Reach for the STI Skills Training Institute
The STI TEAM
Many Hands, Many Minds, One Goal...
Saving our community one person at a time
through technical skills training
Board Members
Cledell Robinson Jr., Founder and President
Mr. Robinson is a Kansas City native and a graduate of Paseo High School. Mr. Robinson graduated Summa Cum Laude from Park University with a Bachelor of Science in Management and Computer Information Systems. Mr. Robinson is a veteran of the Nuclear Navy and served aboard the SSBN 640 Benjamin Franklin a Ballistic Missile Submarine as a Nuclear Electrician. Mr. Robinson has been a Licensed Master Electrician with the City of Kansas City for over 14 years. Mr. Robinson was formerly Superintendent of Maintenance Planning for Kansas City Power & Light. Mr. Robinson has extensive teaching and training experience in technical curriculums including Naval Nuclear Prototype facilities and the Business and Technology College. He has served as the Vice President of the William Grant Pinkard Scholarship fund and as Chairman of the Career Development committee of the Kansas-Missouri Chapter of the American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE). He’s a member of Metropolitan AMEZ Church. Mr. Robinson has three children; two are currently in college (Mizzou, UMKC) and 1 grandson.
Michael McDaniel, Vice President
Mr. McDaniel is a Kansas City native and a graduate of Southeast High school. He has been involved in the construction industry since 1971 with a focus in sheet metal trade. Mr. McDaniel was formerly the Vice President of Tinmaster Inc. and also Senior Project Manager for high profile installations throughout Greater Kansas City. He is a retired Sheet Metal Journeyman with experience in welding, installation and fabrication of architectural and mechanical sheet metal. Mr. McDaniel has been a HVAC certified supervisor for over 17 years with the City of Kansas City. During his tenure as safety coordinator, Tinmaster received several awards for safety including the 2007 SMACNA Zero Injury award. Mr. McDaniel is the Chairman of the Trustee Board at True Vine Missionary Baptist Church and also President of the True Vine Community Development Corporation.
Phil Cole, Treasurer
Mr. Cole is a graduate Langston University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Minor in Accounting. Mr. Cole is Six Sigma Black Belt Certified Operations Management Professional with extensive Process Improvement background. Mr. Cole has over 20 years of risk management experience in the insurance industry. Mr. Cole currently leads the home office underwriting operations Rockhill Insurance Company. Mr. Cole served as Vice President of Westport Insurance Company for GE Insurance Solutions, where he was responsible for managing a $600M portfolio. Mr. Cole was also responsible for leading audits for a $2B insurance portfolio and redesigning the global audit process.
Bill Maples, Director of Technical Training
Mr. Maples is a native of Lawrence KS and a Graduate of Lawrence High School. He is a certified Journeyman Mechanic with over 25 years of experience in Skilled Maintenance Training and Planning. Mr. Maples is currently the Field Service Training Specialist with Mitsubishi Power Systems Americas Inc. Mr. Maples is in charge of developing and training maintenance technicians who are dispatched worldwide to service Mitsubishi maintenance contracts. As the Mechanic Training Coordinator at Kansas City Power and Light; Mr. Maples was in charge of development and administration of the Mechanic Apprenticeship program. Mr. Maples also assisted in the development of EPRI written and performance qualification exams utilized in the testing of new-hire employees. Mr. Maples was also a member of the Corporate Safety Council Safety Communication Committee and the Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee. Mr. Maples position as the Planning Coordinator at Reliant Energy included overseeing the management of the computer based maintenance management systems and PdM reports utilized in developing detailed work plans, and forced outage schedules for steam turbines, gas turbines and balance-of-plant equipment.
David E. Wilson, Non-Technical Training Consultant
Mr. Wilson is a Kansas City native and a graduate of Paseo High School. Mr. Wilson graduated from Central Missouri State University with a Bachelor of Science in Public Relations. Mr. Wilson has extensive experience in Non-profit organization development and experience in teaching, and managing of students with behavioral, emotional, cognitive and learning challenges. He has developed strategies to promote positive, effective learning while serving as a middle school Science and Math teacher, and as a high school substitute teacher. As the Managing Partner of the AIMBK Group, Mr. Wilson help create a program encompassing the integration of high school graduates into life post high school. Mr. Wilson also further developed a four (4) year comprehensive program incorporating life coaching skills including mentoring, financial integrity, entrepreneurship, civic and social responsibility.
Cledell D. Robinson, Secretary and Parliamentarian
Mr. Robinson is a Kansas City native and a graduate of Hickman Mills High School. Mr. Robinson is currently attending the University of Missouri Kansas City, pursuing Bachelor of Science in Architecture with an emphasis in Urban Planning and Development. Mr. Robinson previuosly attended Missouri Western University with studies in the field of Electrical Engineering. Mr. Robinson is currently Metrology Lab Technician for Peterson Manufacturing in charge of utilizing Coordinate Measuring Machinery and Optical Comparators to measure Engineering First Article Inspections and maintain quality control of certified equipment to engineering standards.
