Partners
Samuel B. Frank, Principal, founded Synthesis Partnership in 1995 to bring the values and insights of academia together with the tools of the corporate world, and focus them on the analysis, planning, and implementation needs of non-profit organizations. From 1992 to 1994 he was Director of Architecture and Design at Corning Incorporated, with responsibility for architecture, graphic design and exhibit design, and entrepreneurial product development. From 1988 to 1992 he served as Dean of Architecture and Design at Rhode Island School of Design, where he had taught since 1981. In addition to professional experience in management and planning (strategic, business, and physical), Mr. Frank has served on governing boards of a wide variety of non-profit organizations. He has lectured on planning, cross-disciplinary interaction, and design effectiveness at national conferences, universities, and institutions such as the Cooper Hewitt Museum and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Mr. Frank was educated in English literature at Princeton University, architecture at Harvard University, and architectural history, theory and criticism at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Bonnie Glickman has experience as an educator, counselor, school founder, business manager, and development director. She serves as a facilitator for planning meetings and conducts individual and group interviews. She was educated at McGill University and the University of Vermont.

Associates
Randall Reaves is an architect and attorney with twenty-five years of experience in both the private and public sectors. He has served as an attorney for The University of Texas System, where he counseled central facilities planners, component institution business officers and physical plant directors. He initiated an effort to create innovative construction and purchasing methods for higher education in Texas, and advised legislators on drafting the resultant legislation. He has been a speaker on real estate, land use, contracting, purchasing, and construction issues for higher education at association and bar meetings. Mr. Reaves received his undergraduate and professional architectural degrees at Rice University in Houston, and his law degree from the University of Houston.

Fred Colson provides dynamic economic modeling for Synthesis Partnership projects. He brings more than twenty years of experience as executive director, chief financial officer, and board member of non-profit organizations.

James Weintrub, MD, has more than 25 years experience in healthcare--as a practicing physician, clinical instructor, entrepreneur, technology consultant, and healthcare solutions developer. He is founder and CEO of Digital Physicians Network, LLC, which offers coding, auditing and HIPAA compliance software for use by physicians, payers and auditors. He has served as a consultant to the CIO at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island and to BoozAllen Hamilton.

Workshops and Presentations
We have been invited by a variety of organizations to offer workshops and presentations on planning:

Strategic Planning for Nonprofits: The Key to Organizational Development and Sustainable Success

Nonprofit Net (2008)

(re) Making a Museum

New England Museum Association (2008)

Strategic Planning and Building

CFO/Arts Conference (2008)

Beyond Strategic Planning: The Case for Integrated Planning

National Association of Independent Schools
(2006, 2007, 2008)

Southern Association of Independent Schools
(2004, 2005, 2006)

Independent Schools Association of the Central States (2006)

Strategic Thinking: Integrated Planning and Financial Modeling

National Association of Independent Schools (2005)

Eastern Association of College and University Business Officers (2005)

Association of Independent Schools of New England (2004)

Pacific Northwest Association of Independent Schools (2005)

Building Understanding: The Essentials
of Facility Planning for Senior Administrators and Board Leaders

Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges
(2005)

National Association of Independent Schools
(2004, 2005, 2006)

Nonprofit Institute (2003)

Pacific Northwest Association of Independent Schools (2005)

Board-Driven Planning: Appropriate
Participation for Effective Results

National Association of Independent Schools (2008)

Financial Modeling within an Integrated Planning Process

National Association of Independent Schools (2008)

Integrated Planning for Accreditation

National Association of Independent Schools (2006)

Financial Sustainability: How Far Can You See?

National Association of Independent Schools (2005)

Collaborations
The essence of our practice is to synthesize disparate issues, ideas, disciplines, approaches, opportunities and challenges in order to shepherd our clients from wherever they are to a more effective realization of their mission, vision, and values. We do this through a flexible, interactive, responsive partnership with our clients and collaboration with other consultants.

How our clients see us
Most of our clients come to us with specific, narrowly defined problems. In almost every case we have helped them to articulate more fundamental questions and to formulate more comprehensive plans and programs in response. One gratifying measure of our success is that fully 75% of our clients have returned to us for additional assistance after we have completed the initial assignment. Here is what a few of our clients have to say about our work.

Brown Medical School Working with Synthesis Partnership helped us delineate the contours of what had been a very broadly conceived problem. By asking questions, they guided us to a clearer definition of what exactly we wanted to accomplish by creating a visual identity. Their proposed solutions were as succinct and practical as they were thoughtful and well founded. Sarah Baldwin-Beneich, Director of Communications, Office of Advancement

American University of Beirut Synthesis Partnership has provided us with invaluable advice and guidance. We asked them to help us define and monitor a facility project that is important to our image. Deftly shaping the discussion of strategy and institutional identity, they also worked with us to determine the project scope, select the architect and contractor, review proposals and contracts, track costs and resolve misunderstandings. Our Design Committee is an experienced, sophisticated group of executives, but we could not have achieved our quality or cost objectives without the help of Synthesis Partnership John Waterbury, President

The Wheeler School We did not begin with the intention of producing a strategic long-range plan, but we ended up with an absolutely splendid strategic plan... and a really amazing Ten-Year Plan.... [Synthesis Partnership] forced us to question what we might possibly have missed... to test all of our assumptions... and to decide what we wanted. William C. Prescott, Head of School The clarity and reassurance provided by the one-page summary of the Ten-Year Plan was the critical factor in the Board’s authorization of an ambitious, aggressive building program. Michael Edwards, President, Board of Trustees The Ten-Year Plan economic model has been the one most useful element in guiding the entire capital campaign. Gary Monnier, Director of Development

Providence Public Library What I have appreciated most about Synthesis Partnership is that rather than taking the role of an outside expert, they have become our partner in a series of complex projects. They have provided me the assurance of knowledgeable support throughout processes of strategic analysis and planning, identity development, facilities assessment, and capital campaign planning.They work with the board, with the staff, with other consultants, and on their own to accomplish whatever is needed. Dale Thompson, Director

Women & Infants’ Hospital Synthesis Partnership helped us to step back and take stock of how our facilities could do a better job of supporting our strategic objectives. The perspective they have given us on issues of identity, customer focus, and consistent design standards has been valued highly by executive leadership and clinical chiefs, as well as the planning and fundraising offices. Richard Kennedy, Vice President, Operations

Save The Bay We had a very high-powered group of corporate executives, managers, and academics charting our course of institutional change. We hired Synthesis Partnership to perform an economic feasibility study for our new venture, and to help us think about the facility issues. They offered us strategies to translate our goals and values into messages embedded into the facility. They have provided crucial elements in creating a destination attraction that puts our identity in the forefront. Marvin Ronning, Director of Program, Planning & Administration

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