Dewey Thompson is director of the Missouri Training Institute, a partnership between the Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business and MU Extension. He started his career as the training coordinator for a local bank, providing orientation and training services for new employees and coaching staff on strategic organizational changes. He was also an independent contractor providing consultation and training services to the workforce development system at federal, state and local levels. Most of his work centers around making people more comfortable with the rapid changes occurring in the workplace and helping staff realize their full potential in serving a vast array of coworkers and customers. He has trained thousands of public and private sector professionals across the country on change, leadership, management, coaching, teambuilding, customer service, and building effective workplace environments. He served as the lead facilitator for the U.S. Department of Laborâ¿¿s Workforce Excellence Network and is on the Central Missouri Workforce Investment Board. He received the 2006 award for Professional Development from the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals. Dewey holds a masterâ¿¿s degree in curriculum and instruction from MU and certifications in True Colors and CliftonStrengths.