Innovator in Leadership and Development of People

During his 10 years in Human Resources for Wegmans Food Markets, Joel Hoomans became the company’s first Manager of Leadership Development. His success came from approaching the company’s employees as renewable assets to be invested in and treated with respect, rather than thought of as expendable resources. Yet, in his role as hiring manager, he quickly noticed than many of the top-tier MBA graduates he interviewed did not possess critical customer service and leadership abilities. These highly skilled candidates lacked the dedication to the growth and development of people that were fundamental to the success of the organization. This motivated Joel to enter higher education on a mission to create the next generation business degree focused on developing emerging leaders and enhancing the abilities of established leaders.

Creating the Next Generation Business Degree

In 2006, Roberts Wesleyan College afforded him the opportunity to create this advanced business degree. The result was the Master’s in Strategic Leadership (MSL). This program integrated people development strategies with core business processes in an effort to raise-up the next generation of servant leaders dedicated to leading, managing and creating great businesses. In creating the program, Joel placed special emphasis on strategic agility and the service mindset that had served him so well in the corporate world.

Developing Emerging Leaders and Enhancing Abilities of Established Leaders

To ensure this project can benefit the careers and organizations of working professionals, this master’s degree was designed to be completed in 18 months by attending class 1-night a week or online (with 1-week, on-campus residency). Courses are integrated and scheduled to allow students to focus on one course at a time, while building on the principles of previous classes.

Graduates emerge as visionary, ethically-centered professionals who build and inspire effective teams and communities. The Integrative Strategic Audit provides a comprehensive research project and applied case study to allow students to demonstrate their learning and gain practical experience in applying the skills acquired in the program. In the end, these students are leaders who shape the future of their organizations. Click here to learn more about the Strategic Leadership Program.

Watch the video below to hear Joel speak on his own professional experience and the Master's of Strategic Leadership Program at Roberts Wesleyan College.

In addition to his teaching and administration duties for the College, Joel also enjoys consulting across business, church, government and military sectors. He also writes for scholarly publications and is a regular contributor on the Leading Edge Blog, an online publication of the Graduate Business Programs at Roberts Wesleyan College. His research interests include:

• Leadership Development & Effectiveness
• Courage Development & Values Formation
• Strategic Utilization of Human Assets
• The Use of Games in Learning
• Driving Service Levels in Higher Education