Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: Answering Why: Unleashing Passion, Purpose, and Performance in Younger Generations
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: https://www.markcperna.com/about/
CITY: Cleveland
STATE: OH
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Children: two.
EDUCATION:John Carroll University, B.A., 1984.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Entrepreneur, consultant, and writer. TFS (formerly Tools for Schools), Cleveland, OH, founder, CEO, 2000—.
AVOCATIONS:“Inspirational movies, theater, travel, golf, wine, and time with his family.”
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Mark C. Perna is a writer, consultant, and entrepreneur based in Twinsburg, Ohio. He holds a bachelor’s degree from John Carroll University. In 2000, he founded the consulting company, Tools for Schools. Perna serves as the CEO of the company, which is now known as TFS. The company’s focus is consulting with employers and educators on dealing with students or employees from Generations Y and Z. Perna has also appeared as a public speaker at venues, including Harvard University.
In 2018, Perna released his first book, Answering Why: Unleashing Passion, Purpose, and Performance in Younger Generations. He begins the volume by describing a problem the American economy was facing around the time of the book’s publication. Employers were having difficulties finding people to filled skilled positions. Also, young people, specifically members of Generations Y and Z, were extending their college careers because they could not decide which career to pursue. Perna shares statistics related to how many jobs require technical training versus how many require bachelor’s degrees or higher degrees. He notes that there are seven times as many jobs that only require technical training as there are jobs that require a degree higher than a bachelor’s. Perna suggests that many members of Generations Y and Z do not understand why one should work. He bases the book’s title on this issue. Perna argues that, in order to help these young people understand the “why” in employment, schools must educate kids about the various paths they can take after they graduate high school. He offers an exercise called the Career Tree, through which one can map out the experiences needed to be successful in a particular industry.
A Publishers Weekly reviewer suggested that the concept of the book was valid, but its length was unnecessary. The reviewer noted that it offered “a perceptive if padded discussion.” After listing the various statements Perna makes in the book, the reviewer concluded: “Reasonable and thought-provoking arguments all, but a long-form article would have served the same purpose.” A critic on the Bob on Books website offered a more favorable assessment of Answering Why. The critic noted that the concepts in the book made him “pretty excited.” The critic remarked: “It just makes sense that one of the most critical pieces of education is career education.” The same critic added: “Whether or not schools and employers use Perna’s training and materials (which I thought quite clear), his challenges and insights ought to be front-burner material for everyone concerned—most of all students and parents.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Publishers Weekly, April 30, 2018, review of Answering Why: Unleashing Passion, Purpose, and Performance in Younger Generations, p. 48.
ONLINE
Bob on Books, https://bobonbooks.com/ (September 5, 2018), review of Answering Why.
Mark C. Perna website, https://www.markcperna.com/ (September 8, 2018).
About Mark C. Perna
Mark C. PernaMark C. Perna is the founder and CEO of TFS in Cleveland, Ohio, a full-service strategic consulting firm whose mission is to share and support every client’s passion for making a difference. Mark, a graduate of John Carroll University, has many years of experience addressing industry leaders on the topic of expanding their reach in an increasingly global marketplace. As an international expert on Generations Y and Z, Mark has devoted his career to empowering educators and employers to unleash the tremendous potential of today’s young people, both in the classroom and on the job.
After successfully parenting two Millennials as a single father, Mark has become a passionate advocate for bridging the generational divides that are contributing to America’s profound skills gap. Parents, schools, districts, businesses, and state organizations across North America have successfully used Mark’s insights and strategies to connect more effectively with the younger generations. In his work with educational and business organizations, Mark has pioneered many best practices for achieving more with today’s young people, including the TFS Education with Purpose® philosophy and highly popular Career Tree® strategy, among others. Mark is frequently cited as the national expert in education enrollment, retention, and performance.
A dynamic and motivational public speaker, Mark frequently delivers keynote speeches at national and statewide events and spoke at Harvard University by special invitation. His genuine personality and warm sense of humor make him a fun and memorable communicator that people connect with immediately. He regularly addresses both small groups and massive crowds in his capacity as a generational and performance expert, reaching thousands of educators, parents, employers, and young people each year with his powerful message of change and empowerment.
At TFS, Mark heads an energetic team of talented professionals who share his vision of making a bigger difference in education and workforce development. TFS partners with schools, districts, businesses, and state organizations of all sizes to help them experience significant gains in enrollment, engagement, retention, and performance rates.
Answering Why: Unleashing Passion, Purpose, and Performance in Younger GenerationsMark has published numerous articles in national publications as a recognized voice in student engagement and success. His first book, Answering Why: Unleashing Passion, Purpose, and Performance in Younger Generations, was written to help educators, employers, and parents understand Generations Y and Z and inspire them to greater performance in all areas of life.
Mark enjoys inspirational movies, theater, travel, golf, wine, and time with his family—especially the latest Pernas, granddaughters Ellie and Lou Lou. He resides in Cleveland, Ohio.
About TFS
TFS ResultsTFS is a full-service strategic consulting and communications firm in Cleveland, Ohio, that empowers each client to create powerful connections with today’s younger generations. For more than 20 years, founder, author, and CEO Mark C. Perna has led the energetic and talented TFS team who share his vision of making a bigger difference.
Completely dedicated to workforce development and education, the TFS team is passionate about partnering with schools, districts, businesses, and state organizations of all sizes to help them experience significant gains in enrollment, retention, and performance rates. The company’s clients nationwide include Associated Builders and Contractors, Salem-Keizer Public Schools, Northwest Independent School District, and many others. Through innovative products like the TFS Career Tree®, the EnrollTrack® Online Enrollment System, and more, the company delivers the strategic tools to advance purpose-driven education and support educators’ efforts to engage more of the right students, in the right programs, for the right reasons.
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Mark C. Perna is the founder and CEO of TFS, a full-service strategic communications and consulting firm whose mission is to share and support every client’s passion for making a difference. As a noted generational expert and author, Mark has devoted his career to empowering educators to unleash the tremendous potential of today’s young people. He frequently delivers keynote speeches at national and statewide events and recently spoke at Harvard University by special invitation. At TFS, Mark’s team of talented professionals share his vision of helping organizations of all sizes experience significant gains in recruitment, engagement, retention, and performance.
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Experience
Tools for Schools
Owner
Company Name Tools for Schools
Dates Employed Sep 2000 – Present Employment Duration 18 yrs
Tools for Schools is a full-service education marketing and consulting firm working with schools, districts, and statewide organizations of all sizes in the pursuit of maximized enrollment, retention, and community awareness.
Education
John Carroll University
John Carroll University
Degree Name BA
Field Of Study Business & Communications
Dates attended or expected graduation 1980 – 1984
Activities and Societies: Marketing (Founded Nebula Productions, a successful independent company delivering marketing and broadcast services;Theater (Director, Actor, Special Effects & Lighting Design); Broadcasting (Radio: On Air Talent and Live Radio Dramas - TV: Director, Writer, and Talent)
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Recommendations
Received (8)
Given (6)
Billie Smith
Billie Smith
Community Relations and Social Media Specialist at Metro Technology Centers
May 24, 2016, Billie was a client of Mark’s
Mark Perna has transformed the way we view and interact with students. His methods have delivered exactly what he promised when we started, and our numbers and relationships continue to grow due to implementation of his practices. Mark is an inspiring speaker that engages any audience, and every time he leaves we are motivated to move mountains. Thank you Mark!
Sarah Hover, M.A., PHR
Sarah Hover, M.A., PHR
Sr. Lead Advisor, Talent Relations at Chick-fil-A Corporate
April 7, 2014, Sarah was a client of Mark’s
Mark has the aptitiude for understanding clients and the emerging trends within education, which makes him stand out. He immediately engaged our College's work team and customized his tools to meet our unique needs. Over the past year, Mark has guided our team in creating innovative marketing strategies that will help us attract and retain the right students, in the right programs, for the right reasons. I wholeheartedly recommend Mark to any education organization needing help with recruiting and retaining students within Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs.
Robert Sommers
Robert Sommers
Co-Founder at CF Educational Solutions
February 15, 2010, Robert was a client of Mark’s
Mark is a professional, focused marketing and public relations person. He is personable and provides exceptional quality in every project he undertakes. He is especially knowledgable of the new generation of potential clients. Quality work, on time, at a reasonable price...what you get from Mark and his team every time.
Barbara Nicol
Barbara Nicol
Retired Director, Adult Workforce Development
December 18, 2009, Mark worked with Barbara in the same group
Energy, enthusiasm, creativity and a thorough knowledge of "what works" to assist organizations with complete marketing and promotional tools to improve their business options! Mark listens and responds to his customers, stays conneced each step of the way and tracks results. He is a total joy to work with. I would (and have) highly recommend Mark and his company "Tools for Schools"!
Sonja Pluck
Sonja Pluck
Director at Madison Adult Career Center/Madison Local School District
August 9, 2009, Sonja was a client of Mark’s
Mark is very personable and easy to work with. He listens to what the customer wants, works very hard to accommodate and does it within the customer's budget. Tools for Schools helped us to improve our image as we have received nothing but positive feedback and results ever since we made the switch. We are extremely pleased with the service we receive from Mark and his staff. They are great!
Eddie Coleman
Eddie Coleman
Superintendent at Kiamichi Technology Centers
August 4, 2009, Eddie was a client of Mark’s
Mark has guided the Kiamichi Technology Centers recruiting and retention process from a stagnant " hope they come" attitude to a highly motivated process that yields results. After working with a diverse committee from every strata of KTC employees for the last several months he increased our enrollment by nearly 400 students. More importantly he has shifted our entire staff into a highly energized group that is willing to do whatever it takes to make KTC a viable option for any potential student. Mark's leadership involving group dynamics is exceptional. I highly recommend Mark Perna both professionally and personally to any organization.
Lynn Moomaw
Lynn Moomaw
Director of Operations and Adult Education at Wayne County Schools Career Center
August 4, 2009, Lynn was a client of Mark’s
We have worked with Mark Perna and Tools for Schools and have thoroughly enjoyed the comprehensive process while collaborating to develop plans for significantly strengthening our student enrollment, retention, and long-term graduation rates.
This process really works. By collaborating with Mark Perna, we strengthened our student enrollment and retention plans for both high school and adult education with activities, events, marketing strategies, organization and program copy points, and the development of a unified approach to building solid long-term relationships both inside and outside the classroom.
As an added benefit, we became more effective as a district with adult and high school education working together towards a common goal. This process, with Mark’s partnership, has become the rallying point for our entire organization which has created a new level of excitement and appreciation for how we deliver what we do.
Lastly, Tools for Schools has also become a great partner for developing the tools and marketing pieces we need to get our message out effectively with the proper impact and consistent messaging needed to achieve our goals and objectives. The Tools for School’s team is talented and truly understands our needs… they have made our job much easier while increasing our image in a cost efficient way.
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QUOTED: "a perceptive if padded discussion."
"Reasonable and thought-provoking arguments all, but a long-form article would have served the same purpose."
Answering Why: Unleashing Passion,
Purpose, and Performance in
Younger Generations
Publishers Weekly.
265.18 (Apr. 30, 2018): p48. From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2018 PWxyz, LLC http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Answering Why: Unleashing Passion, Purpose, and Performance in Younger Generations Mark C. Perna. Greenleaf, $24.95 (224p)
ISBN 978-1-62634-511-9
A perceptive if padded discussion of the "skills gap"--between the good jobs, which need young employees, and the young employees who need good jobs--arrives from Perna, CEO of the consulting firm TFS. He finds the U.S. economy at a tipping point, or "branch creak moment," the moment when one is way out on a limb and hears it start to break. According to Perna, there are around six million jobs open in the U.S., but nobody prepared to take them. These are middle--to high-skilled jobs that pay a living wage, but garner little respect, such as precision machinist and automotive technician. So how can these jobs be connected with the "why generation," young people who question why things are done the way they are and want a sense of purpose from their jobs? Perna's plan includes overcoming generational rifts, such as between the baby boomers' "live to work creed" and younger generations' greater concern with "meaningful lifestyle experiences," and emphasizing employment-geared "education with purpose," rather than education for education's sake. Reasonable and thought-provoking arguments all, but a long-form article would have served the same purpose; readers are likely to find this full length treatise a stretch. (Sept.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Answering Why: Unleashing Passion, Purpose, and Performance in Younger Generations."
Publishers Weekly, 30 Apr. 2018, p. 48. Book Review Index Plus, http://link.galegroup.com
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http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MA...
/apps/doc/A537852278/GPS?u=schlager&sid=GPS&xid=eb273f6d. Accessed 12 Aug. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A537852278
2 of 2 8/12/18, 10:19 PM
QUOTED: "pretty excited."
"It just makes sense that one of the most critical pieces of education is career education."
"Whether or not schools and employers use Perna’s training and materials (which I thought quite clear), his challenges and insights ought to be front-burner material for everyone concerned–most of all students and parents."
Summary: Argues that behind the skills gap between unfilled jobs and Why Generation job-seekers is an awareness gap about possible careers that fails to answer the “why” question.
Mark Perna thinks we are at a “branch creak” moment, where employers struggle to find people with requisite skills to fill critical positions while Generation Y and Z youth often have no clear idea of what they want to pursue as a career and end up racking huge college debts. One of the problems he observes across industries is the 1:2:7 ratio in which there is one job requiring a masters degree or higher to two requiring a bachelor’s degree and seven that require technical training and certification that may be completed in a year or two, often through internships, apprenticeships, or while working in entry level roles.
As the title suggests, the critical failure Perna sees is one of failing to answer “why” work, and why the requisite courses and other preparation is necessary. He argues that this generation needs to “see the Light at the End of the Tunnel” and if they do, and it connects to things they care about, they will work hard to pursue their goal.
What this translates into is career education that begins as early as middle school that helps students become aware of different careers, as well as alternatives to college, which Perna believes is often presented as the only path to career “success.” In Perna’s work with school systems and employers, he overcomes the awareness gap through the use of the Career Tree. It has three levels for each career field: entry-level careers, technical careers accessed via associate degrees, certification, or experience, and professional careers most often accessed via a bachelor’s or other specialized training. Students often research these trees, including the “roots” of academics, experiences, professional skills and passions that position them to reach their own “leaf”–the career they find attractive. In the process, they come to their own answers to the why question, and what it takes to pursue their passion.
Employers can do this as well, mapping the Career Tree in their business or industry which Perna believes creates Employment with Passion, a planning culture that offers young employees a better understanding of the opportunities for growth in an organization and how to pursue them.
I found myself getting pretty excited as I read this book. I have watched too many college students incur debt, and graduate students pursue rabbit holes, because they lacked clear ideas of what they cared about, what a job doing what they cared about looked like, and what the best way to pursue that job was. Too often, they were doing “the next thing” encouraged by parents and the colleges themselves. I’m also keenly aware of the scramble to find qualified workers in many skilled positions. It just makes sense that one of the most critical pieces of education is career education–youth just do not come by this instinctively, any more than they do calculus.
Whether or not schools and employers use Perna’s training and materials (which I thought quite clear), his challenges and insights ought to be front-burner material for everyone concerned–most of all students and parents. The branch is creaking.
____________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.