Testimonials

Testimonials

Jeana Wirtenberg, Ph.D. recently received five nominations for the 2006 SHRM Michael R. Losey HR Research Award.

The following testimonials are included in the nomination letters:

"The changes required [in preparing the company for deregulation] were monumental in both scope and impact. Jeana and I worked very closely on these issues. Based on my experience in PSE&G and my service on five other corporate Boards of Directors, Jeana is by far the most effective Human Resource professional I have encountered.

Jeana quickly earned the respect and support of the executives with whom she worked. They respected her extensive knowledge in a wide range of human resource areas, her outstanding interpersonal skills and her ability to learn to speak the language of the business. Her deep understanding of organizations from both a theoretical as well as practical perspective, and her ability to integrate the two, translating theory into practice, is a unqiue gift. In each of the areas for which she had responsibility (such as leadership development, organization development, organization design, learning, total quality management, business process reengineering and culture change), she was able to accomplish significant progress where others before her had tried and failed. She quickly earned a reputation as the "go to" person in the organization for insightful perspectives on complex and daunting issues, and the admiration for her positive and motivating style of leadership."

            Lawrence R. Codey
            Former President and Chief Operating Officer, Public Service Electric and Gas

"Relative to the transformation of HR at AT&T, Jeana's contributions were formidable, long-lasting and far-reaching. She not only focused on supporting the development of the HR people in the organization but raised the profile of professionalism in the eyes of the HR Community and Executive Team with whom they were associated."

"More recently I have been working directly with Jeana as a member of the Advisory Board for the creation of the Institute for Sustainable Enterprise (ISE) at Fairleigh Dickinson University and once again see her as a major force for the further evolution of the field of Human Resources. Utilizing her exceptional networking and influence skills, she is pulling together highly influential leaders from the business, nonprofit, academic and government sectors to blaze a new trail for the field of Human Resources and connect it to a most critical challenge for society at large: building the sustainable enterprise. Throughout the process, she is working collaboratively, building bridges, inspiring those around her, and giving her energies generously and passionately."

                  Harold W. Burlingame, Chairman
                  ORC Worldwide

"Jeana Wirtenberg has always been a force for research and learning. Over time she helped forge a new relationship between research and practice. She is now taking an even greater leadership role in integrating research and practice and, in the process, transforming ways in which HR can make a difference in organizations and in society."

"Jeana is special in many ways. First, she is phenomenally productive. Her brilliance and capabilities are seen in her writing, networking, organizing, knowledge of the literature in a wide variety of subjects, and research skills."

               Dan Twomey, Ph.D., Professor of Management and Director
               Center for Human Resource Management Studies and Co-Founder,
               Institute for Sustainable Enterprise, Fairleigh Dickinson University

"I am very impressed with Jeana's ability to not only see and connect the dots, but also to create new dots and bring people together to pursue some of these ideas. Her collaborative style and extensive networking abilities fuels energy and passion and unites people towards a common vision. She is extremely results oriented and multi-disciplined, with broad and deep expertise in human resources, organization effectiveness, leadership development and learning. A strategic thinker with business acumen, she is able to see the big picture and take a systems approach to problem solving."

               Govi Rao, Vice President and General Manager
               Solid State Lighting, NA
               Philips Lighting Company

"I have known Jeana Wirtenberg for over twenty years and have come to observe her exemplary research and leadership skills, her extraordinary track record of success in bridging research and practice and her zealous devotion and selfless commitment to harnessing the power of Human Resource Development for the benefit of organizations and society."

                  Malcolm J. Conway, M.Ed., Managing Consultant
                  IBM Consulting Services

ISE Testimonial:

The following letter was submitted to the Executive Director of the Institute for Sustainable Enterprise, www.fdu.edu/ise, at which Jeana Wirtenberg serves as Director of External Relations and Services:

Thank you very much for sharing with me the Institute’s wonderful achievement report. I was very impressed by the range and breadth of the Institute’s curricular and extracurricular activities. Your work focuses on perhaps the greatest global challenges facing world citizens and it is heartening to see that faculty and students have become so passionately engaged.

The Institute’s programs are exceptional, the people are inspiring and the potential for future distinction is unlimited. I congratulate you and your team! Please keep us informed as you continue to grow and excel.

Once again, thank you for sharing this with me. Bravo!!

Warmly,

J. Michael Adams, President
Fairleigh Dickinson University