Ted O'Dell
Lansing,MI
Summary
Seasoned professional advocate in matters of legislative, state, local government, organized labor and entrepreneurial situations.
Experienced leader in building lasting customer satisfaction by delivering top tier quality services resulting in unparalleled outcomes.
Dedicated resourceful thought leader and team member who is adept at leading others and encouraging maximum growth and work results.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Customer Service Representative
LaFontaine Automotive Group
08.2021 - Current
- Work with corporate training manager and executives to establish and implement meaningful Customer Service Advocate program.
- Clarify customer issues and determined root cause of problems to resolve product or service complaints.
- Work with and guide Service Advisors on top tier customer service techniques and methods to retain and grow overall customer base.
- Increased Customer Survey return rate by 30%.
Founder & Executive Director
Hackett Auto Museum
01.2016 - 12.2021
- Created nonprofit organization through extensive collaboration and review.
- Identified business development challenges and customer concerns for proactive resolution.
- Represented organization at industry conferences and events.
- Devised and presented business plans and forecasts to board of directors.
- Raised over $100,000 through grant programs and individual gifts
- Secured sufficient funds to cover business obligations by tracking expenses and budgeting accurately
- Analyzed industry trends and tracked competitor activities to inform decision making
Policy Campaign Manager
American Heart Association
06.2014 - 11.2017
- Launched and lead team of like minded coalition members with collaboration and strategic planning of statewide legislative initiative.
- Developed policy positions and wrote public statements outlining stances while leading numerous volunteers in field of food production and medicine.
- Planned and implemented legislative campaign which resulted in Public Act 239 of 2017, “Grocery Store Bill” allocating $12 to $15 million toward increasing healthier food options in Michigan over five years.
Advocate & Counselor
Disability Advocates International
01.2013 - 10.2016
- Performed federal adjudication representation of clients while using working knowledge of Title II and Title XVI of Federal Register for SSI and SSD claimants.
- Organized supporting documentation for individuals under evaluation and coordinated paperwork to correct federal staff within Social Security.
- Legal brief writing with jurisprudence. Medical, vocational, legal research and correspondence.
- Successful rulings in over 85% of case hearings before federal disability judges.
Interim Director
Michigan Library Associaiton
11.2012 - 01.2013
- Served as Interim Association Executive Director and Lobbyist.
- Authored amendments to Michigan's personal property tax law to increase funding to association.
- Devised and implemented strategies to create new revenue streams and legislative initiatives.
- Conducted meetings with association board of directors, staff and legislators to discuss legislative progress and implementation of organizational objectives.
Chairman
Lansing Jobs Coalition
03.2012 - 10.2016
- Conceptualized and created large nonprofit grassroots organization to bring 2,200 new jobs to Lansing.
- Led recruitment and development of strategic alliances to maximize utilization of existing gaming laws in Michigan to establish Native American gaming rights in Lansing.
- Spearheaded public petition campaign in support of initiative.
- Collected over 5,000 signatures of registered voters to convince Lansing City Council to move forward with implementation of a Native American casino in lansing.
- Effectively strategized with coalition partners, including organized labor private business and external audiences.
World Wide Motion Pictures Corporation
Labor Relations Consultant
10.2010 - 12.2020
- Interpreted labor laws, rulings and regulations for executive staff and senior management team.
- Made filming location site visits as executive liaison.
- Provided reliable and sound counsel in field regarding national labor agreements as required to ensure compliance of production staff within confines of said agreements.
- Represented corporate stockholders at multiple annual Directors Guild Awards banquet.
- Served as Recording Secretary of annual meeting of corporate stock holders.
UniServ Director
Michigan Education Association
10.2001 - 09.2009
- Successful adjudication representation of individual union members in grievance processing, arbitration and EEOC and Unemployment hearings.
- Negotiation skills resulted in 100% of all bargaining units receiving MESSA health care.
- Bargained, monitored and assessed organized labor agreements, training programs and services to identify and capitalize on potential improvements for dues paying members.
- Acted as chief negotiator, legal counsel and spokesperson within six-teen school districts and twenty-one contracts.
- Prepared and administered coordinating council budgets.
- Devised and presented training programs to promote equitable bargaining agreements including health insurance.
- Increase average pay raises for bargaining members by 3% per year.
- Coordinated and performed annual political candidate endorsements for state and federal legislative offices.
City Manager
City Of Beaverton
02.2000 - 11.2001
- Prepared and maintained city budget of $1.2 Million.
- Conceptualized and implemented $350,000 street-scape and infrastructure improvements using DDA funds.
- Initiated and orchestrated $150,000 rehabilitation of city's hydroelectric facility using federal government and local funding.
- Secured federal USDA funding for several city fire department apparatus.
- Secured funding, negotiated contracts to purchase equipment and to establish city-based field office for full time sheriff deputy.
- Organized and facilitated public election for city Charter Revision.
- Served as City Marshal.
Office Director
National Democratic Institute For International Affairs, NDI
08.1999 - 12.1999
- Liaison to U.S. Embassy and Foreign Diplomatic Humanitarian Corps.
- Responsible for daily direction of local nationalist staff in post Soviet (USSR) communist nation, while endeavoring to educate embedded national political activists on fundamentals of democracy.
- Coordinated special projects and managed schedules of administrative, interpretive, housekeeping and security staff.
- Prepared and implemented monthly office budgets for senior state department ambassador.
- Created in-depth political reports, presentations and other materials for executive staff, support staff, support desk and program benefactors in Washington, D.C.
Legislative Aide
Senator Don Koivisto
04.1993 - 10.1999
- Served as legislative Aide to Ranking Member of Senate Appropriations.
- Specialties include; appropriations, natural resources, health policy, casino over-site, higher education and JCAR.
- Devised constituent and district plans to draft into proposed legislation.
- Advanced senator's legislative and political agenda through advocacy initiatives. Including sighting of public rest area on M-28 through use of MDOT budget.
- Performed legal, historical, legislative and financial research.
- Advised senator during committee and legislative session.
- Acted as legal and confidential political counsel.
- Directed and coordinated campaign staff, volunteers and media buys.
- Supported efforts of registered lobbyists and special interest groups through collaboration on their legislative agendas.
- Served as office lead on constituent relations.
- Organized and planned meetings with high-level political appointees and elected officials throughout state and local government.
- Offered strategic recommendations for updates to district and institutional programs and policies, factoring in current political climate and trends.
Senior Legislative Assistant
Michigan House Of Representatives
05.1989 - 12.1992
- Reviewed, edited and proofread legislation to provide advice to individual democratic members of House Appropriations committee.
- Assisted LSB staff, associations and lobbyists with reviewing and organizing proposed legislation.
- Conducted legal and legislative history research.
- Communicated pertinent information to constituents via phone, email, and mail.
- Researched and analyzed legal issues and cases to provide accurate advice to members.
- Researched statutes, decisions, articles, legal briefs and MCL's.
- 1991-1992 Speaker's Office
- 1990-1991 Aide to Chairman of Reapportionment
- 1990 Constituent Services and District Aide to Ranking Democratic member of House Appropriations.
- 1989 Appointed as House Page
Township Supervisor
London Township
05.1987 - 12.1999
- Elected Township Supervisor with largest majority in township history to date.
- Envisioned, negotiated and implemented $400,000 'Class A' road improvement project with zero cost to township taxpayers in collaboration with county road commission.
- Implemented requirements of Michigan FOIA within township offices.
- Handled constituent cases and complaints.
- Chaired Township board meetings.
- Negotiated and implemented rotating maintenance schedule for local gravel roads utilizing 'tipping fees' derived from local mining operation.
- Negotiated service contracts with Sheriff, Road Commission, Township Sexton, Building and Grounds personnel.
- Established township staff office hours, consolidated legal and historical township files in accordance with Michigan Records Retention Act.
Education
Labor And Industrial Relations
Lansing Community College
Lansing, MIBachelor of Science - Political Science
American University
Washington, DCAssociate of Science - Political Science And Government
Washtenaw Community College
Ann Arbor, MISkills
- Problem solving
- Professional advocate
- Legal and historical research
- Data analytics
- Constituent Services
- Creativity
- Resiliency
Accomplishments
CITY MANAGER OF THE YEAR
SECURITY CLEARANCES, U.S. SECRET SERVICE
32nd DEGREE MASTER MASON AND SHRINER
Certification
- CUSTOMER QUALITY SERVICE ADVOCATE, Disney Institute
- SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY ADVOCATE, American Disability Advocates College
- ELECTRONIC POLL BOOK SPECIALIST, City of Lansing, Michigan
- INTEREST BASED BARGAINING FACILITATOR, Michigan Education Association
- LABOR RELATIONS NEGOTIATOR, Michigan Education Association
- EURASIAN CULTURAL & POLITICAL STUDIES, National Democratic Institute
- CITY MANAGER OF THE YEAR, Michigan Rural Water Association.
- MUNICIPAL MANAGEMENT, FINANCE AND BUDGETING, Michigan Township Association
Timeline
Customer Service Representative
LaFontaine Automotive Group
08.2021 - Current
Founder & Executive Director
Hackett Auto Museum
01.2016 - 12.2021
Policy Campaign Manager
American Heart Association
06.2014 - 11.2017
Advocate & Counselor
Disability Advocates International
01.2013 - 10.2016
Interim Director
Michigan Library Associaiton
11.2012 - 01.2013
Chairman
Lansing Jobs Coalition
03.2012 - 10.2016
World Wide Motion Pictures Corporation
Labor Relations Consultant
10.2010 - 12.2020
UniServ Director
Michigan Education Association
10.2001 - 09.2009
City Manager
City Of Beaverton
02.2000 - 11.2001
Office Director
National Democratic Institute For International Affairs, NDI
08.1999 - 12.1999
Legislative Aide
Senator Don Koivisto
04.1993 - 10.1999
Senior Legislative Assistant
Michigan House Of Representatives
05.1989 - 12.1992
Township Supervisor
London Township
05.1987 - 12.1999
Labor And Industrial Relations
Lansing Community College
Bachelor of Science - Political Science
American University
Associate of Science - Political Science And Government
Washtenaw Community College
- CUSTOMER QUALITY SERVICE ADVOCATE, Disney Institute
- SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY ADVOCATE, American Disability Advocates College
- ELECTRONIC POLL BOOK SPECIALIST, City of Lansing, Michigan
- INTEREST BASED BARGAINING FACILITATOR, Michigan Education Association
- LABOR RELATIONS NEGOTIATOR, Michigan Education Association
- EURASIAN CULTURAL & POLITICAL STUDIES, National Democratic Institute
- CITY MANAGER OF THE YEAR, Michigan Rural Water Association.
- MUNICIPAL MANAGEMENT, FINANCE AND BUDGETING, Michigan Township Association
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