R│L Coaches

Clyde C. Lowstuter, MCC     President & CEO

Clyde Lowstuter is a seasoned peak performance business consultant, coach, and head of Robertson Lowstuter, his  executive development firm he launched in 1981.  He has been awarded the MCC, Master Certified Coach, from the International Coach Federation, the top certification awarded to less than 1% of coaches worldwide.  He is experienced in executive coaching, leading high performance teams, facilitating strategic planning and managing organizational change.  He has worked extensively throughout Europe, Australia, Asia, and North America. Clyde is particularly skilled in organizational problem diagnosis and in creating systems and approaches that promote productivity, profitability, and effectiveness.  He is a prolific writer and professional speaker who enables individuals and teams to break through self-limiting roadblocks and achieve success. He is a member of the International Coach Federation (ICF) and Human Resources Management Association of Chicago (HRMAC). He has an MA in Labor and Industrial Relations with an emphasis in Organizational Psychology from the University of Illinois and a BA in Psychology from Aurora University, where he received the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2002. Clyde is the author of two acclaimed McGraw-Hill books, In Search of the Perfect Job: 8 Steps to the $250,000+ Executive Job That’s Right for You, a best-selling 2007 edition, and Network Your Way to Your Next Job…Fast! as well as leading-edge audio programs, $ix Figure Networking, Power Interviewing, and Empower Your Career and Your Life. 
  

Carolyn E. Lowstuter     Senior Vice President

Carolyn Lowstuter has more than 25 years of experience in executive and leadership development consultancy, entrepreneuring, service and non-profit.  She is skilled in executive assessment and coaching, high performance team building, strategic planning facilitation, executive career coaching, and leading change. From turnaround performance issues to accelerating the contributions of high potential performers, Carolyn helps clients embrace and sustain more effective ways of thinking and behaving.  She co-designs the training curriculum for the R|L Leadership Institute for diverse coaching and team building initiatives. She is trained in such instruments as the BarOn EQi Emotional Quotient Inventory, Myers-Briggs (MBTI), Firo-B, Thomas Kilmann Conflict Mode Inventory (TKI), and The Leadership Circle suite of products. Carolyn’s advanced coaching and leadership training comes from the Coaches Training Institute(CTI).  She is a member of the International Coach Federation (ICF) and the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association (HBA).   She has a BA in French and English from Albion College, an MAT in Learning and French from the University of Illinois, and her MBA from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management, where she participated in international conferences on business strategies for a global society in Cambridge and in Brussels.  She maintains a strong international network.
 

Ronald T. Hirasawa     Vice President

Ron Hirasawa is a management and strategy consultant, and peak performance coach.  His career encompasses 30 years of success in leading Fortune 500 teams in marketing, sales, new product development, operations, and consulting environments.  Previously, Ron created a $100 million Midwest regional snack foods conglomerate from three separate companies and led the turnaround.  He worked in sales, marketing, and advertising for P&G, Johnson Wax, United Brands, Leo Burnett, and Don Tennant companies. He launched American Marketing Services Corporation, a consulting company.  For the past 10 years Ron has advised Fortune 500 companies on doing business with the Japanese.  He served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam conflict, reaching the rank of Captain.  He holds a BS in Industrial Management from the Wharton School of Business and an MBA in Marketing from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, TX.  He is an Adjunct Professor at the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management, where he lectures on marketing, entrepreneurship, international marketing, and strategic management.
 

Barbara Hancock Annin, Ph.D., MBA  Vice President

Barbara brings over 20 years of business expertise to her client assignments.  The recipient of several industry awards, she is a highly-skilled executive coach, communicator and facilitator. She has a proven track record coaching senior-level executives and helping them to align their developmental objectives with the overall objectives of the organization.  Barbara is an instructor and executive coach with the Leadership Arts Certificate Program at the University of Chicago.  She is certified to administer the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Strong Interest Inventory, FIRO-B, and Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Indicator.  She is a member of the Chicagoland Chapter of the American Society for Training and Development (CCASTD), Human Resources Management Association of Chicago (HRMAC), and the Academy of Management. Barbara is a volunteer at the Barrington Career Center.  A published author, Barbara writes extensively on the topics of coaching, leadership, social network theory, and organizational change. Barbara received her Ph.D. from Fielding Graduate University and an MBA from DePaul University.
 

Pat Mater, MSIR, SPHR    Vice President

Pat Mater is an accomplished human resources executive and valued business partner with 25 years of experience adding value to executives, their teams, and their organizations. Pat combines significant consulting and coaching skills with an extensive background in leadership development, staffing, training and development, career enhancement, and employee relations. Pat has worked for a number of Fortune 500 companies at the plant, division, and corporate levels. She is known as a strategist with a high-energy, collaborative leadership style. Pat worked for Purdue University, Owens-Corning Fiberglas, American Hospital Supply, Baxter Healthcare, and Caremark International before starting her own successful consulting firm. Pat is a member of the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM), the American Society of Training and Development (ASTD), and the Human Resources Management Association of Chicago (HRMAC). She studied at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark. She has a BBA from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and an MS in Industrial Relations from Purdue University.

 

Richard A. Canada     Vice President
 

Rick Canada has over 25 years of human resource management experience and a track record of helping businesses leverage their human capital.  His experience includes:  talent management, succession planning, performance management, change management, learning, and leadership and organization development with Fortune 500 to mid-cap companies including United States Steel Corporation, Roper Industries, Motorola, IBM, and Wilson Learning Systems.  Rick has served as a catalyst for accelerating change, and enhancing organizational and human performance.  His abilities as a strategic business partner have led to successfully designing, developing, and implementing executive and leadership development programs tied to specific top and bottom-line results.  Rick is part of our Executive Coaching and Leadership Institute practices and adds to our Chicago presence.  He earned his BS in Business Administration at Youngstown State University in Youngstown, Ohio.  He also served on the Regional Leadership Team of the American Cancer Society, Northwest Region, and was also the co-chair of the Volunteer Committee.
 
   

Chris D. McNiven     Vice President
  

Chris McNiven has more than fifteen years of experience in the healthcare, hospitality, and service industries, adeptly working across levels of an organization: evaluating its function and strengthening its performance. His primary area of expertise lies with balancing human capital and organizational processes to consistently attain improvements in stakeholder alignment, quality measures, and financial performance.  Chris specializes in organizational development, collaboratively creating and deploying talent, change management, and operational effectiveness strategies for the benefit of his clients.  Recently, as the Senior Director of Systems Operations at Vibrant Living, Chris provided oversight throughout the organization’s restructuring process.  The results were strengthened margins, improved talent metrics, and value optimization as the asset prepared for sale.  His work, in partnership with financial advisors, consultants, and counsel resulted in a nomination for “Deal-of-the-Year” by The M&A Advisor.  Chris has a Bachelors of Education from Houghton College, an MA in Psychology from Trinity Graduate School, an MS in Advanced Leadership Studies and a Doctorate in Organizational Leadership (abd) from Indiana Wesleyan University.