Team
Passion. Experience. Diligence.
Our Story
One of the most critical, yet underrated skills of leadership is the gift of valuing others.
Developing a healthy leadership culture is our primary concern. We love coming alongside and helping businesses and organizations like yours think through - and implement - a healthy and thriving leadership culture.
Founded in 2005, Rising Sun Consultants works with organizations to develop supervisors, manage change, and strengthen teams. Jim Rowell previously worked as Milton Hershey’s Director of Professional Development, building the lives of professionals across Central Pennsylvania.
In 2017, Rising Sun released the book, The 10 Keys of Effective Supervision. It focuses on people in middle management, and how to train these leaders to support and promote the careers of others in the organization, through a model of servant leadership.
With the addition of John DeSantis to a dynamic team of consultants and support staff, Rising Sun brings:
accelerated growth
increased productivity
significantly higher employee engagement
and positive changes to organizations that are ready to advance
Today Jim and John firmly believe it is essential to focus on people’s growth and development for an organization to be successful.
Rising Sun wants to serve your organization by creating, developing, and maintaining a culture that inspires and motivates people to reach new horizons - both personally and professionally.
“They have this unique ability to push you just hard enough to make you uncomfortable and leave the status quo, but not so hard that it shuts everybody down.”
Team
CEO & Co-Founder
Meet Jim Rowell
Jim is the CEO and co-founder of Rising Sun Consultants, LLC. After more than 30 years in the corporate world as a professional trainer, supervisor and director, Jim Rowell turned his knowledge to the world of fitness... leadership fitness. Jim assists clients in building the health and well-being of their organizational cultures.
Co-author of The 10 Keys of Effective Supervision, Jim has also developed “The 10 Keys of Effective Supervision™” training series, Servant Leadership: History & Evolution, The Pillars of Conflict Resolution, and Critical Issues Facing Supervisors: An Initial Look.
A man with principles firmly grounded in Christian values, Jim holds a B.A. in Secondary Education and Mathematics, and an M.S. in Education (with a focus in Instructional Technology and Media Management, both from Potsdam State College, New York.) He resides in central PA with his wife, Diane, of more than 29 years and their four children.
At the end of the day, he firmly trusts that treating people with dignity, love, and forgiveness are the keys to health in all aspects of an individual’s life.
Senior Consultant
Meet Christy Hanson
Christy Hanson has worked in the field of career development since 2005, and currently serves as Director of the Career and Professional Development Center at Messiah College.
She holds a B.A. in psychology from Messiah College and M.S. in counseling/higher education from Shippensburg University. Christy leads a dynamic team that helps students identify and pursue their personal and professional goals through individualized coaching, programming, professional connections and group presentations.
In addition to her work at Messiah College, Christy serves as a Senior Consultant with Rising Sun Consultants, facilitating training to professional teams on effective supervision, self-assessment, planning, organizational culture and team development. Christy has a passion for sharing Servant Leadership by helping individuals find the “sweet spot” that comes from the intersection of their strengths, interests, and the needs within our world.
Consultant
Meet John DeSantis
John brings over ten years of management experience in the Financial Services Industry to Rising Sun, with concentrations in Customer Service and Operations. He has led diverse employee groups with a management philosophy based on continuous learning, open communication, and trust. Recently, John used his leadership skills to positively influence students in a Residential Life environment at a top boarding school.
John holds a B.A. in Finance from Penn State University and M.S. in Leadership/Professional Advancement from Duquesne University.
John believes strongly in the concept of “radical candor,” supported by a caring heart and an intense desire to bring out the best in others. He feels that honesty without compassion and empathy can stifle growth, but genuine, respectful, and truthful communication can bring about significant change. Supporting him on his leadership journey are his wife, Jennifer, and their two daughters.
Operations Manager
Meet Danielle McLaren
Meet Danielle McLaren. As an Operations Manager, she works with the team and clients of Rising Sun Consultants to keep the day-to-day operations running smoothly and efficiently. She believes people are a priority, and loves to see organizations thrive by putting their employees and others first.
Danielle’s heart for people led her to five years of work in the EMS and Ambulance Billing/Administration field before taking on her responsibilities at RSC.
Danielle is currently pursuing a degree in Human Resource Management.
Marketing Coordinator
Meet Jo Scheidt
Jo Scheidt has lived and breathed company culture for twenty years and adheres to the Golden Rule. She recently reinvented herself as a writer after serving in support roles within the insurance and financial industries for over a decade. She is the founder of The Write JoJo: She is a Business Culture Blogger, Prayer Blog Writer, Ghostwriter, and a Freelance Writer.
Her recent move to Rising Sun Consultants was a natural transition. Jo believes in placing high importance on others first, thereby shaping her work life and building a lifestyle around those values.
Jo holds a Business Administration degree with a Concentration in Marketing. After a considerable amount of time working with various larger and smaller companies, she knows that relationships between employees and leadership are what strengthen an organization for long-term success.