About Us
Our Story
Once upon a time, way back in 1975, when there were no personal computers, in-house IT departments or virtual work teams (and when people walked three miles to school, uphill both ways with snow up to their knees), Take Charge Consultants was born. Little did our founders Drs. Fil Warihay and Dan Kanouse know they were giving birth to a potent leadership consulting powerhouse, developing strategies that would stand the test of time, and a group of clients who would lead some of the biggest and most innovative Fortune 500 organizations. All they knew was that their experience as senior leaders in corporate America indicated that there were better ways to motivate, engage and enthuse people to achieve extraordinary results.
Armed with this belief, and few financial resources, our founders literally took to the streets of New York City, cold-calling on some of the biggest firms in the country. Fil and Dan were industry leaders forging and building a field of organizational expertise currently called leadership development. They were known for helping managers become inspirational and visionary leaders. They helped organizations use more participative practices, and engaged groups, both large and small, in the creation of more efficient, meaningful, higher quality work—and organizational results.
In 2005, Rosaria (Ria) Hawkins, Ph.D. daughter of the two founders, stepped into the position of President of Take Charge. An expert in Mindful Leadership with a doctorate in Human and Organizational Systems, Ria continues to deliver on Take Charge’s core promise and bring Take Charge’s service set to the next level.
Today, Take Charge is earning a reputation as the pre-eminent provider of Mindful Leadership Solutions with its introduction of the Mindful Leadership WorkSuite. The Suite equips organizations and leaders with mindful leadership practices that enable them to lead with the confident awareness and insight necessary to function effectively in a demanding present while exploring the future; unravel complex challenges and make sound judgment calls; truly connect to a growing and shifting body of stakeholders, and, most importantly, help others exceed previous levels of passion, performance, and productivity.
The Take Charge staff consists of a cadre of professional, experienced, passionate and committed experts who put their past executive experience as leaders at both large Fortune 500 Companies and Federal Sector Organizations to work for clients. They are real time practicioners of Mindful Leadership and are fluent in organizational development, business redesign, change, facilitation, coaching, and leadership development.
Since its inception, Take Charge has worked with hundreds of private and public sector organizations and hundreds of thousands of individuals, worldwide. The firm has helped organizations like NASA, National Geographic, American Express, Time, Inc., Johnson & Johnson, Merck, GE and the IRS improve performance and engagement through innovative leadership practices.