhauser, President/CEO Exide Technologies

International Product Launch through Partnering

"Having worked together to solve operations systems problems and launch new products, made it clear to me that your listening skills, tireless efforts to meet deadlines, creativity and sense of teamwork made the selection of Benchmark Communications, Inc. as our vendor of choice an obvious one."

Bill Byrnes, SVP , Fidelity Investments

Strategic Consulting

"Judy, you are helping us refocus our attention to what opportunities exist in the marketplace and how we can best position ourselves to win this business… who our competition is and how we structure ourselves to effectively compete with them. What we want our business to become, and determining steps necessary to achieve these goals. You've been able to catalyze something inside our organization that has let to greater organizational focus and alignment among a very challenging group of senior executives. The organization has developed a momentum that is enabling us to embrace the strategic challenges in a very proactive and collaborative way. Your extremely strong capability in these areas, and your ability to grasp the deep issues and essence of what our company was struggling with was impressive. You have helped us look beyond today, to think more creatively so we can bring to our clients innovative solutions which will help us sustain and improve our leadership position in the industry. We look forward to a continued rewarding relationship with you."

Michael G. Frieze CEO, Gordon Brothers Group

Organic Growth… The Journey

"I would like to thank you for the support and insight that you have given me in operating my organizations over the past seven years. As President and Chief Executive Officer of The Monet Group, Inc. and Yves Saint Laurent, Inc. I retained your services to aid in restructuring and strengthening each organization. In both organizations, your ability to work with people and achieve success was strengthened by your frank and empathetic management style. Judy, I would like to thank you, as Benchmark Communications guidance has helped to improve each company."

Judy Harrison CEO, Monet, Inc.

Creating the Future

I wanted to let you know, that over the year we've worked together we continue to realize the value of your work with us. News American Marketing has expanded its focus from a coupon and promotion company to a full-service marketing company. Because of the incredibly insightful consulting you are doing with our senior executives in helping us rethink how we approach our market and how we work with customers, our sales organization is stronger and smarter, and more capable of partnering with our clients on our wider array of new promotional and marketing services. We just hired our first Chief Information Officer to help us revamp our technology focus to give us an even greater competitive advantage, something we would not have considered doing had you not put these issues on the table for us to discuss. Most of all, we continually value having you on site to work with our staff, and help us understand how to catalyze change and successfully transform a company as large as ours. You have a unique style of engaging us in conversation, and in mentoring and coaching. Your challenging and insightful approach, your desire to push us to think in new ways, and your never-say-never attitude inspires us to raise our bar for what we need to accomplish and how we want to grow our business.

Dominick Porco, President, News America Marketing

The Journey…. Creating the Future

"I want to take this opportunity to thank you so very much for the work that you are doing with New Wave Entertainment. When we first spoke, my fellow principals and myself, as well as much of the staff were engaged in turf battles and unproductive and distracting "what about me" behaviors. We worked hard and profitably, but without the level of mutual cooperation, trust and respect that makes a company great. You engaged so many of us with your insightfulness and intelligence. Your facilitating manner allowed us to find a safe environment to address issues and resolve conflicts that stewed over months, even years. Our offsite workshop in Santa Barbara was remarkable. We moved from "resistors" to "creators" with blazing speed. Each of the almost twenty individuals became teammates with a shared vision. I am more proud of New Wave than ever. The enthusiasm here is tremendous, and our momentum continues to build."

Alan S. Baral Principal, New Wave Entertainment

Executive Coaching

On behalf of our executive team I wanted to thank you for helping us improve our organizational effectiveness during a time of significant change. You served as a teacher, mediator, facilitator and coach for a diverse management team, each member of which brought unique positions and strong egos to the table. You are not only able to help us resolve issues that affected their performance of the entire group, but were also instrumental in guiding the careers of individual members. Needless to say, it has been an extremely enlightening experience working with you. I value your professionalism and understanding of business strategy and the qualities you bring as a person. Thank you.

Cathleen Raffaeli, CEO, ProAct Technologies

VIP Journey

"In all the years as a Human Resource professional, I have never witnessed such a remarkable transformation of a culture as when you facilitated our "VIP Journey" program. Benchmark literally took a group of Senior and middle managers from varied and adverse mind-sets, and "Like Magic" helped us to become a clearly directed, deeply committed and tremendously excited team. Our newfound positive energy flow has influenced our business and our satisfaction level. We are deeply grateful."

Lucy Nelson, SVP Revlon