Reid Lennertz

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EDUCATOR.

First and foremost, I am an educator. Here are just some of my beliefs that frame

my approach to teaching. Please refer to my "Teaching Philosophy" page for a more detailed explanation. 

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• I strive to take a personal interest in each student’s success, both in my own class and as a member of the greater FGCU community. It is not enough for them just to pass my class. I must play a supportive role in their persistence to graduation.

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• I like to tap into each student’s natural inner drive and curiosity. I use a variety of instructional techniques and strive to provide an interesting and interactive learning environment that engages them at an emotional level, and deepens their understanding of the concept.

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• I hope to build each student’s self-confidence and self-efficacy. Some people outside higher education view college students as fully-functioning adults, just smaller in size. The reality is that most students are still developing socially, emotionally, and cognitively. Being sensitive to the challenges of students is not just an obligation, it is an imperative.

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• I always try to create an energetic yet respectful classroom environment. Making the classroom a psychologically safe place is also important, especially when teaching entrepreneurship. Mistakes are inevitable, sometimes ideas are just plain bad, and failure is part of the process, so it helps for them to know that they are in environment where they will not be judged, by me or their classmates.

 

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Despite my eight years of teaching experience and training in the field, I still sometimes feel like I am scratching the surface of the profession. But, like any good educator, I suppose we are all still learning and trying to get better. However, I do take pride in the very positive feedback from my student’s on the Student Perception of Instruction survey, and felt honored to be nominated as the Adjunct Faculty of the Year in 2015.

 

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LEADER.

I have over thirty years of professional leadership experience, spanning the fields of higher education, retail, and hospitality. Selected accomplishments include:

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Director - FGCU Career Development Services (2000 - 2019)

• Between 2004 – 2012, FGCU ranked #1 every year in the Florida State University System (SUS) for percentage of graduates employed in Florida and/or continuing education

• Nominated as the Outstanding Employee of the Year (2011)

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General Manager - Barnes & Noble (1997 - 2000)

• Recognized as one of only 10% of the 480 Store Managers nationwide to consistently achieve or exceed annual company performance goals, including employee productivity, sales, and customer satisfaction. Achieved this at a store considered one of the most complex operations in the company due to the seasonal sales cycles, tight labor market, limited sales space, and $1 million Café sales.

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​Recreation Director - The Ritz-Carlton, Naples (1990 - 1997)

• Received the Company’s Five Star Award for outstanding performance and achievement.

• Selected from a worldwide pool of the hotel’s top managers to be a member of the Opening Team for The Ritz-Carlton in Korea, St. Thomas, and Cancun.  

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BUILDER.

In each leadership position I have held, I have overseen the dramatic growth of each enterprise.

Selected accomplishments include:

 

Director - FGCU Career Development Services 

• Grew the department from a two-person enterprise with no operating budget to a 7-person department and a significant revenue-generating operation.

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General Manager - Barnes & Noble 

• Oversaw the growth of the store into one of the top performers in the region, with $10 million in annual sales and an operating budget consisting of over $1 million in payroll.

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​Recreation Director - The Ritz-Carlton, Naples 

• Successfully transformed the Recreation Department from a financial liability into the first profitable recreation center in The Ritz-Carlton chain, setting the benchmark for Ritz-Carlton recreation operations worldwide. 

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