BUSINESS LITERACY - Key Persons
Brad's background includes management consultant with Ernst & Young, director at Franklin Covey, and CEO, COO and CFO of several small companies, making him the perfect fit for BLI, as he helps our clients develop financial intelligence programs that meet their needs. He is coauthor of The Fourth Dimension: The Next Level of Personal and Organizational Achievement (John Wiley & Sons, 1996) and of Project Management for Profit (Harvard Business School Press 2012).
Brad began his career by flying jets for the United States Air Force as a navigator. As a management consultant he helped develop pivotal strategies in key industries for the State of Utah. He has spent most of his time since then in the trenches of small and mid-sized businesses, helping them meet their clients' needs and grow into mature, successful organizations. Brad has a bachelor's degree from the University of Utah and an MBA from the University of Southern New Hampshire
Job Titles:
- Co - Owner and Sr. Consultant
Joe Knight is a highly regarded finance and business literacy keynote speaker, trainer, and published author.
His keynote addresses, including The Love affair with EBITDA and The Secrets of Finance Revealed are resounding successes with diverse audiences because of his unique ability to combine content with energy and humor. Recent keynote and speaking appearances include the Inc. 500, International ISM, and SHRM conferences. Audience members rave about his speaking, saying, "I was on the edge of my seat the entire time," and "Joe was ideal…given his humorous, positive approach and emphasis on demystifying the numbers."
Joe facilitates numerous training programs including Financial Intelligence for Managers and Financial Intelligence for Leaders in large and small companies, public and private, non-profits and universities. Clients such as NBCUniversal, Electronic Arts, and GE also praise his knowledge, style, and sense of humor. Comments include: "we will definitely get an ROI from this program," "the best training course I've ever taken," and "everyone in our organization needs to take this class."
Joe is coauthor of the Financial Intelligence series published by Harvard Business Review. He has also been a guest on Bob Brinker's Money Talk show on KABC radio and CNBC's Morning Call program.
As CFO of Setpoint Companies, he spearheaded the financial education of engineers in this automation and roller coaster company. Under his leadership, Setpoint became an Inc. 500 company and was featured in Inc. magazine and A Stake in the Outcome. Joe's background also includes finance at Ford Motor Company, Bell & Howell, and Arrow Dynamics.
Joe received a bachelor's degree in economics from Brigham Young University and an MBA from University of California, Berkeley.
Job Titles:
- Business Operations Manager
Kara Ausere joined the Business Literacy Institute while working with Joe Knight at Setpoint Companies. She keeps the office running and provides support with marketing, presentations, trainer support materials, and training manuals. Kara brings experience in editing, writing, organizational as well as website and search engine optimization experience. Kara is a graduate of the University of Utah with a bachelors of science degree in business management.
Karen Berman was a sought-after expert in the fields of business and financial literacy. Clients praised her ability to understand their business and develop meaningful and engaging programs.
Prior to founding the Business Literacy Institute, Karen was a consultant and held various management positions in the banking, investment, healthcare, and graphic arts industries.
First as a client and now as a team member, Stephanie Wexler provides valuable insight and perspective for BLI. As a client, Stephanie was the Corporate Training Manager for a multi-national manufacturer, MacDermid, Inc. After hearing BLI's founder, Karen Berman, speak at a conference, she immediately hired BLI to train at an upcoming sales meeting. It was a huge success, and MacDermid, Inc. has continued to hire BLI for many training projects over the years.
At BLI, Stephanie handles a variety of functions, including marketing and branding BLI as an organization, development of online training services, and coordination of client sessions and keynotes. Prior to BLI and MacDermid, Inc., she managed fundraising efforts and programs for the University of Hartford, where she received her bachelor's in business administration.