How we became the B.E.S.T.

Our experience and success working with top firms and with Fortune 500 companies in a variety of industries has confirmed the need to strategically, efficiently, and consistently consummate, develop and manage business and personal relationships at all levels in order to maintain optimum efficiency in the workplace and in life.  These skills are critically important in business success and personal growth.  We have been strong developers, observers, advocates and practitioners of these important competencies for companies, organizations, teams and individuals for over 35 years.  We strategically focused on how people properly manage relationships between, and in business and personal settings.  Emerging markets, technology, communication, and globalization continue to reform the world reflecting the contributions and needs of diverse workforces, consumers, and communities.  

B.E.S.T can provide comprehensive business strategies on business vision, planning, research, start-up, administration, operations, marketing, sales, customer service, motivation, staffing, retention, employee assistance, and financing to organizations of any size.  We have provided services to all size companies in many different industries including healthcare, insurance, consumer products, pharmaceuticals, financial services, education, telecommunications, real estate, sports & entertainment, travel, hospitality, construction, non-profit, retail, and government. 

our executive suite & conference center
raritan commons Suite 207

Get in touch

We at B.E.S.T. know that finding the right employees and managing yourself is important. We can set up a consultation to walk you through your needs, the scope of your goals, and your budget.

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United States Law Enforcement Coalition
Internship Program

President & Chief Executive officer

L. Greg Smith

L. Greg Smith’s background combines extensive business management, leadership development, executive coaching, consulting, recruiting, training, human resources, sales, and marketing experience. He develops and implements the strategic plan of B.E.S.T. and oversees its business operations.

As a senior sales & marketing executive, he also advises client organizations on leadership development solutions, talent strategies, sales methodologies, marketing initiatives, business strategies, career management, and outplacement services. He has marketed a full range of sales and leadership development programs and services to clients and has delivered these programs to C-Level executives, senior executives, front-line leadership, managers, occupational employees, graduate and undergraduate students, and group level participants. He has also presented and lectured on these topics. Greg has lectured at Seton Hall University, New York University, Rutgers University, Penn State University, Columbia University, and Fairleigh Dickinson University. He also currently conducts individual and cohort coaching for executives at all levels and entrepreneurs.

In an effort to provide a larger and more significant contribution toward Leadership Development within corporations to impact their client population on a global basis, Greg has strategically enhanced B.E.S.T.’s Leadership Development and Executive Coaching practice working with Senior Leadership at Fortune 500 companies on developing and improving their leadership competencies, strategies, and corporate initiatives. This prudent leadership development strategy helps clients synchronize goals and talent to drive superior performance. He also works with organizations to design their structures, policies, roles, and responsibilities.  His team helps them hire the right people to bring their strategy to life and positively impact profitability. In one of his recent publications, Hiring Excellence, brings these best practices to the forefront.

Previously, Greg consistently exceeded sales performance standards at Xerox Corporation, AT&T, Dun & Bradstreet, Lee Hecht Harrison, and Korn Ferry, while managing major accounts and leading account teams that managed national, and global accounts.

senior Vice President, director of professional services

Rod Williams

Rodney E. (Rod) Williams is the co-founder and managing principal of B.E.S.T. Talent Management Solutions, (BEST), a firm specializing in human resources consulting focusing on Career Management & Transition along with Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Access & Belonging (DEIAB) since 2011.  He develops and delivers content for an array of organizations and individuals across the corporate and non-profit sectors including Fortune 500, medium, and small business.

At BEST, he also provides individual consultative services such as leadership development, executive coaching, business management including entrepreneurial development, and personal branding.

Education

NEWBURGH SEMINARY
Master of Divinity
Bachelor of Theology
THOMAS EDISON STATE COLLEGE

FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON UNIVERSITY

GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Certification

Certified in over 30 career management, assessment, and training tools including Myers Briggs, Strong Interest Inventory, Miller Heiman, and Salesforce.

Activities & Affiliations

• Summit Interfaith Council Anti-Racism Committee

• Board of Directors for Eleven+

• Associate Minister, Fountain Baptist Church, Summit, NJ

  
  

Senior Vice President, Executive Search Practice

David J. Byrd

In March 2023, David J. Byrd was awarded the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award for his lifelong commitment to building a stronger nation through volunteer services. As a Certified Professional Life Skills Coach, Mr. Byrd coached and mentored young men in juvenile detention and homeless families and individuals in Washington, DC’s largest shelter.

From 2021-2023, he served as Senior Principal at Korn Ferry Professional Search where he leveraged his 19 years of leadership and economic development experience to help clients achieve their strategic goals and optimize their performance.

Prior to that, he served as the 18th National Director of the Minority Business Development Agency, which is located within the U.S. Department of Commerce. His previous federal service included stints as at: the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); the U.S. Department of Education (DoEd); the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC); and the Joint Economic Committee of the U.S. Congress.

Education

Rowan University (formerly Glassboro State College)
Master of Arts, Public Relations
Ohio Wesleyan University
Bachelor of Arts, English

Activities & Affiliations

• Trade missions to South Africa, Namibia, and Ethiopia

• Toastmaster’s International

• Public Relations Society of America

Certification

Professional Life Skills Coach

Vice President, leadership development

Victoria Hobbs

Victoria (Vicki) Hobbs is a talent acquisition and talent management professional bringing over 15 years of corporate talent acquisition, advisement, and development to B.E.S.T.  She has extensive experience in recruiting and talent process improvement with global business leaders across all functions. She is relied upon as the “go-to” for process improvement, competency selection, creation of interview guides, interview training, recruiter training, talent development support, and employer branding.

Helping individuals to innovate and improve their roles and their quality of work (intrapreneur), Vicki constantly finds new ways to improve work systems, quality and productivity. Well-known as a change management champion, Vicki excels at helping organizations drive business growth by innovating and leveraging existing talent processes and operations that increase engagement, productivity and effectiveness.

Education

NEW YORK UNIVERSITY'S TISCH SCHOOL OF THE ARTS
Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree

Certification

Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace (HRCI)

Qualified Diversity Recruiter (JTD Consulting)

Diversity and Inclusion in a Global Enterprise (HRCI)

Activities & Affiliations

• Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)

• New Jersey Human Resource Planning Group (NJHRPG)

• Shades of Recovery Inc. – Board Member and Retreat Leader

Vice president, organizational and talent strategist

Vanessa D. Smith

Vanessa is an organizational and talent strategist, business partner who has played a vital role as a Chief Human Resources Officer, propelling the organization in the areas of talent management, employee experience and engagement, culture, talent acquisition, organizational and leadership development, team building, diversity and inclusion, collaborative partnerships,patient-experience centered training and leadership coaching.

With a career in human resources spanning over 26 years, Vanessa is a visionary and has driven results that align with the business objectives. She demonstrates expertise in assessing, proposing, and facilitating organizational changes, guiding corporate journeys in diverse business environments.

Education Activities & Affiliations

PARK UNIVERSITY
Bachelor of Science Degree
STRAYER UNIVERSITY
Master of Business Administration

Certification

Certified Master Coach
Certified Organizational Coach
Certified Change Management Coach
Senior Professional in Human Resources (HRCI)
Senior Certified Professional (SHRM)

• New Jersey Chapter President for the National Association of Health Services Executives (NAHSE)

• Catchafire.org Volunteer

• Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM)

• Senior Professional in Human Resources (HRCI)

• Forbes Human Resource Council

• United States Air Force (USAF)
  

Vice President, organizational development

Alicia Scott

Alicia Scott is a Global Organizational Development and Talent Management Leader with Program Management, Business Operations and Engineering expertise. In her you will find a transformational leader that has driven a people-focused agenda that helped shape the culture at a Fortune 500 brand bringing double digit revenue growth in varied economic cycles. Alicia has had success using her strategic mindset and operational efficiency to influence stakeholders and achieve goals for repositioning the business. She is an effective collaborator that has interfaced with the C-Suite and Board level using interpersonal skills to develop relationships resulting in business alignment.

Education

ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
W.P. CAREY SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
Master of Arts Degree in
Business Administration
ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Bachelor of Science Degree in
Microelectronic Engineering

Activities & Affiliations

• Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)

• Valley of the Sun YMCA - Board of Directors

• Kate Gleason College of Engineering at R.I.T. - National Council Member

• Arizona HR Executive Forum (AzHREF)

SENIOR Vice President, career management

Joe Quinn

Joe Quinn has over 20 years of experience serving clients across multiple industries, including: international trade, private wealth management, human capital consulting, not-for-profit, and healthcare. Joe has helped clients and individuals as a coach and advisor with influential communication, leadership skills, and workplace trends. He has facilitated hundreds of meetings and trained clients in all areas of peak performance.

Education

PACE UNIVERSITY
Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration, International Management
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY
Master of Social Work Degree

Activities & Affiliations

• Seton Hall University Leadership Advisory Board Member

• Adjunct for New York University School of Continuing And Professional Studies Master of Science in Leadership and Human Capital Management

• Graduate of multiple Dale Carnegie courses

senior Vice President, veterans affairs

Al Smith

Al Smith is a United States Military Veteran, having served three years in the U.S. Army. After the conclusion of his military service, Al transitioned to a successful long-term career in the private sector working at such companies as Shell Oil, Avon, and CEL Communications. His last 17 years were with Lee Hecht Harrison, a global career transition and coaching firm. He remains passionate about supporting all veterans in job search, career transition, and veteran initiatives, along with volunteering with a few organizations committed to reducing the polarization in government and fostering civil discourse in society and the workplace.

Education

UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT
Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics

Certification

Multiple Lee Hecht Harrison President’s Club Awards

Activities & Affiliations

• Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty’s (CT, District #5) Veterans Affairs Panel

• Community Training & Employment Resources (CTER) Veteran Program Advisory Committee

• Western Connecticut Military Officers Association

• 15-year member of the Society for Human Resources Management where he chaired several committees and was President of the New York City Chapter.

• Co-Chair, CT Alliance of Braver Angels involved in bridging the partisan divide and fostering civility in all works of life

• A recent Author

Director, Web Development and Digital Media

Michael D'Aloia

Mike D’Aloia has a vast background in graphic design. His expertise spans over six years of extensive website design, logo design, and retail marketing display design.  With customer specifications and goals in mind, Mike has successfully delivered countless professional websites and designs on time and on budget.

Mike’s skill set includes extensive expertise in the Adobe Suite, HTML5, CSS, and photography.  He also has expert experience with Squarespace Websites.  He has demonstrated his skills as the Art Director of Sneakers Plus, Innovative Product Design, Barn Party Productions, Plainfield Public Schools, and Sign Services and Banners.

Vice President, behavioral health

Dr. Benjamin Thomason

Dr. Benjamin Thomason, a behavioral health professional and specialist, brings over 30 years of Clinical, Personal and Executive Coaching services to B.E.S.T. He also serves as a Student Assistance Coordinator and School Psychologist for several public and private institutions. Additionally, Dr. Thomason is a Psychologist for students and staff at Rutgers University.

senior consultant, DEI strategies

David V. Ciliberto

Dave Ciliberto provides strategic consulting, coaching, and training services around Inclusion, Diversity and Engagement for the past seventeen + years. With more than 30 years of Human Resources experience, specializing in the areas of Diversity Equity & Inclusion developing integrated strategies, collaborating with Executive Councils, Employee Resource Group leaders, focus group facilitation, data analysis and related training. He works across many industries / organizations through his firm and in conjunction with Cornell University ILR, Icarus Consulting and other DEI Partnerships. The Cornell University ILR partnership started 15 years ago, some of the workshops include Conscious Inclusion/Allyship content, Emerging Trends in DEI, Effective DEI Councils, Effective Employee Resource Groups, DEI Education & Training,  Competencies that Drive DEI Strategies & LGBTQ+ content. The impact of leading with inclusion is a choice knowing that diversity is a fact. We choose to include or exclude knowing that difference/diversity also connects us through experiential similarities. Dave served as SVP of Career Transition in a former role with Partners in Human Resources International.

Education Activities & Affiliations

LYNCHBURG COLLEGE
Bachelor of Arts Degree
in Business Administration

SCHOOL OF INDUSTRIAL
AND LABOR RELATIONS
AT CORNELL UNIVERSITY CCDP
Advanced Certification in Diversity Management

• DEI Councils, Strategies, and Training

Education

RUTGERS UNIVERSITY
Bachelor of Arts, Labor Studies

Creative Director of Media and career coach

Gregg Suskin

As Creative Director Gregg oversees the content being produced in one of the most innovative film programs in the country. He was designated a High Impact Teacher by the Florida Department of Education during his time at the G-Star School of The Arts. Gregg Suskin's professional career spans over 40 years in the film and advertising community. His experience in production and post production derives from both a client and vendor perspective. He has vast experience in commercial advertising; flourished in the documentary, feature film, reality television, IMAX and political arenas as an award-winning filmmaker.

Education

RUTGERS UNIVERSITY
Bachelor of Arts, English and History

Activities and Affiliations

• 40 year Martial Arts practitioner and certified instructor

• Inosanto Lineage continual 35years

• 2003-2007 Owner AZAMA- Arizona Academy of Martial Arts

• Jeet Kune Do Certified Instructor Level 3 Bruce Lee’s original art

• Muay Thai Lineage Arjan Chai and World Muay Thai Council  champion Asa Ten Pow Coach,Fighter, Fight trainer

• Tae Kwon Do -World Tae Kwon Do Association 2nd Degree Black Belt 

•  Kali-Eskrima Weapons based Filipino Martial Arts

• Wing Chun 

• Women's Self Defense  Created and conducts Seminars

• Adult Martial Wellness Co Creator of Adult non contact motion based Martial Arts Program designed for advanced cognition, flexibility and health utilizing martial arts attributes.

Director Of Martial Strength Training Initiatives

Michael Wolhfert

Mike Wolhfert is an instructor in multiple disciplines of self-defense, leadership development, and coaching with expertise in presenting workshops, seminars, and classes to business and corporate learning environments.

Mike’s 20+ years of instructional experience consist of a broad range of audiences and learning environments including corporate on-site and off-site meetings, staff training sessions, and classroom workshops. He uses his diverse background as a martial artist, law enforcement officer, academy instructor, leadership coach, small business owner, and his role as a husband and father to inspire and educate all who seek his knowledge and experience of self-improvement, leadership, mindfulness and well-being.

Director, telecommunications solutions

William E. Henry

William E. Henry is a Bronx, New York native with over forty years experience as an IT / telecommunications professional and senior industry consultant. His career highlights include working for fourteen years at AT&T in positions of increasing responsibility within the engineering, operations, sales and marketing departments. As director of corporate telecommunications at Bristol- Myers Squibb Company, he was responsible for formulating strategies for all of the company's voice, data, video and image applications, systems, services and networking capabilities in 135 countries. Mr. Henry also held the position of vice president of business development and marketing at DCC Systems.

Vice President, empowerment programs

Neil Torino

Neil has over 45 years of professional experience in the Public and Private sectors focusing on Business and Human Development. He is a team oriented individual with high Integrity and is committed and willing to go the distance to make a difference in personal performance and business productivity. He is sincerely committed to producing for himself and his clients. Neil’s professional career includes sixteen years as the Director of Student Activities, Athletics, School Safety, and Discipline for the Morris County Vocational School District and three years as Corporate Director Of Human Resources for Enzon Pharmaceuticals.

Education

MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY
Master of Arts, Human Resources
Management and Services
Bachelor of Arts, Educational and
Instructional Technology
RUTGERS UNIVERSITY
Doctor of Education, Human Resources
and Technical Education

NJEXCEL
CSA and Principal Certification Completion
Educational, Leadership and Administration
KEAN UNIVERSITY
Supervisor Certification
Educational Leadership and Administration

VICE PRESIDENT

Ralph Dalton

Prior to Ralph Dalton’s successful Wall Street banking and sales career, he was a star member of the infamous Georgetown Hoyas basketball team in the early 1980’s playing for the legendary John Thompson, II. After sustaining a devastating season ending knee injury (which was studied in medical journals) in an intra-squad game prior to the start of his first season, Dalton persevered through a nine month recovery to play alongside with his close friend Patrick Ewing including routes to the NCAA FINAL FOUR and becoming the 1984 NCAA Tournament Champions and the1985 NCAA Tournament runner-up. In the 1985 Eastern Region Final where Ewing was in serious late foul trouble, Ralph stepped up to lead the Hoyas to victory (Named CBS player of the game). After graduating in the Spring of 1985, Ralph stayed on for his fourth year of varsity play and became the first basketball player ever at Georgetown University to earn an MBA. He has enjoyed a long and successful career on Wall Street in fixed income and emerging markets sales, with posts at The Bank of New York, Prudential Securities, before working in leadership positions at Merrill Lynch and Scotia Bank. From 2014 to 2018 he served as President and Chief Compliant Officer at Barclay Investments. While at Merrill Lynch, Ralph played a key role in college recruiting, mentoring, executive coaching, and employee development. Ralph will continue to perform these duties at B.E.S.T.

Education

GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Bachelor of Arts, Sociology

Certification

Certified Regulatory and Compliance Professional (CRCP), Life and health, Series 7, 24 and 63 qualified

director of administration

Ginny Tumolo

Ginny Tumolo is a Senior Administration Operations Director with extensive experience in managing office operations, project procedures and coordinating logistics. She has successfully worked in this capacity for over 30 years with several organizations during her long tenure career.

Currently, Ginny implements general administration procedures for B.E.S.T. with extreme confidence and innovation, and demonstrates flexibility and agility to perpetual process improvements in order to ensure optimal administrative solutions.