Blue Heron Talent, LLC

Leadership

Barbara Allushuski is President and CEO of Blue Heron Talent, LLC.

Professional Experience

Barbara has coached “C Suite” level clients from a broad industry representation, including: Insurance, Healthcare, Automotive, Publishing, Utility, Construction, Manufacturing, Retail, Financial, Professional Services, College/University Faculty & Staff, Consulting and Non-Profit Organizations. Prior to establishing Blue Heron Talent, Barbara was President of Right Management Great Lakes Region. She was also a Worldwide Partner with Mercer, where she oversaw the firm’s eleven Midwest offices. Additionally, she has held the positions of Corporate Vice President-Sales & Marketing for a major insurance company and Vice President-Human Resources in the insurance and retail industry. Barbara began her career at General Motors. She has extensive experience in labor relations and executive compensation.

Barbara is a results-oriented executive coach. Her coaching style can be described as taking a pragmatic approach in working with executives to help them reach their highest potential. Barbara creates a customized coaching plan for her clients, drawing on over 35 years of business/corporate/leadership experience. Clients find her to be a thought partner who helps them expand their self-awareness and develop behaviors and strategies that leverage existing strengths, while addressing challenges and opportunities for development. Her style has been characterized as practical, focused, and no nonsense. She can deliver the tough messages with insight and empathy. Additionally, Barbara has worked as an international coach delivering a year-long leadership development and coaching program in London, Hong Kong, and Chicago.

Barbara also developed a “C-Suite” Senior Level Executive Women’s Leadership Forum in 2003. She has worked with executive women to enhance the key skills necessary to lead at the highest levels of organizations, such as executive presence, business acumen, building strategic relationships and balancing priorities. Today, this forum continues to be a very active group of senior level businesswomen who come together on a quarterly basis to offer each other peer coaching in a confidential environment.

Barbara serves on the following Boards of Directors: 

  • Limited Partner, Belle Capital 

  • Detroit Regional Chamber - Emeritus (Past Board Chair & Chair of Mackinac Policy Conference) 

  • Girl Scouts of SE Michigan Advisory Board

Barbara served on the Board of Directors of Level One Bank (NASDAQ_LEVL) - Compensation Committee - Chair, Audit Committee (2010-2022). Level One Bank was acquired by First Merchants Bank in April 2022. Additionally, she served on the Board of American Heart Association of Southeast Michigan (Former Chair, Go Red for Women), SelectCare Inc., Henry Ford Health System – Fairlane, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Corporate Board, Wayne/Westland YWCA, Michigan Metro Girl Scouts, Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan, American Society of Employers and the Skyline Club. Barbara has also been a Trustee of the Ohio University Foundation. She is a member of the International Women’s Forum - Michigan Chapter and a former member of the Women Corporate Directors Foundation.

Highlights

  • Bank Executive & Board Compensation Conference Speaker-"Aligning Compensation with Corporate Strategy"

  • Established International Coaching Clients in London, Scotland, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong

  • Distinguished Alumni Award, Ohio University College of Arts and Sciences

  • Top 25 Women Making a Difference Award Recipient, Michigan Women's Foundation

  • Inforum Inner Circle Honoree

  • Leaders & Innovators Award Recipient, Lawrence Tech University

  • Former Chair, Go Red for Women, American Heart Association

  • Crain’s Most Influential Women List

Certifications

Hogan Assessments:

  • Hogan Motives, Values, Preferences Inventory

  • Hogan Development Survey

  • Hogan Personality Inventory

Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)

CPI260

Education

Ohio University – Bachelor’s Degree, Economics, Cum Laude

University of Pennsylvania – The Wharton School, Executive Leadership