Meet the Team

CHIEF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

Jeannine Kunz
CWO

Jeannine Kunz is the Chief Workforce Development Officer at SME and leader of Tooling U-SME. A recognized expert in learning and development, Jeannine is at the forefront of workforce management issues, providing forward-thinking solutions for companies, academia, and individuals. Deeply knowledgeable about manufacturing workforce challenges, she provides guidance on best practices for designing, developing, and implementing performance-based development strategies in today's advanced manufacturing environments. For more details on her background, including her industry accomplishments and awards, committee and board members, and her testimony before the U.S. House of Representatives, read her full bio here. 

SENIOR DIRECTOR

Chad Schron
Senior Director

Chad Schron is the senior director for Tooling U-SME and the co-founder of the original Tooling U. Chad grew up in manufacturing, starting his career working in his grandfather’s machine shop, Cleveland-based Jergens Inc. Chad developed the idea for an online manufacturing training school while working at Jergens to combat the manufacturing skills shortage.

Today, Chad leads the talented Sales, Learning Services, Client Services, Technology, Content, and Operations teams for Tooling U– SME. He was named one of Cleveland’s “Top 40 under 40” by Crain’s Cleveland Business in 2008, and in 2003 and 2004 was named an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year finalist.

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT & SALES

Rob Coolidge
Business Development & Sales

Rob Coolidge is the director of business development and sales at Tooling U-SME and leads the Corporate Small Business sales teams and the Business Development team. These teams work with organizations to help increase existing employees' knowledge and onboard new employees up to speed quickly and efficiently.

Rob brings with him 15+ years of experience in training, sales, business development, and operations. Prior to joining Tooling U-SME, he worked for leading companies like GOJO Industries, Dun & Bradstreet, and New Horizons Computer Learning Centers.

CONTENT DEVELOPMENT

Dave Ewers
Content Development

Dave Ewers is the director of content development for Tooling-U SME. Dave has more than 20 years of experience leading industrial and manufacturing training and extensive knowledge of running effective training programs in power, oil and gas, chemical manufacturing, electronics manufacturing, and industrial controls and equipment.

He earned a bachelor's degree in education in training development and design from Southern Illinois University and an MBA from Northern Illinois University. Dave's certifications include Six Sigma Green Belt, Human Capital Strategist, and Strategic Workforce Planning.

LEARNING SERVICES

John Hindman
Learning Services

John Hindman is Tooling U-SME's director of learning services. John and his team work directly with manufacturers, championing the application of best practices and performance-based workforce development strategies. He partners with manufacturers to create tactics and business plans for the deployment of effective and efficient career pathway programs.

John advocates for learning and development strategies grounded in competency-based frameworks that produce measurable results. His strategies focus on human capital challenges in employee engagement, growth, and retention. John regularly leads webinars and workshops on best practices in workforce development.

CLIENT SERVICES

Bryan Knaack
Client Services

Bryan Knaack is the director of client services at Tooling U-SME. He leads his team to provide ongoing support and implementation services to Tooling U-SME customers, enabling them to optimize their investment and maximize the overall success of their learning and development programs.

When Bryan began his career at the original Tooling U in 2003 as a regional sales manager, he already had an impressive track record in the training and e-learning industry as a sales executive. In 2008, Bryan helped develop the Government and Education Group for Tooling U-SME. 

SALES OPERATIONS

Denise Leipold
Sales Operations 

Denise Leipold is the director of sales operations and a senior business advisor at SME and Tooling U-SME. With over 25 years of service to SME, Denise has had roles in publications, marketing, as well as business intelligence where she led database research, analysis, and reporting initiatives.

Denise provides financial advising and forecasting for Tooling U-SME and her Ops team helps streamlines processes in order to improve sales productivity. 

MARKETING

Beth Magewick
Marketing Director

Beth Magewick is the marketing director for SME and Tooling U-SME. With over 30 years of service at SME, she leads an in-house marketing agency with expertise in the full portfolio of marketing and creative services.

Beth's focus is on leveraging multiple distribution channels to execute effective communications that connect with current customers, grow engagement, and reach new audiences in creative and innovative ways. 

MARKET INTELLIGENCE & RESEARCH

Kris Ward
Market Intelligence & Research

Kris Ward leads market intelligence and research efforts supporting Tooling U-SME sales, product, and marketing initiatives as Marketing and Business Development Director. She leads intelligence efforts to advance Tooling U-SME’s understanding of the manufacturing industry and its unmet workforce development needs.

Kris started her career with SME in 1996, holding various positions over the years in marketing and product management. She returned to Tooling U-SME after a brief hiatus to learn about the business of content aggregation for the library market.

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Gretchen Schultz
Workforce Development


Gretchen Schultz is the director of workforce development at Tooling U-SME. She focuses on building the capabilities of the manufacturing workforce through strategically leveraging education, industry, and government efforts. Together with industry leaders, she helps leverage funding opportunities for a robust pipeline of well-educated and highly skilled workers.

Through collaborations with stakeholders, she has led Tooling U-SME in developing innovative workforce solutions that help close the skills gap and meet the needs of the manufacturing community.

CORPORATE SALES

Frank Smith
Corporate Sales

Frank Smith is Tooling U-SME’s director of corporate sales. In that position, Frank champions the corporate and enterprise-level organizations and leads the national and regional sales teams. He and his team of sales professionals are dedicated to developing the current and future manufacturing workforce.

Frank has 30 years of experience in sales management, sales operations, direct sales, and channel management, both internationally and domestically. He has a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Youngstown State University.