MEET OUR BENCH
Seasoned coaches & consultants with real-world experience.
At Bench Builders, clients work directly with experienced professionals — not junior staff or off-the-shelf programs.
Whether you're developing leaders, building bench strength, or navigating complex people and leadership challenges, you'll be backed by practitioners who've led teams, built systems, and solved real organizational problems.
That's what Bench Builders brings together — practical leadership development and executive coaching under one roof, with one consistent standard: real-world experience, not theory.
Mike O’Neill
Founder & Executive Coach
Credentials & Highlights
Certified Executive Coach
SHRM-SPHR (Senior Professional in HR)
25 years in senior leadership and HR roles
Host of Get Unstuck & On Target
Expertise: executive coaching, succession planning, team alignment
Advisor to business owners, C-suite leaders, and growth-stage organizations
M.Ed., HR Development — Vanderbilt University
Bio
Great leadership isn’t about policies — it’s about people. That’s the principle that shaped Mike’s 20+ year career in Fortune 500 HR leadership, where he guided executives through mergers, culture shifts, rapid growth, and complex organizational change.
After decades helping leaders strengthen alignment and build healthier teams, Mike founded Bench Builders to bring practical, real-world coaching to organizations that want clarity, accountability, and impact — not theory.
Today, he works directly with founders and senior executives as an experienced advisor, helping them make better calls when people, performance, and organizational realities get complicated.
Rhonda Beard
Leadership Development & HR Consultant
Credentials & Highlights
SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP)
Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR)
20+ years in HR, operations, and people strategy leadership
Cross-industry experience in manufacturing, banking, logistics, and nonprofits
Specialist in leadership development, culture transformation, and strategic HR
Advisor to growing businesses navigating change, engagement, and performance
Known for her practical, people-centered approach to leadership and team success
B.A. in Business - Finance, University of Michigan-Flint
Bio
Rhonda is a seasoned HR leader with more than 20 years of hands-on experience helping companies build resilient teams and lead through complex transitions. Before joining Bench Builders, she led HR functions across multiple industries — from manufacturing and transportation to banking and nonprofits — working with both Fortune 500 companies and family-owned businesses.
Known for her practical, people-centered approach, Rhonda helps leaders strengthen culture, develop their managers, and create environments where teams can thrive. Her work brings clarity to complex challenges, steadiness during organizational change, and a focus on results that support long-term growth.
Ready to work with seasoned leaders who understand the real world of leadership?
Skip the theory. Work with experienced professionals who have led teams, built systems,
and helped companies navigate real people and leadership challenges.
Ready to work with seasoned leaders who understand the real world of leadership?
Skip the theory. Work with experienced professionals who have led teams, built systems, and helped companies navigate real people and leadership challenges.
Join the Leaders Who Are Scaling Smarter, Not Harder
Practical leadership development and executive coaching built for the real world.
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