Dr. Jarik E. Conrad is a true-to-life example of the power of emotional intelligence. He grew up in a housing project in East St. Louis, IL, a place so economically challenged that it has been described as the most distressed small city in America. He is now president of the Conrad Consulting Group, LLC, which helps organizations solve complex people-related challenges.

He has broad leadership experience across a number of industries including positions with the St. Louis Cardinals, Union Carbide Corporation, The Pillsbury Company, Citigroup, CSX, and the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce. He recently led Blueprint for Prosperity, an initiative to improve the quality of life for citizens in Jacksonville, Florida.

Dr. Conrad earned his Doctor of Education degree from the University of North Florida. He earned a Master of Industrial & Labor Relations degree and a Master of Business Administration degree from Cornell University, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Illinois. He is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and the president the North Florida Chapter of the National Speakers Association (NSA).

Dr. Conrad serves on the Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence in Organizations (CREIO) and several local nonprofit boards including the Early Learning Coalition, Non-Profit Center of Northeast Florida, Community Connections of Jacksonville, and OneJax. He is an alumnus of Leadership Jacksonville and Leadership Florida. He has won several awards such as UNF's Young Alumni Award in 2008. He has also been named one of the top forty professionals under forty in Jacksonville by the Jacksonville Business Journal.

He has several publications including, The Master of Success with notable authors Ken Blanchard and Jack Canfield, and The Relationship between Emotional Intelligence and Intercultural Sensitivity. His latest book, The Fragile Mind: How it has Produced and Unwittingly Perpetuated America's Tragic Disparities,has garnered him two national book awards.

His wife, Adrienne, is a labor and employment lawyer with McGuireWoods, LLP.

Business, Management, Stress, Education Professionals, Psychologists, Human Resources, Diversity, Teamwork & Teambuilding, Education Industry, Education Diversity Topics, Motivational, Leadership,