rftfgroup.com

About Us

Change Management

Richard is a senior Organizational Change Manager & Change Agent specializing in change/project management, team leadership/management and customer services with over 35 year’s progressive experience in all types of business and corporate environments including public and private sectors. Richard is a highly skilled communicator able to listen, interpret, write, present and report information accurately and persuasively. Richard has well-honed relationship and collaboration skills with many years’ experience with negotiation and conflict resolution leading to well-honed stress management skills. Richard has had numerous progressive management and leadership roles where he has used strong vision and inspiration to create, manage and develop winning teams. Richard has well-developed emotional intelligence leading to strong ability to plan, control and organize high performance teams. He is able to act decisively, using sound judgement to motivate team members leading to good governance and a strong record of achievement

After over 20 year's of real-life project management experience, Richard earned his Project Management Professional (PMP) designation in 2008. Richard is a certified Prosci/ADKAR practitioner, certified in Information Technology Service Management (ITIL) and has strong Business Analysis skills.

Richard earned his Doctor of Education degree with the prestigious Werklund School of Education (University of Calgary) in 2022 and his Master of Education degree in 2011.

Richard has proven experience with enterprise project risk management and has been a sessional Instructor for the Haskayne School of Business (University of Calgary) BSEN 719 (Project External Issues) class.

Project Management

In addition to being a Senior Organizational Change Management specialist, Richard is a Senior Project and Program Manager specializing in project/change management, team leadership/management and customer services with over 30 year’s progressive experience in all types of business and corporate environments. Richard has extensive, real-life experience in all phases of highly strategic projects and programs with particular strengths in Communications, Coaching/Mentoring, Training, Sponsor/Stakeholder engagement and Resistance Management. Richard has extensive experience establishing, staffing, training and managing various project teams and entrepreneurial organizations.

Richard has proven experience with enterprise Project Risk Management and is a sessional Instructor for the Haskayne School of Business (University of Calgary) BSEN 719 (Project External Issues) class.

Learning Management

Richard has extensive experience teaching, facilitating, coaching and mentoring students of all ages, from all walks of life and, from widely ranging diverse backgrounds such as doctors, lawyers, engineers, artists and more. Richard has curriculum design experience from various arenas including corporate, non-profit and sports.

Richard has always worked hard to create personal learning solutions that would lead to unique, enriching learning experiences for all his students. Richard strives to find innovative, thought-provoking educational solutions for his students that connect and build on their previous learning and experiences. Richard maintains a constant search for an improved learning experience for his students through on-going, ethical, action research on his teaching methodologies; constantly applying improvements and lessons learned through formative assessment, student performance and student feedback.

Richard earned his Doctor of Education degree with the prestigious Werklund School of Education (University of Calgary) in 2022 and his Master of Education degree in 2011.

The Team

Dr. Richard D. Fossey BMus, MEd, EdD, PMP

Senior Organizational Change Manager (OCM) & Change Agent, Project/Program Manager, specializing in change/project management, team leadership/management and customer services with nearly 40 year’s progressive experience in all types of business and corporate environments including public and private sectors.
Progressive management and leadership roles using strong vision, creativity and innovation to create, monitor and develop winning teams. Well-developed emotional intelligence leading to strong ability to organize, monitor and motivate high performance teams. Extensive background developing and implementing KPIs, metrics and evaluations including pre and post assessments. Able to act decisively, using sound judgment to motivate team members leading to good governance and a strong record of achievement
Highly skilled communicator able to listen, interpret, write, present and report information accurately and persuasively. Well-honed relationship and collaboration skills. Many years’ experience with negotiation and conflict resolution leading to exceptional stress management skills
Recent sessional Instructor for the Haskayne School of Business (BSEN 719 Project External Issues)

Karate

Richard is a 8th Degree Black Belt with the Leadership Development through Karate Foundation (LDK Foundation). The LDK Foundation (www.ldkfoundation.com) is a nonprofit Society registered in Canada. Under Richard's direction, the LDK Foundation provides instruction in traditional Wado Karate, as founded by Ohtsuka Sensei and Shintani Sensei. Training focuses on the foundations of Karate and self-defence, while maintaining a contemporary approach to learning and engagement.

As a Senior Black Belt with the LDK Foundation, Richard is the Head Instructor for the Karate Rosemont club in Calgary Alberta Canada. Richard also serves as Secretary/Treasurer for the LDK Foundation.

Richard began his career in Karate in 1980 in Edmonton Alberta Canada and achieved his Black Belt in 1985. Richard began teaching in 1984 and has been teaching and founding clubs since that time. Richard founded the Karate at SAIT Karate Club in 1993, the Karate Hillhurst Karate Club in 2015 and the Karate Cranston club in 2018. Richard has taught 100's of students ranging in age from 5 years old to Adult. Richard has helped the LDK Foundation develop leading edge Karate curriculum to teach Little Dragon Programs (Age 5 - 7), Children's Programs (Age 8 - 13), Youth Programs (Age 14 - 16) and Adult Programs (Age 17 and up).

In 2012, Richard was acknowledged and honoured as an Honoured Athletic Leader with the Calgary Booster Club.

Richard continues to be active on the floor, teaching numerous classes per week including the new StrengthFit Karate classes offered at Karate Hillhurst. Richard is also an active Breaker with many years experience breaking wood and bricks and is Vice President of the Canadian Breaking Association (a registered nonprofit Society in the Province of Alberta).

Richard was the Executive Sponsor/Project Manager for the “Break the Cycle Guinness World Record” attempt. This was the successful Guinness World Record attempt on April 14, 2012 for the most boards broken simultaneously in a single location. The event raised over $30,000 for Calgary Counselling Centre in Calgary Alberta Canada.

Richard is also the Executive Sponsor/Project Manager for the Annual Break the Cycle Breaking Event fundraiser for various charities in Calgary including Redefin'd, where young people are given a chance to redefine their lives through meaningful experiences that inspire hope and change. 2019 marked the 11th year for this exciting event!

Music

Richard began piano lessons at an early age and at the age of 11, began playing the trumpet in the Meadowvale Public School band under the direction of Mr. Cummings. Richard continued with his piano until he achieved his Grade 8 Royal Conservatory but then began to devote his time exclusively to Trumpet.

Richard attended the University of Alberta Fine Arts program in the Bachelor of Music (Trumpet performance) program and achieved his Bachelor of Music (BMus) in 1980. Richard played professionally for almost 10 years performing in various genre's including jazz, pop and symphonic. Richard eventually took his mother's advice and got a real job but continues to play as an amateur in numerous high-standard groups in Calgary Alberta Canada.

Richard was co-principal Trumpet with the Calgary Civic Symphony, is currently on a leave of absence with the Calgary Wind Symphony and is actively playing with Front Row Centre Players in various musical productions. Richard is a past-President of the Orchestra Society of Calgary, a registered Canadian Charity.