Dion Thornhill
Education And Sales
Jacksonville
Summary
Seasoned manager offering 25 years of experience in educational leadership and sales. Focused on building and enhancing relationships, meeting service needs and maintaining smooth administration of all department operations. Desires growth-oriented position in dynamic, fast-paced environment.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
Work History
Director of Education
Florida Career College
Jacksonville
06.2022 - 09.2023
- Responsible for recruitment, hiring, certification and professional development of instructors, coordinators and support staff for the HVAC, Medical and Dental Technician, Office Administration program
- Directs and participates in the development, interpretation, evaluation, and recommendation of educational policies, procedures, rules, and regulations for the effective operation of the Education Department.
- Manage the Learning Resource System including, but not limited to: budgeting, hours of operation, staffing, and purchase of new inventory/books, tools and equipment.
- Participated in the development of the college's business plan and budget reducing cost by 11.5% which primarily focused on equipment procurement/maintenance, inventory control, and renegotiation of vendor agreements
- Direct and evaluate the achievement of student performance objectives which led to a 10% decrease in student failures
- Served as the interim Executive Director for a period of seven months
Director of Education
Jones Technical Institute
Jacksonville
08.2020 - 06.2022
- Lead and manage the academic department by hiring, training, mentoring, developing, and evaluating faculty and staff as well as facilitating resource scheduling and utilization
- Deliver quality education by managing academic resources, ensuring proper instruction and delivery of curriculum materials, managing the learning environment, and facilitating the use of the organization's learning methods and materials
- Collaborated with all departments in order for the campus to obtain re-accreditation with zero findings
- Designed training programs and strategies to the specific needs of the impacted stakeholder groups based on change impact analysis which improved retention rates by 15% within 6-months of implementation
- Develop and implement continuous improvement plan to increase student attendance, persistence and measurable achievement including standardized assessments, post-secondary school training, job placement, professional certification and career advancement
- Co-delivered training with business SMEs and created training evaluation feedback process to enable training content, delivery, and deployment refinement and improvement
Campus Director
Tulsa Welding School
Jacksonville
03.2017 - 08.2019
- Developed and oversaw campus budget to support annual planning and goal achievement.
- Directed daily academic administration, faculty support, and admissions efforts.
- Managed all areas of business operations. Developed multi-million dollar operating budgets and conducted profit and loss analysis.
- Drove campus-wide adherence in all areas of compliance, third-party regulatory as well as internal policy and procedure. Coordinated associate schedules, monitored overtime and PTO usage, reviewed payroll and approved timesheets.
- Developed annual budgets incorporating all aspects of operating, staffing, and capital expenses; created comprehensive corresponding strategic plans for presentation to the executive management team
Regional Academic Dean
Tulsa Welding School
Jacksonville
10.2014 - 03.2017
- Assisted with data organization from assessments and diagnostic instruments to develop strategies for intervening with students experiencing difficulties.
- Executed strategies to increase parental and community engagement within school.
- Co-delivered training with business SMEs and created training evaluation feedback process to enable training content, delivery, and deployment refinement and improvement
- Created a global marketing campaign focused on articulation agreements aimed at Secondary Educational Institutions and Correctional facilities which led to an 25% jump in enrollment within one-year of launch
- Reduced time to onboard new hires from 8 weeks to 4 weeks by implementing an online learning management system (LMS) and creating engaging content that enabled self-paced, interactive learning
- Developed and launched a new leadership development program that included a robust curriculum, assessment tools, and coaching that resulted in a 20% increase in leadership effectiveness within six months
Technical Sales Engineer
Lincoln Electric
Tulsa
06.2011 - 10.2014
- Prepared cost estimates and bid documents by studying customer RFPs and consulting with project managers.
- Managed technical integration, systems engineering program management, customer support and program management.
- Surpassed annual quota by 175% through actively outperforming competition providing 98% satisfaction support over the managed territory of existing accounts
- Directed strategic sales efforts within a targeted manufacturing sector, achieving a 35% increase in market penetration. Key clients included Government Institutions & Regulators, Large Corporations, Academic institutions, and Universities. Notably, our MIG and STICK welding divisions boasted a significant subset, with a focus on Oil & Gas, Logistics, Mining & Metals companies. Successfully grew revenue by 80 % within this specialized portfolio, demonstrating an adept understanding of client needs and market dynamics within a 3-year span
Education
Master of Science - Integrated Project Delivery Systems
05.2001 -
MBA - Finance
05.2001 -
Bachelor of Science - Economics
05.2001 -
Skills
Curriculum Development
Training Program Design and Delivery
Critical Thinking
Data Analytics and Reporting
Fundraising
Large Workshop Facilitation
Operational Performance Improvement
Sales strategy development and execution
Promotional campaign creation and execution
Accomplishments
- Spearheaded the development and implementation of a strategic program that successfully facilitated the recruitment and onboarding of 35 skilled service technicians for Johnson & Johnson within a 6-month period. This initiative resulted in a remarkable 40% decrease in downtime, significantly enhancing operational efficiency.
- Established a pivotal partnership with leading Oil and Gas firms, leading to a remarkable 23% surge in gainful employment rates. Through this collaboration, successfully negotiated an increase in wage rates for employees from $15 per hour to $21, significantly enhancing overall compensation and fostering a mutually beneficial relationship with industry leaders
- Conceptualized and implemented a pioneering program enabling academic institutions to procure welding equipment and consumables at a discounted rate. This strategic initiative resulted in an impressive 55% surge in market share within the global academic marketplace, fostering stronger relationships with educational institutions and contributing to increased accessibility to welding resources
Affiliations
- Member, National Society of Black Engineers, 2009 - Present
- Member, American Welding Society, 2011 - Present
- Member, Florida Association of Postsecondary schools and Colleges, 2014 - Present
Timeline
Director of Education - Florida Career College
06.2022 - 09.2023
Director of Education - Jones Technical Institute
08.2020 - 06.2022
Campus Director - Tulsa Welding School
03.2017 - 08.2019
Regional Academic Dean - Tulsa Welding School
10.2014 - 03.2017
Technical Sales Engineer - Lincoln Electric
06.2011 - 10.2014
Georgia Institute of Technology - Master of Science, Integrated Project Delivery Systems
05.2001 -
DeVry University - MBA, Finance
05.2001 -
Ashland University - Bachelor of Science, Economics
05.2001 -