Smeal Associate Dean Included In 90 World-Class Trainers

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA (December 7, 2006) – A new book in which 90 corporate-training experts share their most creative ways to engage groups in collaborative learning activities features an activity contributed by a Smeal College of Business administrator.

An icebreaker activity that Patrick Cataldo, associate dean for executive education, uses in Penn State Executive Programs courses is published in the "Icebreakers and Energizers" chapter of 90 World-Class Activities by 90 World-Class Trainers, edited by Elaine Biech.

The book is published jointly by Wiley and the American Society for Training and Development and features activities by other renowned training experts, including Chip Bell, Richard Chang, Donald Kirkpatrick, Elliott Masie, Patricia McLagan, Bob Pike, Dana Gaines Robinson, and James Robinson.

Cataldo's icebreaker, entitled "Little-Known Fact," is a technique that allows corporate educators to standardize introductions while encouraging their groups to begin to bond. When participants introduce themselves to each other, they are also asked to share a little-known fact about themselves.

"This introduction method changes the routine of just giving their name, company, title, and responsibilities and creates a different group dynamic," according to Cataldo.

At Smeal, Cataldo is responsible for the design, development, and delivery of executive education programs supporting the needs of clients around the world through Penn State Executive Programs, the executive education division of Smeal. He is the author of numerous articles and book chapters on corporate training and development.

Penn State Executive Programs has been serving the development needs of the world's leading corporations since 1954, providing both open-enrollment and custom programs. Nearly 36,000 executives from 43 different nations have participated in programs on topics ranging from strategic leadership to supply chain management. For more information, visit www.smeal.psu.edu/execed.

Biech, author or editor of more than three dozen books, is the president of ebb associates, inc., an organizational development firm that helps organizations work through large-scale change. She has been in the corporate training and consulting field for 26 years.

More information on 90 World-Class Activities by 90 World-Class Trainers is available at www.wiley.com.