 Magazine Feature
Story
Cameo: Barbara Sealund,
Sealund & Associates
By Jay Winchester
Published: January 2009
Computer games are all the
rage. The engaging storylines and vivid graphic
representations capture the imaginations of players,
engaging them in new and different ways. Plus, they make
great tools for learning, especially in the corporate
environment. That’s the strategy promoted by Barbara Sealund and her company, Sealund & Associates, a St.
Petersburg-based Christian company and global leader in
providing innovative, customer-focused custom training,
eLearning solutions and Serious Games.
“Employees need to be
motivated to learn,” says the company’s Founder and
President, Barbara Sealund. “Our proven methodologies,
combined with computer gaming and 2D and 3D graphical
elements, help make the learning exciting and fun. Once
client C-Level executives see how successful the
training is, they want more.”
In business since 1985, the
company enjoys relationships with both domestic and
foreign companies in a wide array of markets. These
include Financial Services, Health Services,
Manufacturing, Government, Education, Insurance, Retail
and Utilities, among others. Fortune 1000 members and
household names appear regularly among the company’s
200-plus clients, which include Bank of America, Blue
Cross/Blue Shield, Computer Associates, IBM, Northwest
Airlines, UPS, AT&T, and Kodak.
There are three reasons why
such familiar corporate entities take advantage of the
computer-based training and virtual reality learning
modules Sealund develops. First, these companies have a
tremendous need to train large numbers of employees
effectively and efficiently. Second, Sealund’s use of
proven training methods and innovative software provide
a mechanism for learning that increases employee
participation and retention of the subject matter.
Third, Sealund’s sterling reputation as a company
focused on “Trust, Service and Quality” make them an
excellent corporate partner.
An example of the latter is
a Virtual Learning Environment Sealund developed for a
local physicians’ group that teaches doctors the
procedures they should use in treating the human body.
Through extensive use of avatars, animated graphical
representations of human beings (some of which closely
resemble real-world doubles), the doctors practice
life-saving surgical procedures in the safety of the
virtual operating room, with the clear understanding
that the results they produce in the virtual world can
be reproduced in the real world, with the attendant good
- or bad - consequences. Demos of the company’s games,
simulations and virtual learning environments are
available online at
www.sealund.com.
As for Barbara, what she
does with her company today is really a sophisticated
extension of the teaching career she once enjoyed. After
receiving her BA and Master’s in Education, she embarked
on a 12 year tenure as a teacher. “I loved teaching,”
she says. In fact, a handful of her former students now
work at her company. “It is a blessing to be able to
watch individuals and professionals grow over time and
realize you played a part in that,” says Sealund.
The entry into
Computer-Based Training (CBT) came in 1982, when Barbara
was working at a leading financial services firm.
Knowing her background and her growing interest in
technology, she was approached to work with a software
firm to develop learning programs for 1,000 COBOL
trainees. The goal was to help employees learn a new
application through an emulated system hosted on the
company’s mainframe computer.
After successfully
completing that project, the software company asked
Barbara to start her own business. “They wanted me to
help promote CBT worldwide,” she says. “I ended up
helping 25 to 30 companies in Germany, Belgium, England
and The Netherlands implement CBT into their training
environments.”
The rest, as they say, is
history. Like much of history, the company has had its
share of ups and downs. Through it all, though,
Barbara’s faith has helped her maintain a proactive and
grateful attitude. “Although our work involves
developing these innovative learning tools, we are
working to glorify God through our commitment to
integrity, service and quality,” she says resolvedly.
Her membership in the local
chapter of The C12 Group, a peer-to-peer executive
consultancy for Christian business owners and CEO’s, is
key in helping her company grow. As with most things
involving Barbara, C12 is all about learning. “C12
teaches us effective strategies for implementing our
faith, values and principles into our company cultures,
for the express purpose of honoring God and impacting
lives,” she says. “It’s a great opportunity for learning
a different approach to business. Here, we make our
company decisions on the basis of thorough analysis,
good business sense and prayer.”
It sounds like Barbara
Sealund has learned the true secret to success.
To find out more about the
innovative Virtual Learning Environments and custom
eLearning solutions offered by Sealund & Associates,
visit them on the Web at
www.sealund.com, or call 727.572.1800.
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