Speaker, Trainer, Singer, Songwriter, Author
Kim Ratz
Helping people create more harmony in their own life,
and in their relationships with others ...
Testimonials from people who've hired me ...
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Speaker, Trainer, Singer, Songwriter, AuthorKim RatzHelping people create more harmony in their own life,
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ADULT EDUCATIONKim Ratz recently inspired and entertained an audience of educators with his keynote address at the annual Iowa Adult Basic Education Summer Institute. Kim's ability to identify with the struggle of adult learners touched the audience of ESL, Literacy, and GED teachers and staff. His personal experience in the field of Adult Education was brought to life in Kim's guitar playing and original song lyrics. Teachers connected with his optimistic you-can-do-it attitude. I recommend Kim's presentation for any group looking for an uplifting and insightful call to make our world a better place. -- Ann Waynar, Adult Basic Education Coord, Iowa Central Community College, (For Iowa Dept of Adult Literacy) "I observed Kim Ratz while he presented at the IN Assoc for Adult & Community Education conference in May 2004 and was impressed with his ability to connect with members in a variety of ways. His unique approach incorporating music certainly made it more interesting to pay attention to and participate in his programs - a great adult learning strategy. His background in adult and community education, including his years with the Alaska Dept of Education helped Kim connect his valuable message in many relevant and timely ways. He went far beyond tweaking a standard presentation. His skills were also evident in his conversations with many individuals between his presentations. He became familiar with issues and participated in activities. He was flexible and committed to doing anything he could to contribute to an enjoyable and successful conference. I highly recommend Kim to any group of adult educators who are also seeking to be adult learners - and have fun while doing so." -- Linda Warner, Director, Div of Adult Education, Indiana Dept of Ed This letter is in support of Kim Ratz, The Speaker Who Sings. And does he ever! Kim prepared a song for our Indiana Association for Adult and Continuing Education state conference in May 2004. With only the winners short biographies to go by he created a song with a chorus and verses to go with each of the award categories. Not only that, but he created a song to be sung while we played a PowerPoint video to honor all the recipients at the end of the ceremony; he had never seen the video until that day! Kim is flexible, fun, and fabulous! He helped make our awards banquet unique and memorable for all. -- Sara Gutting, Awards Committee, IN Assoc of Adult & Continuing Ed. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you very much for the keynote presentation you gave to our Minnesota Association for Continuing Adult Education annual conference. Your tips on being a "thriver" were points to ponder and gave the audience some considerations for reflection as they go about their daily lives. The fact that you could tie in your own experience as an adult educator (and adult learner) enhanced the content and "brought it home" to the participants. I especially valued your respect and appreciation for the work that we do in adult education. The fact that you participated with us during part of the conference was also a plus. It made us feel like we were important to you and not just a quick in and out with no perception of what the group was about. It was a pleasure to meet you and I wish you continued success as "the speaker who sings". I would be glad to be a reference for you. -- Dr. Pauline Christensen, Director of Graduate and Continuing Education, Winona State University (For MN Assoc of Continuing & Adult Education) Kim Ratz's unusual approach to speaking offers conference planners a delightful option to traditional keynote presentations. Using a combination of personal experience, original music and humor, Kim will tailor his presentations to fit the audience. He will entertain the group and provide them with relevant insight on the chosen topic. Having recently used Kim as a keynoter and workshop presenter at the Mountain Plains Adult Education Conference, I would recommend him to others who want something a little different for their conference. -- Gloria A. Gregg, Associate Professor of Education, Montana State University Š Bozeman (For Mountain Plains Adult Education Association) COMMUNITY EDUCATIONIt's a tough way to make a living. You make it look easy. Phil Houseal, TCEA, 05 Thank you so much for being part of our annual fall conference. Your personal experience of 20 years as a community educator and your talent as a speaker, trainer and singer-songwriter made you an extraordinary asset to our conference. We are still hearing great comments from people about the benefits we received by having you as a keynote speaker and facilitator of our first ever sing-along. Personally, I appreciated the way you embraced our conference. Your willingness to attend the entire conference and share your expertise both formally and informally was very impressive. If anyone has the faintest doubt about the value of your work, tell them they can call me personally! Š Kathleen Sullivan, MI Assoc of Community & Adult Ed. Kim worked extremely hard for us with his keynote, breakout topics, sense of humor and music. He set the tone for the whole conference. He also led an evening sing-along after our awards banquet. I think it was one of our best conferences and I strongly believe it was Kim who put us over the top. Kim thrives on making people feel good about themselves and he knows how to be flexible and responsive to the group's needs. I would make Kim an annual fixture if the association would let me. -- Dave Fehler, President, Oregon Community Education Assoc Kim presented at our annual summer meeting for the National Council of State Community Education Associations NCSCEA. He was asked to provide a session on motivating the participants to take what they had learned and return home to implement their new learning. He did more than motivate, his message gave the participants an opportunity to reflect on what had taken place and how to integrate their experience into action. Kim's gift of music and thought was the perfect culmination of a week of workshops. His expertise and flexibility made our annual meeting a lasting success. -- Nikki Lovell, Chair (2005) NCSCEA Thank you so much for a job not just well done but very well done! I have the dubious honor of serving on several boards and attending numerous conferences throughout the year and I will say that sometimes one speaker begins to blend with another. Your presentation style was not only refreshing but the fact that you took the time to personalize your focus to address the specific needs of our organization made it much more meaningful to all involved. In going through the conference evaluation forms, many of the participants have echoed these sentiments. It's easy to hire a presenter who will come in give his speech and catch the next flight out. It's much more difficult to find someone who will become as much a part of the conference as the planners and participants - well done and thank you so much in making the 2004/05 TCEA conference a memorable, successful event. -- Terri Odell, President and 2005 Conference Coordinator, Texas Community Ed Assoc We could not have been more pleased with Kim's closing keynote. He exceeded our expectations and really gave people something to talk about - even people who skipped the closing session felt as if they had missed something special. By inviting Kim to speak at a conference, the meeting planner gets these value-added benefits: (1) Not only do you get a quality keynote, you get quality concurrent session too. (2) He'll offer his musical skills to be added where and how they can help most. (3) He is flexible - he'll customize his program to help you achieve your goals, and he knows how to adjust "on the fly." (4) The audience will enjoy his style - he creates and shares his energy with others. (5) He is easy to work with - he's a professional. I have no reservations in recommending him to you for a conference you are planning. -- Starla Jewell-Kelly, (former) Exec. Director, NCEA (Nat'l. Community Education Assoc.) St. Louis Park Community Education department hired speaker and trainer, Kim Ratz to present at our annual Senior Program Advisory Council Retreat on August 23, 2005. His workshop, "Creating Harmony in Our Lives" focused on improving communication and teambuilding amongst our council members. Kim far exceeded our expectations. He presented a musical, personal, yet purposeful program. The evaluations were all positive. Here are a few of the comments made by attendees: "This speaker was supper-colossal." "Wonderful tips and a great presenter. The music was an added treat." "A very good learning experience." "Delightful." Kim conducted a practical and insightful presentation. We won't hesitate to invite him to present at a future workshop. -- Mary Juberian, Adult Services Manager EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATIONI saw your "People Don't Leave Jobs - They Leave Bosses" at the Region VII Head Start conference in Kansas City last week. It was great! I am going through it now to use ideas and suggestions for actual implementation - and, for the record, that is something I am really bad usually about doing after a training. Hope that substantiates that I thought this session was top notch! THANKS -- Brenda Brown, Community Action, Inc. Head Start, Topeka, KS I was happy not only that I invited Kim to speak, but to also participate in Kim's seminar on "Collaboration." This workshop is relevant for program directors, collaboration office staff, or anyone else participating in community collaboration activities. Kim's interactive approach to this workshop allows participants to be introspective about their own work with fostering collaboration while also providing unique, "outside the box" techniques for strengthening professional relationships. I found Kim to be highly accessible both before and after the training, and also an active listener who adapts his workshops to the voice he hears from participants. -- Bill Kottenstette, (former) Director, State Head Start Collaboration Office, CO Kim's upbeat style and use of music engaged our staff, and brought to heart the important role of fathers in raising our children. Kim combined stories with inspiration, offered quick wit, warm spirit and lots of energy. I would recommend him for all professionals working with children. - Meagan Wittnebel, Human Resource Manager, North Iowa Community Action Organization-Head Start, Mason City, IA The evaluations for your breakouts and keynote are outstanding---not surprising to April or I. I appreciate the fact that you made the conference so specific to MO and the Head Start audience. Your words were truly inspirational, revealing, heartwarming and challenging. One of the best things about my job is getting to know so many great people from around the country on a more personal level. It was such a pleasure to get to know you personally as well as professionally. Thanks again for everything you did for MO Head Start! -- Donna Veatch, Exec Dir (postscript, two months later: We just want you to know that your name continues to come up as people share all the things you did to make the conference so successful Š and fun. They loved your song and your message, and especially the way you genuinely shared your appreciation of and support for the work we do in early childhood ed. Donna Veatch, MO Head Start) (Another note, received following their Regional conference 3 months later:) The thanks goes to you for bringing so much inspiration to the Region 7 conference through your songs, music and workshops. I could just feel the audience uniting as you lead us in that closing song. I just returned from Houston and read the conference evaluations on the plane. You were definitely a hit! Your name is mentioned over and over throughout the many forms that were turned in. I hope you get all kinds of offers for pre-service events, etc. coming up this fall. Let me know if you need anything from me to assist in anyway getting information out about your great talent and ability to bring people together in a shared vision. Kim, I cannot thank you enough! Donna Missouri invited Kim Ratz to deliver the Keynote at the 2006 Missouri Head Start Annual Conference. Kim not only agreed to provide the keynote, but also delivered breakout sessions, emceed the silent auction which raised money for the Dollar Per Child Campaign and composed a one of a kind song that built upon the conference theme "Hand in Hand Together We Can Build a Better World." Kim reached out to conference participants and personally connected to participants throughout the conference. His positive energy culminated in an inspirational keynote presentation that will forever have a special place in our hearts. Kim's energy, positive attitude, value and respect of our work left participants with a renewed attitude and a true sense that together we can achieve so much more than any one person can alone. Kim's personal touch and genuine interest in people make him an outstanding champion for children and families. - Stacey Owsley, MO Head Start Collaboration Office Thank you again for your commitment in sharing your expertise with early childhood education and child care professionals at our recent conference. As the attached evaluation summary shows, all of the participants gave you and your presentation (The Fun & Frenzy of Fatherhood) highest marks in every category ("The instructor was knowledgable about the subject, I liked the way the instructor presented the material, The audio-visual materials used in the workshop were valuable, and, the handout was useful.") -- Kristy Rothstein, Western Community Action (MN) I appreciate the time you spent with staff prior to the training to understand what needed to be included in your presentations. Your efforts to fulfill our requests were very apparent in the material presented. Not only was it presented differently (the music throughout the day helped keep staff energized), it also included new ideas related to our training needs. This is what we wanted to happen. -- Phyllis Adams, Director, Kentucky River Foothills Head Start Dakota County Family Child Care Association is a non profit Association of family child care providers in and around Dakota County. We were looking for a keynote speaker for our annual child care conference. We came across the website of Kim Ratz and thought since he presented to educators, he may be a great speaker for us. Kim's friendly, folksy style was easy to listen to, and his messages were spot-on! His Tips and Tunes were uplifting and participants went away with concrete ideas they could immediately put into practice. We received positive feedback from the participants of our conference, stating he was "refreshing""and "very knowledgeable". Hannah Huberty, Conference Coordinator PARENTING & PARENT INVOLVEMENTI first saw Kim Ratz at the Apple Valley Parent Fair in the Fall of 2006 and was very impressed with his presentation and message to the parents. When I came back to our Community Education office and told our director about this great presenter, I was pleasantly surprised that she knew Kim personally and had actually lined him up as a consultant to her for a Continuous Improvement Process! We wanted to base our education conference around the 40 Developmental Assets that help young people grow up healthy, caring, and responsible as outlined by the Search Institute and Kim's presentation embrace this philosophy. Kim's presentation was uplifting & invigorating! With his skillful use of words and music, he reminds us of some basic principals necessary to raise our children so they are respectful, responsible, caring and educated. Kim brings awareness to the importance of making children our top priority as parents and also as a community. Attendees liked hearing about how parents need to be involved more; felt the info was useful and overall, strongly agreed that the Kim's presentation was presented well & useful. Further, his experience in education and as a presenter was very helpful during our planning process, offering advice and suggestions in appropriate ways as it related to our organizing the event. I would definitely recommend using Kim for a Parent Information Night, Keynote and/or presenter at an education conference! - Janine Alcorn, Chemical Health & Parent Facilitator, Prior Lake-Savage Schools Our group called upon Kim Ratz with a ten-hour notice once we learned our scheduled speaker was unable to attend. Kim was kind enough to adjust his schedule and his presentation to meet our needs. The 315 member audience had come to see someone else and could have been disappointed, but Kim gave a presentation that touched many of them in an unexpected way. Many expressed gratitude and compliments to event hosts, purchased Kim's books and CD, and registered for his online newsletter -- sure signs that a wonderful message was presented! We appreciated Kim handling our short-notice request with such grace and feel fortunate to have found a replacement speaker with such confidence. -- Clare Anderson, VOS Coordinator, Burnsville, MN School District We asked Kim Ratz to be our keynote speaker for our 8th annual parenting forum. His speech, "The Fun and Frenzy of Parenthood" provided upbeat parenting tips combined with inspiring music and was a perfect kickoff to get everyone on a high note for a very early Saturday morning. One parent remarked - "the keynote speaker was amazing, for 8:30 in the morning you need someone who can capture the audience, I was moved to tears!!" We also asked Kim to present a breakout session on "Parenting: For Dads Only." The room was a sell-out with over 35 dads in attendance. Several moms asked to tape the session for husbands who were unable to attend. One dad remarked "a great session for me to think about how I parent my children differently from my wife, will inspire great conversation when I get home!" -- Debbie Ammentorp, Coordinator, Wayzata Parent Forum As the planner of events and monthly meetings for a group of over 400 mothers of twins (or more), I had a daunting task in the spring of 2003. I needed to find speakers and/or entertainers for six of our monthly evening meetings. My goal was to increase attendance at these meetings. Our club has been around for almost 30 years and it was my goal to find someone completely unique to come and speak with us. I came across Kim's website kind of by accident but really liked the message he had. I called Kim and from our first conversation, I knew that he was going to be a good fit for our club. My job was to convince our board and our members of this. We are a support group of MOMS so it was a little difficult to present the idea of someone talking about "The Fun and Frenzy of Fatherhood." But based on my conversation with Kim, I really thought it was an important message for moms and dads to hear. For this reason, I wanted husbands to be present at the meeting as well. Some members expressed that this was their only night out and that they didn't want to share it with their husband. Others counted on their spouses as their only "babysitter". I shared these concerns with Kim. He was very aware that the meeting may have been an audience of only women. He geared his presentation to speak more about the "Fun and Frenzy of Parenthood" but obviously from his perspective as a dad. I started to tell the members months ahead of time to try to arrange for dads to be there that evening. I was pleasantly surprised when about 15 dads came to the meeting (out of 100 people). Also, many moms came up to me after and said "I really wish my husband came with me to see this." Regardless though, I think everyone that was there, mom or dad, came away with a wonderful lesson on the importance of both parents' involvement in their children's lives. And I think it was so meaningful for us moms to hear this from the dad's point of view! He kept everyone engaged and entertained the entire evening. Kim was our fourth speaker this year and by far the most praised. I have had so many people thank me for bringing him in and tell me how great he was. Members who have come to these meetings for years expressed that he was the best speaker they had ever heard. I know he will be on our list for future speakers. I would wholeheartedly recommend Kim Ratz. -- Sheryl O'Connell, 1st VIce President, Minnesota Valley Mothers of Multiples, (Lakeville & Farmington) SCHOOL TEACHERS & ADMINISTRATORSI have been asked several times about who I would recommend as an inspirational speaker to kick off a fall event for schools. Kim Ratz immediately comes to mind. I used Kim at the OACOA Conference in 1999 and he was very well received. He customizes his programs to meet his clients needs, his program is professionally delivered and full of energy, and his ideas and information are relevant to educators and immediately useful. But the most obvious feature he offers a meeting planner is his wonderful music - it truly inspires the listener and energizes the message. -- Bill Beck, Confederation of Oregon School Administrators It was my distinct pleasure to work closely with Kim Ratz in his role as facilitator of our Community Education Continuous Review Process during the 2006-07 school year. Because of his strong skills and varied background, he was able to lead an outstanding process that brought multiple partners, each with a prior history of going different directions, into a unified, visionary workgroup, and all of this was accomplished within an unrealistically limited amount of time. Kim's abilities to organize, establish ground rules, and hold people accountable, were instrumental skills in the success of this process. In addition, Kim has exceptional listening, verbal, and written communications skills, all of which promoted total buy-in from Community Education staff, school board and advisory council members, and district administrators. Kim clearly delivered for our district, giving us more than our money's worth, with an exceptional end product that will make our Community Education department move from "good to great." I will be forever grateful for his work and will always consider him both a professional colleague and a personal friend. - Dr. Thomas M. Westerhaus, Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools Superintendent, and Minnesota Association of School Administrators President Your presentation had even the usually cynical people looking at the world more positively. Thanks! - Teacher, Transition Plus Dept. Minneapolis Public Schools This was the second opportunity I had to engage the services of Kim Ratz - "The Speaker who Sings." Just as the first time we worked together, we again had a very positive experience. Kim is always willing to meld and mold his material to accommodate our ideas and intensions. The title we chose for this presentation was "Playing Nice in the Sandbox" and message for us was very timely, as our School Division is experiencing growth and with that, additional staff and other work environment changes. Accepting change and working with new peers can be challenging and we needed a little pep talk on how to cope and deal with these challenges. The message was well presented and understood. "The speaker presented the message well. The points were all there, I can see where they can be applied to my job but also to my personal life. Very good." This was repeated many times as I surveyed the attendees. What I appreciated about KimÕs presentation was that he made the effort to know to whom he was speaking and incorporating that into the presentation. We had two different groups during the day, bus drivers and custodians, from two School Divisions, which he spoke to separately. Kim used the division(s) and group names properly and correctly throughout his presentation(s). Every speaker needs a niche in my opinion. Kim sings and plays the guitar and incorporates this into his presentation. This is a good way to keep the groups attention and adds variety. Every one likes music. We have had a very positive reaction from our staff(s) with many thank yous and requests to bring Kim back at some point. Some also suggested we should have video taped the session so they could replay it some time. We can only hope they take the message to heart and use it to better themselves as employees and to treat each other better as peers. We can attempt to give them the tools. How they use the tools is still up to them. Overall, the reaction was one of satisfaction. Kim does a great job with the flow of his presentation and in the manner in which he presents it. Kim is very familiar with and has worked within School Division/District Politics, Policy, Structure and Infrastructure, which gives him credibility. We will bring Kim back again sometime and we have and continue to recommend Kim to our peers, colleagues and educational partners. - Ken Bergen, Supervisor of Operations, Garden Valley School Division We sure appreciated and enjoyed your presentation today, and we've already received many positive comments from staff too. We also appreciate the time and effort you put into creating a presentation that our staff knew was meant for them. You made time to meet with us in the summer to discuss our plans for the overall event so you could better determine what you could do to help most ... You conveyed an understanding and appreciation for, and the value of, the work our staff do and the difference we make to our learners ... You provided relevant and timely reminders of skills, attitudes and choices we can use when we deal with the many challenges we face with our students, and in today's schools ... Your stories and songs were fun and engaging ... And the song you wrote just for us was awesome! What a fun and effective way to start your program - you really got and held their attention! Every program, service and facet of our department was included in your lyrics - you really made every employee feel needed, important and valued -- exactly what we asked you to do, and what we hoped for. Thanks for helping us put the "Spotlight on Student Services." - Ann Kern, Student Support Services, Osseo, MN School District We had the opportunity to have Kim perform in our district at our opening day of school celebration. What a positive way to start the school year! The feedback from staff was unanimously enthusiastic. One teacher told me "this was exactly what we needed!" Kim took time to really listen to our needs, priorities, and goals and integrate them into a personalized performance for us. His message was inspiring and entertaining, but never preachy. I highly recommend him to any school district. - Dr. Beverly A. Martin, Assistant Superintendent, Exeter Township School District, Reading, PA There is always a concern that having someone speak might be good for motivation, but what about lasting change and improvement? Kim provides follow-up to help assure that there are concrete and specific improvements. As a result of his eight presentations on topics including Customer Service, team Building and Leadership, we have instituted helpful initiatives. We continue to build on ideas introduced and nurtured by Kim. -- Diana Kasper, Director of Admin. Services, School District 112, Chaska, MN It is with pleasure that I recommend Kim Ratz as a prospective presenter. I had an opportunity to see Kim present a couple of programs and was so impressed that we contracted with him to come to our district. He was an excellent choice as we had nothing but raving, positive comments from our employee groups involved in his programs. Kim's programs and his personal touch provided us with outstanding inservices for our employees. If you're looking for a quality presenter, Kim Ratz is the one! -- Galen Munn, Dir of Elementary Curriculum, Klamath Falls (OR) City Schools I loved the songs. What an amazing talent - it clearly is an asset no other trainer I know has. You have a unique ability to put your message into music, which people really enjoyed. Everyone was engaged - students and adults alike. I knew people were very pleased when they inquired about having you do the workshop at their businesses. Your message is important, you deliver it well, and your special gift of music is an entertaining and effective technique to get your point across. -- Karen Davidman, Volunteer Coordinator, St. Louis Park (MN) School District You help us recognize the power of "self-talk" as a tool for success. Your songs helped get your points across and also proved to be motivational as well as entertaining. The evaluations indicated that your programs were well received by all. I would highly recommend you as a speaker for any group. You were very pleasant to work with and very concerned about our needs. -- Sue Gorecki, Title I and Family Involvement Conference Coord, Southwest/West Central Service Cooperative (MN) SCHOOL AGE CAREOur school age staff has had two opportunities this fall to hear Kim present. The first opportunity was at a back to school workshop. Kim presented his "Three Tunes and Three Tips for Thrivers" workshop. It was fun, motivating and very useful. It's been two months since that presentation and I still hear people referring to "thrivers and get-byers, stages of development and "WIIFM." Staff said it was the best back to school workshop we have ever had. Just last week staff had another opportunity to hear Kim present his "Playing Nice in the Sandbox" workshop. Many went just to hear "Mr. Guitar Man", as he is referred to. Kim is not only familiar with School Age Care, he is passionate about it. His passion comes through in his presentations and staff can't help but feel good about the important, challenging work they do. We look forward to having him present in the future. -- Pat Riebau, Coordinator of Extended Day, White Bear Lake Area Schools Kim Ratz provided us with a wonderful way to kick the year off. He was entertaining and motivating! His stories and songs impart a lighthearted approach while still ensuring some very serious "thinking" is going on. He tailors himself well to the after-school arena and helped make our entire orientation for 300 employees (college students to "veterans") a rousing success! -- Becky Stoughton/ Director, Community Education - North East ISD - San Antonio, TX Kim Ratz was very entertaining and delivered a different style keynote presentation that got peoples' attention. Kim provided many individuals the opportunity to reflect on what we need to do to stay fresh in the profession and how to more involved in the work we do. His stories he shared were memorable! Kim's unique keynote presentation focused well on conference participants needs, and the material was very relevant. -- Ellen Stephen, CO Assoc for Quality School Age Programs SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATIONSOn behalf of the members, board and staff of the Association of Alaska School Boards, I would like to thank you for an outstanding message and performance at our annual conference in Anchorage. Few speakers give the time or energy you offered this program. You rallied our members to the theme of "Making Children Alaska's Top Priority" through your songs and stories. We appreciate your efforts to help us make children Alaska's top priority. -- Joseph Reeves, Assoc of Alaska School Boards Our Association invited Kim Ratz to deliver the plenary session on community education to 200 School Board Members at our 2004 annual conference. Kim engaged participants through story, song, small group activities, interaction with the audience and time for personal reflection, with familiar ideas presented by way of an entertaining and encouraging delivery. Kim's presentation invited each participant to focus on what they could do to make a difference, and helped set the tone for a positive conference. Because of his rich, 30 year background in education, including service as a School Board member, Community Education Director, State Dept of Education Facilitator and now trainer, I recommend Kim Ratz as a presenter with experience and credibility in community involvement and partnership strategies, and also as a school board member. -- Barry Bashutski Assoc. Exec Director, Education Services, Saskatchewan School Boards Association SCHOOL BUSINESS OFFICIALSWe assigned Kim to do a triple header. He did a keynote address, led us in a sing along around the bonfire at our cook out and finished by doing two break out sessions. He responded by hitting a home run in each activity. Kim customized his presentations to focus on our conference theme. We know he that he played a major role in having so many comments that this was undoubtedly WASBO's best Fall Conference. -- Don Mrdjenovich, Exec. Dir., WI Assoc of School Business Officials Kim Ratz spoke at the New Brunswick Association of School Business Officials conference in June 2005. Kim's address was upbeat, insightful, entertaining and informative. Prior to our conference, Kim and I had several conversations about our organization and what our goals are. This resulted in Kim delivering a message that was very much in tune with what was on the mind of our delegates. Feedback from the our members was positive in several ways - there was a lot of audience participation, abundant laughter and noticeable head nodding ! At the conclusion of our conference, "Feedback Forms" confirmed our initial feelings about Kim Ratz's presentation - people were enlightened, energized, and entertained. Therefore, it is with great pleasure that I recommend Kim Ratz as a speaker at your conference or seminar. -- Chris Toole, President, NBASBO I understand you are looking at the possibility of getting Kim Ratz for your conference. We had him as our opening keynote speaker last June at our annual conference and the members loved him. His message fit the group, and his willingness to work, visit and intermingle with the group throughout the conference was outstanding and much appreciated. He graciously offered to do workshops for me too. I took him up on it and his workshops were just as good. I was a little concerned about the music part of the presentation, and believe me it enhanced what he does tremendously. He even wrote a song especially for the group that centered around our conference theme. I highly recommend him, and if he is willing, will be bringing him back to Montana in the future. I know I have members that will attend just to hear his message again. -- Lynda Brannon, Executive Director, Mt Assoc of School Business Officials and Indian Impact Schools of MT SCHOOL HEALTH GROUPSKim: A great big thank you for all that you did at the 2004 GASN Conference in Savannah July 22-24. Your presentations, songs and engaging with the participants were exactly what we were looking for. You were a spark at the reception, the luncheon performances were great, and your breakout and closing sessions were right on target. As a meeting planner I enjoyed working with you. You made it so easy for me over the last hectic 6 months leading up to the conference. When on site you were very flexible and adjusted to any changes we requested of you. Without a doubt you "connected" very well with the school nurses at the conference. Please use me as a reference as you work with other groups. Best Regards -- Rich Brown, Conference Planner, GA Assoc of School Nurses, rbrown3919@aol.com Here are some of the comments from those who attended your presentation:
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT GROUPSHere are some of my feelings on your presentation. First, your questions and ideas throughout the process of months of preparation really helped me pull each part of the day together and to help the youth make meaningful transitions. Focusing on goals and ideas youth have and then getting them to take the next steps really came out of things you asked me or ideas you had way back in November. You just didn't come in, do your song and dance and leave again. You made sure that your presentation fit the whole theme and you did that in a variety of ways from your songs to your sectional focus to the keynote to the thank you song. (I loved the thank you song.) You were very conscious of the youth's feelings and needs. They really appreciated that. Adults donÕt do that for them in this day and age. Your keynote was easy to follow and had good advice that everyone could use and take something away from it for their lives. Thank you for all your hard work. Safe travels and happy singing. -- Christine H. Kleiman, CESA 7, Alcohol, Tobacco Other Drugs Prevention Facilitator, Green Bay, WI (Organizer of Teen Conference) We asked Kim to help us present and entertaining and motivational message to a group of our volunteers and the youth in which they work with. He instantly and enthusiastically accepted our offer and worked hard to learn as much as he could about our program to present a personal presentation and song to our group. This presentation was the perfect touch to our event; entertaining all and providing an inspirational message. And the personalized song was the perfect touch. It made the guests feel importantÉthey had a song written just for them! In addition, Kim was present for our whole banquet including our social where he conversed with guests. We were glad that we selected Kim Ratz for these very reasons. Both the adult and youth attendees "had so much fun" and thought Kim was "so entertaining" that it made us feel like we had the best event yet. I would definitely recommend Kim Ratz to speak to other organizations as he puts an enormous amount of effort into his preparation resulting in a high quality and exceedingly personalized presentation. -- Teresa Small, Coordinator, Winona County Youth Restorative Justice Program COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERSHIPSKim, here are some quotes from staff: On the rating scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the best we had: 5 = 37, 4 = 26, 3 = 5, 2 = 0, 1 = 0 Kim's workshop with our staff was exceptional and received the highest ratings from our staff. His presentation was done in a way that got information across in a manner that staff could understand and remember and was done with a great sense of humor and in a manner that was respectful, enjoyable and memorable. At the end the staff not only heard the messages Kim was presenting, but it resonated with them. It was a great day for all of us. Thanks Kim for a wonderful day. - Mike Fieldman, Exec Director, Umpqua Community Action Network, Roseburg, OR We were looking for someone with energy and creativity to help bring a new feel to our National Convention and Rally. Kim delivered more than we could have expected! I was inspired and motivated by his commitment and work with us. -- Derrick Len Span, (former) National President, Community Action Partnership Kim was a joy to work with! He provides clear and easy-to-understand information about his needs, and he has a great knack for understanding your needs and adapting to meet them. He's a true professional with patience, energy, and inspiration to spare. I would not hesitate to work with him again and again. -- Brian Peterkin-Vertanesian, Vice President for Programs & Grants Management, Community Action Partnership Lakes and Pines Community Action Council celebrated its 42nd Annual Board of Directors Meeting with the theme of "Cornerstones of Community Partnerships." As the keynote speaker, Kim Ratz delivered a very supportive and uplifting message. Our event was successful because of the part that Kim played. Kim wrote a song for our Meeting specifically delivering the message of the importance of community partnerships and their vital role in community action. It was very evident in his presentation that he is an enthusiastic supporter of community action. Kim is a dynamic and creative individual, with a great positive attitude. We were pleased to have him be a part of our event and received positive comments from those attending. Great job Kim!! I hope you can share your talents and enthusiasm of community action throughout all the CAP network! -- Leona Dressel, Lakes and Pines CAC, Inc I recommend Kim Ratz as a trainer for Community Action Agencies and regional conferences. He is willing to work with the conference planners to ensure a successful conference, and willing to step in to help when speakers don't show up or to write a catchy song based on your conference theme. He brings a fresh voice and a positive perspective to all he does. These reviews from his workshop speak to his value; From "Playing Nice in the Sandbox:"
Kim: Thanks for your outstanding roles and contributions at our 2004 Region 8 & 10 Community Action Association Conference! You did indeed share a unique "package" of services - I couldn't have been more delighted with how well they were all received by our participants. In addition to sharing the half-day, pre-conference workshop on "Teamwork," you were also well received and highly rated in the three workshops you presented ("How to Thrive in a Radically Changing World," "Customer Service - it isn't JUST for the Customer," and "Rx for Members of Boards, Councils and Committees"). But what really was unique and special about your involvement was the music. From the beginning, I was intrigued with how you said you would use your music in every presentation and I liked the idea of you writing a song to help us celebrate our 40th anniversary of Community Action. But I must admit that I was skeptical when you suggested doing a brainstorm session with our committee to, as you said, "go mining for peoples' ideas and dreams concerning Community Action Agencies - the raw material that would be used in the song lyrics." I couldn't imagine what you would come up with. We did the brain storming session via audio-conference between states, you listened very carefully, and we couldn't have been more pleasantly surprised. Not only did we see our own words and thoughts come back to us, but the lyrics created a beautiful message about the mission of our organization - our legacy. Not stopping there, you proceeded to act on your trust and skill with people and music and involved many of our members in performing the song at our opening event, which was also the celebration of the 40th anniversary of Community Action. You had all of, what -15-20 minutes in person with this group to prepare?! But it was all the things you said it would be - inspiring, sincere, specific to our organization and it's history, and promoting participation from creation to vocalization. People loved it. And I'm so delighted that it was also well received at the national level and that you have been invited to share your skills at the 2004 national conference. Thanks again, Kim. I hope you get to share your skills and ideas with a lot more folks in our organization from coast to coast. If they have their doubts, tell them to call me! -- Myla Dutton, Exec Dir, Provo, UT CAA & Conf Coord. Kim's music was great! He was an excellent keynote speaker. His message was just what I needed to "jump start" my attitude, Kim's message refreshed me. Great presentation. Like having a motivational person speak at the All-Staff, especially the experiences he brought. Kim's presentation was a really good contrast with an important message and enjoyable music, very inspiring! Cool songs and great advice. The music; it was great to have someone familiar with community action. Great encouragement. Very talented and great way to get points across. Great message, great speaker, entertaining; you remind me of the folk singers who sang songs with a real message.Ó I very much agree with all of the above remarks and look forward to working with you again. I am happy to hear you are working with other CAP's. Thanks again. - Joan A. Macik, Human Resources Director, Heartland (MN) Community Action Agency, Inc. Thanks for your recent "Teamwork" presentation at our All-Staff meeting. It was very uplifting, to the point, and will be immediately useful! We enjoyed the music, especially the music geared towards community action. It was good to have a presenter that understands what community action does to help the low-income families. Some comments I heard a lot were: Some great ideas I plan to use; I'll remember to work harder at staff recognition; nice touch with the music; made us "feel good" about working for community action. -- Lucille Moe, Executive Director, Bi-CAP INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATIONThe Pacific Association for Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (PACRAO) engaged Kim Ratz as our Opening Night speaker for the annual conference held in Victoria, B.C. Canada on November 3-6, 2002. Kim's positive message of personal affirmation and practical advice to all regarding attitude, use of personal "filters," and understanding how and why we make some of our life choices was a perfect beginning to our conference. As President for that conference, I was hoping to set a very positive, inclusive, light-hearted, but thoughtful tone, one of examining new perspectives, to our three-day conference. Kim was absolutely key for that happening. He added music, stories, and quotes to illustrate his key points and helped us to remember them through song and humor! He also wrote his presentation in tune with our conference them; he did NOT speak from a canned series and it showed. He not only connected with the audience, but he participated in the conference and connected with our members on an individual level. Throughout the conference and since that time, I heard many times that this was the best opening session we have had in years! We thoroughly enjoyed Kim and his presentation and wholeheartedly recommend him as a Keynote Speaker for any group that comes to mind! -- Dr. Sara L. "Sunny" Burns, Past President of PACRAO, Vice President for Learning and Student Success, Pierce College Fort Steilacoom, Lakewood, Washington PARKS & RECREATIONIt is with pleasure and confidence that I recommend Kim Ratz. His willingness to be involved throughout the conference, to help with entertainment at one of the special events and be flexible and fill in whenever needed was definitely above and beyond the call of duty for a conference speaker. The evaluations praised his presentation skills, the content of his programs and people loved the way he incorporated music into his programs. I highly recommend Kim as an enthusiastic, gifted speaker who will work hard on your behalf. -- Nancy Robb, Program Chair, Alaska Recreation & Parks Assoc When I first contacted Kim about the possibility of speaking to my front desk staff, I was grateful for his flexibility, his knowledge of our type of operation and his enthusiasm. Kim made preparing for the engagement so easy, by sending me hand-outs prior to, as well as a complete list of his needs. During his presentation, he did a wonderful job of involving the crowd and integrating an occasional song or two. I believe what Kim spoke about helped reassure my staff that what they are currently doing are good things, but also challenged them to think about how they can ramp up their customer service. It was very beneficial to have an outside professional come in and rally the troops! -- Heidi Sedlacek, Facility Operations Coordinator, City of Eagan OTHER MISCELLANEOUS TESTIMONIALS ...911 Dispatchers - I am writing this letter to thank you for the wonderful job you did at our recent North Central Regional APCO Conference. Your topic "Playing Nice in the Sandbox" was well received and dealt with a common problem experienced by most dispatch centers or P.S.A.P.s. Multiple personalities working in a high stress environment and keeping a harmonious work place is a common issue for our business. The feedback we received was all positive; some of the comments were:
Mr Ratz, Wow!! I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed your presentation at the Assoc of Public Safety Communications Officers (9-1-1) Conference. I was very much impressed that you visited TWO dispatch centers to see what really goes on and understand a little bit about how we work. You took that extra time to go that extra mile for us and really give an excellent presentation, because you understood us better. I wish you the very best in all you do and I hope to be able to attend one of your presentations or even have you at our Sheriff's Office. I am passing the info on to my supervisor. Thanks again for doing all you did for us that day. Respectfully, Linda Administrative Professionals - Each year our chapter is challenged to "top" the previous Secretaries Day Seminar. Your presentation exceeded our hopes and expectations. The evaluations completed by the participants indicated overwhelmingly that you also exceeded their hopes and expectations! -- Jean Tolzman, CPS, Mankato Chapter of IAAP (Int'l. Assoc of Administrative Professionals) Chamber of Commerce - I want to thank you for the beautiful performances you gave at the "Women of Achievement" Luncheon. You added a very special touch to these events and I know it meant a great deal to all of the finalists and recipients. -- Maureen Maher, Director of Programs, TwinWest Chamber of Commerce (Minneapolis) Health Care - The merger of two organizations into one created a great deal of stress for all employees. We needed to merge two very two distinct teams into one. Your help was invaluable. When we needed to be led through an exercise, you were clear and effective, and when we needed to surface special concerns or conflicts, you facilitated those discussions in a way that allowed everyone to participate safely. You seemed quite able to see the larger needs of the group and remain, at the same time, tuned into the personal and unique needs of individuals. Thank you for your expert and responsive help. -- Arthur LaPoint, VP of Human Resources, HealthSystem Minnesota Event Planner - I was amazed at the lyrics you created in the song you wrote for us, especially considering the fact that I only gave you vague ideas about our mission. Your talent of putting words to music far exceeded my expectations. Your singing "sings" for itself. Combined with your pleasant being, it was a truly memorable experience. I will definitely recommend you to clients. -- Bev Leckie, Sales Manager, Bayview Event Center, Excelsior, MN Conference Attendee - Hi Kim, Thanks for your e-mail--it was fun hearing from you and seeing you at the convention. I felt like I was talking to someone right out of an article titled "Local Boy Makes Good." Way to go, Kim! I was very impressed with your presentation and your commitment to family and principles. I will be listening to your music soon and know I will enjoy it as much as I did the "live" version in Juneau. Take care, and thanks again for the prizes! -- Debbie Tilsworth, Executive Vice President, Alaska Riverways, Inc., Fairbanks Hospital Manager - My staff enjoyed the time to be together and talk about how to meet the challenges of our work. It was very special that you were able to weave in stories that were nursing related. They knew you weren't a nurse but you at least had an understanding of the nursing world. You raised about a number of approaches that were very timely for some of the group to think about. I had several comments about the great way you told stories. You also have a great voice, too. Here is the email comment: I thought the day was great because we were off site first of all, which leads to a more relaxed atmosphere. Kim had an easy style that was easy to listen to. I am usually not much for the "fluffy" stuff , but I thought the interactions between all of us as a team was a good feeling. - Mary Anne Mbali, Director, Surgical Services, Allina Hospitals Hospital Manager - "Imaging the Possibilities" ... Kim Ratz - "The speaker who sings" visited the Radiology Departments of Fairview University Medical Center in April of this year. We had a number of major changes happening in the department, all of which were putting a big strain on much of the front line staff as well as the managers. The Customer Service Committee wanted to help with the transition and changes in some way. Bringing a speaker in to help acknowledge the stress and motivate people to monitor their reactions seemed to be the ticket, and Kim was just that speaker.
YMCA Director - Thank you so much for sharing your talent of motivation with us at our meeting. Your closing is what will be remembered most from the evening. Folks left uplifted and motivated! That is the whole purpose of the meeting. We are able to continue to move in the right direction for Y Partners and your song and energy are helping us get there. Thank You! -- Christa Getchell, YMCA of Metro Minneapolis Non-Profit CEO - Shortly after 8:00 am on Oct 12, you and more than 200 volunteers arrived at one of our low income housing properties, Yorkdale Townhomes, and began to transform a broken and dangerous playground into a safe and enjoyable place for the children to play. As the kids arrived home from school that day they raced to the playground. They loved it, and for years to come this playground will provide a safe haven for children to smile, play, have fun and be a kid. Your particular and unique role was a special contribution. When we heard what you offered to do (to help the kids write a song and present it at the dedication) we wondered what you might come up with, and if you could even do it at all. But the message you helped the children create and share that day was wonderful, and a special way indeed to involve the kids and thank the volunteers. Thank you so much for your special contributions to this very successful event. -- Joseph Errigo, Jr., President, CommonBond Communities (non-profit providing low income housing) National Education Tecnology Conference Organizer - Evaluations were just tabulated and we kept seeing comments like: "Great motivational speaker, we need this, one of the best keynote speakers I have ever heard. His insight is greatly appreciated." Attendees also enjoyed your two concurrent sessions. Everyone was very impressed and enjoyed your teaching style and content. Thanks again! -- Allison Underwood, Conference Manager, UNITE (Users Network for Information Technology in Education)Small Business Dev Center Director - What was great about your seminar is that your message can fit any audience. It's relevant for the work-place, but equally important for home. Everyone could identify with your message. The key to the success of the workshop was your presentation styles. There was just the right mix of lecture, role playing, group interaction, and real life stories to keep everyone engaged. The video and audio tapes, as well as KimÕs singing, made it truly a memorable event. -- Guy Faust, Director, Small Business Development Center, Oregon Coast Community College Senior Services Coordinator - Although a senior audience isn't the typical group Kim usually addresses, he accepted the challenge of developing a new program to fit our senior audience. His presentation, "The Gift of Many Years" was an uplifting combination of prose and song. Kim received a very high rating on evaluations, and I would highly recommend Kim to energize the audience at your upcoming seminar. -- Mary Eckhardt, Community Relations Coord, Immanuel St. Josephs Hospital, Mayo Health System (Mankato) |
