About Us 

Nick Synko, Principal Partner

Nick founded Synko Associates in 1991 to help organizations gain a competitive edge through the development of all levels of employees.  His extensive understanding of organizations and individuals allows him to fulfill numerous roles for Synko Associates’ clients, ranging from corporate strategy classroom programs to one-on-one career coaching.  Nick’s passion is connecting with organizations and people who are serious about rapid and continuous improvement.

His last corporate employment role was with Tenneco Automotive where he was responsible for Executive and Professional Development for a 15,000-employee $2B company.  In this capacity, he directed Tenneco’s internal management university.  Prior assignments across four Tenneco companies included the organizational design of green-field facilities/divisions, the leadership of mergers and acquisitions teams, leadership changeover management, executive recruiting and management of outplacement strategies.

Prior to joining Tenneco, he had progressive leadership roles at two RCA divisions and at Ford Motor Company. As the author of Future@Work, An Employee Survival Guide for the 21^st Century, he is also a popular speaker at high schools and colleges with his get-real, get-prepared now message. Nick has a BS in Business Economics, from Purdue University’s Krannert School of Business.

Cathy Synko, Partner

Cathy Synko, an integral part of our Career Transition coaching staff, is involved in classroom as well as one-on-one coaching.  In addition, she is the head of our business writing team and the editor of our internal and client publications.  She has co-written and edited numerous Synko published articles and training programs.

Prior to joining Synko Associates, Cathy was the editor and publisher of RCA’s Consumer Electronics’ in-house newsletters and magazine publications.  Earlier in her career, she was responsible for RCA’s leadership development center and organizational development activities.  Cathy has a BS in Clinical Psychology and minor in Business from Purdue University.

Beth Stoner, Senior Consultant

Beth Stoner brings to Synko Associates over twenty-five years of experience helping people and organizations to grow, change, and thrive.  She provides the means by which individuals, teams and organizations navigate change successfully. Beth is involved in all phases of client support, including classroom programs, facilitation of small groups and one-on-one coaching.

Beth holds a BS degree from Eastern Michigan University, with a major in English Language and Literature and a minor concentration in Marketing.  Her MA in Strategic Communication and Leadership is from Seton Hall University. Beth is an Examiner for the Michigan Quality Leadership Award (MQLA).

In addition to her work with Synko Associates, Beth directs Eastern Michigan University's online corporate training initiative, EMU WorldWide, which offers online training in Quality, Health and Safety and OSHA curriculums. Working with OSHA Education Centers nationwide and the OSHA Office of Training and Education, she initiated and championed the development, marketing and delivery of six OSHA courses, the first to be accepted by the National Training Institute as acceptable alternatives to traditional classroom delivery.

Anne Williams, Senior Consultant

Anne Williams is known for her strategic planning seminars, which integrate lean and continuous improvement concepts to corporations, educational institutions and nonprofit organizations.  Anne’s engineering and continuous improvement expertise helps our manufacturing and technically oriented clients sort through options and develop a strategy that sells in today’s worldwide highly competitive employment markets.  Beginning day one with initial strategy, Anne knows how to turn client questions and thoughts into a return on investment.

Her seven years with DaimlerChrysler as coordinator of the dimensional management programs for two vehicle programs resulted in on time, within budget delivery on both platforms.  According to Anne, “Meeting desired goals requires a plan with strategies, timelines, measurable outcomes, and action plans."

Anne is presently pursuing certification as a Six Sigma Black Belt through the American Society for Quality (ASQ).  She also brings experience as Director of Academics at the Center for Professional Studies and as adjunct faculty at Lawrence Technological University, Oakland Community College, and Wayne State University.  Anne received her M.S. in Industrial Technology and her B.S. in Biochemistry from Eastern Michigan University.  She is currently working on her Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership through the University of Phoenix.

Tom Arehart, Senior Consultant

In addition to being a career transition coach, Tom is a member of our corporate mergers and acquisition assimilation team.  His understanding of emerging engineering and technology units, new business incubators and multi-site manufacturing operations forms the basis of the value he provides our clients.   

Tom’s corporate focus is on guiding organizations through the variety of facilities and process changes that result from mergers and acquisitions.  Tom has a reputation for credibility, from the executive suite to the shop floor, allowing him to offer workable solutions and implementation plans that integrate people, processes and facilities.

His twenty-year corporate career at Eaton Corporation and Tenneco Automotive included an evolving variety of business development, facilities management, operational support, financial analysis and auditing roles. Tom has MBA and BS Business Administration degrees from Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Missouri.