Testimonials

“The expertise which Meitler brings to the process of strategic thinking is superb. In addition, the depth of experience and understanding for the philosophy and mission of Catholic education serves our distinct needs and purpose. Know that you are part of the IWA community.”

” We needed a plan to move forward, and having an outside group come in to help us form this plan, gave us many best practices which we were not employing at the time. The best part of the experience with Meitler was their support in helping us move our school forward. We needed it at the time.”

“Salesian High School chose Meitler after they successfully led two of our other schools through the strategic planning process. They were thorough in their work, and brought a new energy and vitality to our faculty and the planning committee. We have definite goals and strategies to follow as we look forward to our centennial year. Meitler is the first to use the Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Schools as part of their planning process. This aligns them with an important development in the field of Catholic education. I am very happy with the consultants’ work, their professional approach, and their understanding, not only of Catholic education, but our school and educational system in particular.”

“The Catholic schools in our diocese were experiencing many challenges with enrollment and finances. There were inefficiencies and dysfunctional competition with other Catholic schools. We wanted to achieve viability/stability, academic excellence, Catholic identity, and inspire/equip a stronger pool of qualified leaders. Meitler helped people realize that we needed to change the models which had worked in the past. They also helped the decision-makers realize that it was time to change.”

“The Board of Directors made a decision to partner with Meitler on a strategic plan and vision for our school. That was a wise and beneficial decision in many regards. With a focus on enrollment, academic progress, and institutional advancement efforts, we were able to solidify these areas. As a result, our enrollment continues to show annual growth. Our operating budget consistently runs at a surplus with enrollment having a significant impact on this end result. Without the professional assistance from Meitler, I believe we would not be in the positive position we are currently experiencing. The entire Meitler staff was knowledgeable, visionary and passionate.”

“Meitler provided extensive data to allow St. Albert Catholic Schools to see a viable future consisting of quality academic programming and a robust development initiative. The organizational restructure created is innovative and addresses concerns brought forward in the data. This leadership model meets their needs today but will allow for growth of new administrators in the future. The Meitler consultants are attentive to detail, highly knowledgeable on trends in Catholic education, and are easily accessible to answer questions to make sure the plan is successfully implemented.”

“We could go with any company, since we had the funding available. However, we wanted a company experienced with Catholic schools and the mission of Catholic education. Meitler fit this perfectly…Everything about Meitler was impressive, professional, and effective. I loved working with Tom and the office staff. I know Meitler cared about our project and wanted us to be successful.”

“The schools were basically independent operations with very little cooperation or systemic character. We were trying to build a school system with strategic planning to ensure stability as well as to set the stage for excellence. Meitler provided an excellent plan which will lead us to expected improvement and give us justified optimism for the future.”

“I could not have been more skeptical or even negative when our President announced that we were to undergo the detailed analysis and planning Meitler provides. It wasn’t very long after meeting the team that I became a believer. Their experience and professionalism showed me the value of such a plan. I value the time we spent together.”

“We are moving forward with the Strategic Plan very systematically and aggressively with meaningful involvement and commitment of our Board members. Our Annual Fund is up over 15% over last year and our Auction made a nice profit, so we are encouraged by the upward trend. We did well in our Middle States accreditation process, which dovetailed wonderfully with our strategic plan. We cannot thank you enough for being the ‘wind beneath our wings.’”

“Meitler has provided extensive data to allow St. Albert Catholic Schools to see a viable future consisting of quality academic programming and a robust development initiative. The organizational restructure created is innovative and addresses concerns brought forward in the data. This leadership model meets their needs today but will allow for growth of new administrators in the future. The Meitler consultants are attentive to detail, highly knowledgeable on trends in Catholic education, and are easily accessible to answer questions to make sure the plan is successfully implemented.”

“We have had an extraordinary year. All of the goals (for Advancement) in the strategic plan have been implemented this first year. We will most likely end the year more than 20% ahead of last year.”

“Prior to Meitler we had not conducted an official strategic planning process with a third party in over a decade. Meitler’s engaged and personal approach, along with the amount of relevant data that supported future decisions, was beyond any expectation I had for this process.”

“Meitler provided superb assistance to St. Henry Church and School in developing our strategic plan! The structure of the process was very helpful and inclusive of our entire community.  Their resources helped to identify important demographic information in our larger community as we move forward into the future.  It is so good to find a strategic planning organization so rooted in the Catholic faith and discipleship.”

“Meitler worked creatively to conduct a sustainability study and as a result continued with a strategic plan. I was very pleased with the strong partnership with the consultants and the many opportunities for feedback to shape the process and plan along the way.”

“Our Meiter consultants were a great help in assisting us to develop the strategic plan for our parish, including our school. Tom Heding and Sr. Mary Anne Hennan kept us on track and on task. Their meetings with members of the parish allowed people to more freely express their concerns. I might also add that both consultants demonstrated a professional, gentle, calming way in dealing with parishioners who were threatened by possible changes in the future.”

“They understand Catholic high schools because they have worked in them. They know the realities we face on a daily basis. Because we have partnered with them for a long time, they know us well. They bring the valuable perspective of working with a significant number of Catholic high schools. They share that experience with us as we try to plan appropriately for the future.”

“Working with Meitler on our strategic plan was everything we expected and more. The consultants have such solid experiences working in, and with Catholic schools, and knowledge of strategic planning that they had instant credibility with everyone. They effectively guided our Board, planning committee, and focus groups, and the communication all along the way was superior. As Principal, the most helpful component was the follow up after planning committee meetings and the on-site visits. The consultants were exceptional at providing accurate summaries and outlines of our work. This was a tremendous help and appreciated in light of an already busy schedule as Principal.”

“Thanks to you and to the entire staff at Meitler for another excellent job. The new school feasibility report is comprehensive, clear, and extremely well-detailed. The observations in each section appear to be both appropriate and helpful. I wish to thank you for the high-quality work which Meitler continues to do to benefit the educational ministries of the Catholic Church. It is a pleasure to recommend and collaborate with Meitler.”

“We recently completed an engagement with Meitler for a five-year plan that touches every aspect of our Parish and School. We couldn’t have accomplished this without the oversight, guidance and experience that Meitler’s consultants brought to the project. This nine-month effort represented an effective partnership between Meitler and many participants from our parish. The end product is a detailed plan that our parish owns and has begun to focus and execute upon as we move Forward in Faith.”

“…the big announcement was Mother Teresa Academy. You helped us in a very strategic way when you advised us to assemble a small group of get-it-done business leaders with passion to serve as the ‘exploratory committee.’ They did amazing work, identified a path forward, and helped the Bishop navigate some of the big hurdles. These included fund-raising, site identification, governance, and leadership. I can now honestly say that the implementation work is even harder than the planning work… but it is very rewarding to actually bring the plan into reality. Building in Truth and Love is not sitting on the shelf collecting dust. It continues to guide our efforts. Thanks for helping us assemble a good plan!”

“Meitler was a great collaborator and exceeded our expectations. The comprehensive nature of the plan and the quality of the consultants made Meitler stand out from other options.”

“Meitler stood out amongst the other firms we interviewed due to their comprehensive approach, the type of partnership opportunity they presented, and their experience and expertise. Their approach to focus groups and data gathering provided us with robust information that confirmed our direction and vision for our school.”

“Our parish was seeking to determine if we should renovate at our current location or build at a new location. The Meitler team was a pleasure to work with; very organized and professional, yet amiable. They were excellent with keeping on track with the timeline that was provided as well as always being very responsive with providing help and feedback on any questions or concerns we had during the process.”

“For a decade, Meitler has been an important resource in charting Central Catholics’ future. Our 2000 strategic plan charted the course for significant enrollment expansion, a major capital campaign, and the construction of new facilities. We engaged Meitler for another planning process in 2010-11 which emphasized program quality, marketing and enrollment management. At the heart of both planning initiatives, and an important ingredient of their success, is Meitler’s gift for keeping our Catholic and Marist mission at the forefront of all decisions.”

“As in my previous work with Meitler, I found new learnings all along the way: in the data gathering, the analysis, the conversations, the Strategic Planning Committee meetings, the recommendations, the plan itself.  All of it, I believe, will help Salesian to strengthen and grow.

And the two of you were wonderful to work with: affirming the good, identifying the challenges, visioning the better.  And all with a healthy dose of laughter sprinkled in.”

“We began our strategic planning process with Meitler because we knew of their reputation for integrity and experience with Catholic Schools. We wanted excellence in our school and a culture worthy of the human person, but we did not have the strategies and best practices to get the job done. Now we do, thanks to the work of our Committee, and Tom and Rick. We look forward now to implementing the plan over the next few years.”

“I called to express my excitement. The press release happened this morning and the Archbishop announced the consortium and all the parish recommendations. It is a great day for Omaha. Thank you so much for doing all that you did. You pushed us over the edge. We were on the edge of doing something bold, but without you it would not have happened. So, thank you very, very much.”

“Thank you and the entire Meitler team for your terrific work! I have worked with several firms during my time with the Alzheimer’s Association around the country. Your staff has been the best to work with. For your expertise, service, and outstanding work, please know how blessed our schools and diocese truly are!”

“We have more than doubled our enrollment for this coming August. The feasibility study showed that there was a need and a desire. This has been proven by our increasing enrollment.”

“We have used Meitler several times and have been given excellent final plans for our school. We needed some direction coming out of COVID since our last plan was completed 7 years ago. Meitler again exceeded our expectations. The information was thorough, the process was flawless, the leaders were open to our suggestions.”