About Norquest Associates
Working with individuals, teams, and organizations who want to improve their performance and achieve Peak Performance!
Since 1990, Norquest Associates Inc. has been providing professional training and coaching, along with the best in resources for learning, leading and performing in the workplace. Norquest Performance Solutions is a wholly owned subsidiary of Norquest Associates.
Our mission is to increase performance levels and create strategies for sustained growth. By providing individuals with Norquest Learning Solutions’ programs, they are able to achieve their own full potential and create success for the whole organization.
Meet our Principals
Bill Blake
Our Senior Consultant, Bill has over 35 years of experience in organizational leadership, in both the public and private sectors. From this experience he believes that the effectiveness of the organization is maximized by developing the personal potential of each individual to the highest level possible - to achieve PEAK performance.
Educational effectiveness, performance management and professional development have been personal interests of his for over 25 years. Much of his current work, over the past several years, has been with the First Nations of Northern Ontario, where he has provided assistance in the development of quality educational systems, development and assessment of programs, and in activities to enhance their quest for self-governance.
Bill is a former Director of Education for the Timmins Board of Education; a post he held for nine years. Previously he was the Superintendent of Program for the Lambton County Board of Education; Superintendent of Curriculum, and a Program Consultant with the Ontario Ministry of Education. He is the author of a text book, 3 movies, and a series of T.V. films on the Geography of Ontario.
He is also a past-president of the Greater Ontario Branch of the Kidney Foundation of Canada, a former Co-chair of their National Research Council, and a former Chairman of Sarnia Lambton’s Family Counselling Centre’s Fund Raising Foundation.
His continuing interests are in the areas of personal effectiveness, personal behavioral styles, team building and staff training, program review, and performance management.
For his contributions to education and training, the First Nations, and the voluntary sector, Bill was awarded the "Order of Ontario" in 1999; the "Queen's Jubilee Medal" in 2002; and in 2005 he was included on the "Mayor's Honours List" for the City of Sarnia.
Doreen Blake
Commitment to a high level of professional development has been the focus of Doreen’s work as a teacher, consultant, and workshop leader/facilitator. She believes that her clients, colleagues, and students are entitled to the very best she can give. She has received countless accolades from students, teachers and workshop participants and has been selected as the “Teacher of the Year” by her colleagues.
Her work, both at the provincial and local levels, has been to support teachers in their quest for excellent teaching methodologies. This commitment led her to serve as Chairperson of professional development committees, and as a member of program councils, and curriculum writing and review committees. It also led her to the coordination, planning, and delivery of programs for Lambton County Teachers at all levels, as well as the consequent evaluations and reviews. She has taught extension courses for the University of Windsor, the University of Western Ontario and Lambton Community College, as well as classroom teaching.
As a teacher, trainer, facilitator, mentor and workshop presenter, she strives to provide the best possible support service, to promote growth within an individual, and to develop increased effectiveness within an organization. She is the author of several professional articles for the Federation of Women Teachers of Ontario.
Doreen has been active in Provincial and National organizations where her goal has been to promote better communication reduce violence and achieve a healthier lifestyle. She is a former Board of Directors’ member for the Sarnia-Lambton Family Counselling Centre; a member of the Kidney Foundation of Canada’s National Volunteer Development Committee; a former vice-president of the Bluewater Business Leaders Chapter of Business Network International; and a Past-President of the Lambton Chapter of the Retired Teachers of Ontario. She is a graduate of the University of Windsor.
Doreen has received an achievement award in each of the past 10 years for her roles with the Inscape Publishing programs.
Norquest Associates Inc. is an authorized distributor for:
Performance Support Systems
Performance Support Systems is a customer-driven, team-centered, highly adaptive organization. The company's product development and customer service efforts are driven by the following corporate vision:
- To give success-oriented individuals the resources they need to grow stronger for work and life.
- Self-awareness
- Self-development
Based in Newport News, Virginia, Performance Support Systems was formed in 1987 through the merger of two consulting firms: Management Plus, and Transitions, Inc. The two co-founders, Dennis E. Coates, Ph.D. and Meredith M. Bell, M.A., have over sixty years combined experience in the field of human resource development. Together, they have served hundreds of organizations and have influenced the development of over 100,000 managers and professionals.
The primary focus of the company is to provide leading-edge tools and knowledge in the area of performance improvement. This focus has led to the development of a uniquely flexible, affordable, and customizable assessment and development system: 20/20 Insight GOLD, which the company markets and distributes internationally through its team of accredited Associates. Since it was introduced in 1994, more than a million people have participated in feedback projects using the 360 multi rater instrument - 20/20 Insight GOLD.
Vital Learning Corporation
Vital Learning Corporation started in 1989 as a successor to McGraw Hill Learning Systems. For nearly a quarter century, companies around the world have used Vital's training solutions to enhance the performance and productivity of a broad range of employees - from entry-level personnel to senior managers. Their focus is on the core skills that really matter, and on the training methods that really work. As a result, there is no "leap of faith" when a Vital solution is introduced into an organization.
Participants see the relevance of the training, rapidly acquire the skills, and quickly put them to use on the job. We call it "Instant ROI" - our customers call it time and money well invested. Vital Learning's award winning offerings include Classroom, Online, and Blended Learning Programs.
Train to Ingrain
Train to Ingrain is a collaborative effort between two world-class leadership development technologies (Vital Learning Corporation and Performance Support Systems) working together to deliver a six-phased approach that ingrains leadership skills. The six phases include: Commitment, Assessment, Training, Reinforcement, Integration, and Feedback.