Company History

In 1979, Charles Pletcher and Donald Lussier founded The Transition Team as a joint venture with Oakland University, located in Rochester, Michigan. Within seven months, it had attracted national media and clientele attention to the degree that it literally outgrew the University’s ability to support such rapid growth.

Shortly thereafter, it became a stand-alone consulting practice with offices in Troy, Michigan.

Unlike other Outplacement services, The Transition Team, almost instantly, became the consultant of choice for distressed manufacturers seeking ways to allay the complexities of mass downsizings – some of which occurred in small isolated communities, virtually crippling the local economies.

Early clients such as Uniroyal, Dana Corporation, Massey Ferguson, Caterpillar and Ex-Cell-O quickly spread the word that when The Transition Team’s unique methodology for executives, management and labor forces (union or otherwise) was closely adhered to, litigation and on-site controversy were virtually eliminated and productivity and morale remained high, if not record-breaking, throughout lengthly downsizing periods, sometimes lasting for years.

The Transition Team developed a stellar reputation for doing far more than just preparing a workforce for ultimate job change.

To this day, it provides critical tools for:

• management
• union leaders
• community/government leaders
• education and even religious leaders

Over the years, we have worked in communities as small as Orestes, Indiana (334) to communities as large as Greater Los Angeles and New York City (over 8 million) with consistent award-winning success. We have worked in manufacturing facilities with less than 30 non-unique employees and in facilities with over 5,000 union employees. In fact, one facility was so large it had its own zip code, and more that 20 unions represented its labor and administrative force.

One major automotive manufacturer, which annually bestows quality awards of distinction on only 1% of its vendors, included us in this coveted circle.
The firm has also received numerous State and national awards for their outstanding career management and trailing spouse/partner programs.

In 1998, Donald R. Truza, SPHR, CMF, an eight-year operating partner of the firm, assumed the reins of The Transition Team as CEO and moved the Executive offices to Knoxville, Tennessee while still maintaining regional office in Michigan.

Don also has the distinction of being President Emeritus of the Outplacement Industry’s official professional association: ACF International, and also former Vice President of Human Resources for Sea Ray Boats.

Charles Pletcher, who is retired near Ocala, Florida remains a strategic business consultant, as well as an ongoing contributing consultant, to the Team’s popular and expanding Pre-retirement Planning Programs.