|
Helping People Work Better Together
|
|
|
If you'll allow me to write this in the 3rd person:
Jim Splaine has a wide background in education, business, not-for-profit organizations both professionally and as a volunteer, and in politics. That allows him to bring some unique skills to his Workshops - - he knows the subjects and he knows teaching approaches.
Jim is a lifelong resident of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He's a graduate of Portsmouth schools, and the University of New Hampshire, 1971, with a BA in government, and minor studies in communications and education. He was awarded a NH teaching certificate in 1971, and after practice teaching at Kingswood Regional High School in Wolfeboro, NH, he taught workstudy classes and workshop activities at Great Bay School and Training Center in the 1970s, as deinstitutionalization of people with mental challenges was getting underway.
He has worked professionally in several not-for-profit organizations, including being Area Director for the American Cancer Society - NH Division, Outreach and Pubic Education Director for NH Special Olympics, and Director of Citizens Advocates of the Seacoast Area. He also worked in or managed several businesses and organizations, and been a survey researcher and analyist for the National Education Association-NH.
In 1990 when he was Portsmouth Assistant Mayor he proposed and founded, then helped organize, the Greater Seacoast Economic Summit, which held a 2-day event in May of 1991 at UNH and Portsmouth, bringing together business and government leaders, educators, and media from throughout the New Hampshire and Maine Seacoast to repond to the economic downtown of the early 1990s. He was also a member of the original 7-person Pease Redevelopment Commission.
He has served on a number of organizational boards, and was President of Betty's Dream of Portsmouth, AIDS Response Seacoast, and the Seacoast Shipyard Association during two of the closure rounds in the early to mid 1990s.
Through it all he has been elected to a total of 10 terms to the NH House of Representatives, 3 terms to the NH State Senate, served 12 years on the Portsmouth City Council, including 6 years as Portsmouth Assistant Mayor, and was elected to the Portsmouth School Board and as Chair of the 1987 Portsmouth Charter Commission, which rewrote the City Charter for the first time in 100 years. He also managed a number of political campaigns.
Jim has written about teamwork approaches and Continuous Improvement - Total Quality Management (TQM), since the 1980s, evolving much of those concepts in his government work and his Workshops.
Jim has been recognized statewide in particular for being a central defender of the NH First-In-The-Nation Presidential Primary, having successfully sponsored three bills, in 1975, 1999, and 2006, that have been used to keep our "lead-off" status, and for his work on government ethics issues and the fight to keep the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard open.
|
Educational Background:
Portsmouth Schools, University of New Hampshire BA 1971, NH Teaching Certificate Awarded in 1971, teacher, workshop instructor, widely read in management techniques, communications, public relations. Co-author of Politics: Communicating A Message, writer of NHInsider.com Blog, extensively written newspaper and issue articles for 30 years. Traveled to Severodvinsk, Russia, in 1995 as part of the Portsmouth-Severodvinsk Connection exchange. Traveled in 1996 to Zagreb and Rovin, Croatia, to teach workshops on American Workplaces, conducted workshops for more than 20 years.
|
Professional Background:
Worked in numerous non-profit organizations and businesses at various levels of management, including the Area Director for the American Cancer Society, NH Division, Public Education and Outreach Director of NH Special Olympics, Director of Citizen Advocates of the Seacoast Area, and founder or owner of several businesses and volunteer efforts including the 2020 Vision Project, The 2050 Vision Project, The Splaine Group, and the Chem-Free Cleaning Team. President of AIDS Response Seacoast in the early 1990s, Betty's Dream of Portsmouth, and the Seacoast Shipyard Association. Written and delivered hundreds of speeches, and managed many political campaigns. Been on the Internet for 15 years, well-experienced in computers, Desk Top Publishing, and WEBSITE design. In 1990, founded the Greater Seacoast Economic Summit, which held a 2-day event in May of 1991 at UNH and Portsmouth. Member of the original 7-person Pease Redevelopment Commission in 1990-1991.
|
Political Background:
Has been elected for 10 terms in the NH House of Representatives, the first in 1968 as the youngest member of that 400 member body. Elected in 1978 as the youngest member of the NH State Senate, and served a total of 6 years. Served 12 years on the Portsmouth City Council, and as chair of a dozen committees for the city. Portsmouth Assistant Mayor for 6 years, elected to the Portsmouth School Board and as Chair of the 1987 Portsmouth Charter Commission, which rewrote the City Charter for the first time in over 100 years. Widely recognized for successfully sponsoring 3 laws protecting New Hampshire's First-In-The-Nation Presidential Primary, including the 1975 law that put our lead-off status into state statute, the first state to do so. Writes a well-read blog on NHInsider.com, and is a frequent invited commentator on radio, televison, and in newspapers.
|
Volunteer Background:
Has volunteered on numerous boards and commissions, including non-profit and political organizations. Past-President of the Seacoast Shipyard Association and member of the board during the two closure rounds in the early to mid-1990s, Past-President of Betty's Dream of Portsmouth, Past-President of AIDS Response Seacoast. Co-Facilitator of the Portsmouth Vision Committee in the late 1990s, and organized on a volunteer basis a series of citywide and neighborhood discussions under The 2020 Vision Project, the first held in May of 1991. Continues to volunteer on community visioning with The 2050 Vision Project.
|
|
A Favorite Thought:
Like many of us, I'm on "The Other Side Of The Adventure," meaning I have reached that point in my life that I have fewer years to live than I have lived. That brings both a balancing perspective to what I do, and a certain freedom that I can focus on doing those things I most want to do before I get to the end of this adventure. It's something more of us should think about, before it indeed is too late.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
