Dream-to-reality
activator

Bruce 'Zen' Benefiel _{MA, MBA, CHt, TLC}

Principal and owner of Be The Dream (since 1988), specializing in partnering facilitation, project management, organizational development, strategic planning consulting, customer service and motivational speaking. His vocational experience spans aerospace, education, health foods, home improvements, manufacturing, radio, social services, television and video production. Zen is one of those characters who has kept moving, creating and facilitating projects including a plethora of passions. 

His personal passions have fueled his professional life as well. An adoptee (6 weeks), contactee and near-death experiencer sets him apart from the usual crowd. Garnering the wisdom from each has given him the ability to lead with uncommon sense and style while bridging diverse backgrounds and perspectives to achieve common goals and objectives. Zen believes anything is possible when people, places and things are aligned with purpose.

With the ability to stand out in a crowd, such as the space cowboy to the right, Zen undoubtedly gets mixed reviews. Yet, spending a few moments in conversation reveals a deeply intelligent and caring nature that is rare in the world today. From a colleague, “Zen possesses an expansive view of how to accomplish a given task. He is also open to new ideas and willingly endorses others' ideas which better accomplish the goal. Zen has a great strength in interpersonal communications.”

• Possibilities Coagulator - Facilitator - Transformational Life Coach

• Master of Business Administration degree in Project Management

• Master of Arts degree in Organizational Management

• B.S. degree in Business Administration, minor in Finance

• Certified Transformational Life Coach

• Over twenty years experience facilitating classes & workshops

• Over 10 years as a college and secondary instructor/teacher

Personal Objectives

• CoCreate integrated showcase of people, places and things under the domain 'PlanetaryCitizens.net' as a virtual model themed 'harmony among people and planet.' Website is built as a shared revenue model and populated with people, products and services congruent with the 'theme.' You can review the Business Plan Summary here.

• CoCreate a peer community educational village using the Spectrum Academy model to example a working institution designed for the new millennial mindset, one that comprehends the concept of 'oneness' and seeks to incorporate it in life. This is a student-centered environment with considerations for self-sustainability.

• Facilitate the growth of Be The Dream Academy, Inc. to include educational events, community organizing workshops and new millennial festivals that bridge personal and professional environments that relate to a healthy global village.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Authored numerous articles, blogs, books (7) and papers on transformational topics. (Amazon Author Profile)

• Conducts Partnering workshops for public and private sector organizations in the southwestern United States, with construction (building, road and bridge) as the primary focus.

• Conducts management and organizational training focusing on communication, employee involvement, partnerships, motivation, customer service, and leadership. Past Valley of the Sun ASTD Chapter Board member.

• Facilitated small to large groups as event logistics coordinator/manager with patronage of 5,000 to 250,000 from single day to 4-day duration. ('90-'02)

• Producer/host of television series (over 100 shows) focused on personal/professional development interviews with celebrities, lay people and professionals. ('90-'92)

• Participated in proposal writing and presentation to the City of Phoenix Mayor and City Council; winning support regarding Native American desires for multi-use development of Phoenix Indian School Park grounds. ('91-'93)

• Published in/on - Arizona Light, Extend Multicultural Magazine, Arizona Good Life News, HolisticLocal.net, BeTheDream.info, SelfGrowth.com, ACISTE.org, SpectrumAcademy.org, SearchWarp and various professional and social networking sites on the Web.

• Production Control Coordinator for an aerospace company responsible $7 Million in monthly shipments - over 800 item parts list for commercial spares. ('86-'89)

• 13-State territory manager for health food telemarketing sales - increased market penetration by 45%, from 16% to 61% in 18 months. ('82-'83)

Zen completed his Transformational Life Coach certification in 2004 through the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts. He also taught Business Plan Development classes there and worked with the staff in organizational development, communication and problem-solving preferences as the school was growing tremendously.

Since then he has served scores of clients through a variety of business and personal processes. His unique background allows him to address the conservative crowd as well as those who desire to experience the 'urban shaman' approach to transformation in the red rocks of Sedona. He's had the opportunity to work with numerous Nations in Arizona on a variety of themes, from roads to cultural heritage parks and more.

Zen also provides partnering facilitation for the Arizona Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration multi-million dollar construction projects bringing contractors, designers, engineers, municipalities, utilities and others to consensus in launching project management, issue resolution and action plan development. Several of his 'partnerings' have received partnering excellence awards.

In the early 80s he catapulted a health foods company's success with a 45% increase in market penetration throughout a 13-state territory. In the mid 80s he facilitated $7 million per month in commercial aircraft spare parts, then a 20% reduction in delinquent military spares shipments, as an aerospace production control coordinator through aligning interdepartmental information flow. In the process, he initiated interpersonal skills development when it was not popular.

Rising from the ashes yet again after nearly a year of self-examination, he became a radio and television host in the early 90s. His focus was on overcoming common fears that helped people achieve their dreams. Hosting over 100 One World shows, he highlighted success stories from homeless transitional facilities to city government to internationally acclaimed celebrities. He went on to co-produce several community activism television shows on child development, holistic medicine, political activism and community service.

He also worked with tribal representatives to help facilitate the development of the Steele Indian School Park, learning the reality and value of 'all our relations' being connected. A rare interview with the co-chair of the Phoenix Indian School Preservation Coalition sparked his involvement.

Zen developed a live metaphor for transformation; a comedic look at his own quest for congruence complete with PowerPoint (1995) and presented to hundreds throughout the following decade. During this period he completed his Master of Business Administration in Project Management from the University of Phoenix in 1997, going on to complete certification in Secondary Education with the goal of empowering students with real world connections to their learning.

After receiving certification in Secondary Education, Zen was granted an emergency certification in special education for high school. It turned out that business openings were rare in the Phoenix Metro area. He took his students through a successful journey in creating research papers; thought nearly impossible by 'trained' school staff. Zen also completed certification in Hypnotherapy, providing an avenue to share techniques in accessing deep knowing and pattern changing processes.

He went on to manage entire curriculums at several charter high schools and even a residential treatment center for adjudicated teens while finishing a Master of Arts in Organizational Management from the University of Phoenix in 2002. He wrote a project plan for an alternative school/community called Spectrum Academy. An author and avid writer, a paper on personal ethics garners several thousand views per month on the web now.

Always the champion for the underdog, Zen worked with Self Employment Loan Fund to help challenged entrepreneurs, women and minority owned businesses, through consulting and facilitating written business plans, in acquiring small business loans and assisting with organizational development.

As an educator with real world experience his compassion and understanding allows him to communicate effectively on a wide range of topics that relate to self-awareness, personal development and co-creating healthy environments and relationships in the new millennium. The new paradigm is collaborative creation, inclusive of personal and planetary purpose.

"Anything less than the truth and we make fools of ourselves." author unknown

Objectives when engaged

Focus: Integrating science and spiritual principles to empower co-creation and achievement of dreams/goals.

Secondary: Excellence in education delivery in secondary, post-secondary and professional environments.

Management Style: Charismatic / Transformational

Skills set:

• Business Consulting – analysis, strategic planning, project management

• Facilitating - coalitions, collaborations, cooperatives, partnering workshops

• Educating, Mentoring and Coaching – secondary and adult learners

• Event Coordinating – small to large scale private and public events

• Television Producing – producer/host, procurement coordinator and media buyer

• Transformational Life Coaching - ally, guide, mentor, shape shifter and zeitgeist

• Supply Chain Managing and Resource Integration – aerospace, events, health foods

• Sales and Marketing – education, graphic services, health foods, home improvements

• Desktop Publishing – brochures, j-cards, posters, newsletters, presentations

Completed Graduate Studies:

Master of Arts - Organizational Management, U. of Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ 10/03

Human Resources, Conflict Management, Project Planning - 3.94 gpa

Master of Business Administration, University of Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ – 2/97

Project Management, Marketing, and Production - 3.84 gpa

Other Education:

Bachelor of Science - Business Administration, University of Phoenix 11/89

Life Coach Certification, Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, Tempe, AZ – 8/04

15 proficiencies for personal and professional development – 100 hours

Secondary Teacher Certification, University of Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ – 11/98

Business Certification - 3.95 gpa

Hypnotherapy Cert., Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, Scottsdale, AZ – 2/98

Stress relief, personal growth and development – 100 hours

Desktop Publishing Certificate, Aztech College, Tempe, AZ – 8/92

Adobe Illustrator, Quark, Adobe PageMaker – 100 hours

BS in Business Administration, University of Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ – 11/89

Major: Advertising, Finance and Marketing - 3.72 gpa

Self Employment & Personal Endeavors:

Be The Dream, Gilbert, AZ (1988 to present)

Business & Personal Transformational Coach & Facilitator - Entrepreneurial and executive coaching; sales/marketing consulting, ministerial and spiritual counseling, hypnotherapy, personal transformational life coaching, personal and professional development workshops using the synergy of science and spiritual wisdom.  Facilitator for partnering workshops in various industries, fostering collaboration and team building.

Can Do Productions, Inc., Phoenix, AZ (1992 -93)

Video/television producer, host, procurement coordinator and media buyer. Developed format, content, and talent and secured studio time, coordinated location tapings and directed final post-production for series of 30 minute community activist television shows called “Who?”. Simultaneously Production Coordinator for three other hosts' shows  with multiple studios, location tapings and crews to assemble.

GAIA-Fest (Aug. 2001), Pacific Palisades, California

Co-creation and facilitation of eco-festival in multi-tiered canyon, know as Las Pulgas, celebrating environmental and spiritual alternatives. Event included body/mind/spirit vendors, alternative energy devices, eco-system regeneration projects, organic gardening, paulownia tree exhibit and live music with 60+ vendors. Attendance was estimated at 2,000 patrons and received front-page coverage in Pacific Palisadian, CA newspaper.