Since the founding of Training Modernization Group, Inc. in July 2002, founder and president, Joe Barto, has led a one of the most successful small businesses in the Commonwealth of Virginia with operations across the country and in Canada. Built on the cornerstone of trust and values driven, he has assembled a team of highly engaged professionals committed to success resulting in Training Modernization Group reporting profits every year.
Barto is an expert in building and maintaining high performance teams including: Leader development, talent acquisition and retention systems, workforce risk analysis, and lean six sigma. Some of its partners include Northrop Grumman Newport News, BAE Systems Ship Repair, Shell Oil, Alcoa, Glatfelter, Minerals Technologies, Ball Metal Manufacturing, Liebherr Mining Equipment, Aera Energy, Oceaneering, the Virginia Department of Transportation, and the Virginia Department of Veterans Services.
A retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel, Barto served in peace and war both in the United States and abroad. During Operation Desert Shield, he was the Chief of Current Operations for the 25,000 soldier 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized) and then was the Executive Officer of the 2nd Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment which led the division into the Euphrates River Valley during Operation Desert Storm. From July 1992 - August 1994, he was assigned as a Special Assistant to the Commanding General of Training and Doctrine Command, Fort Monroe, VA. Prior to retiring, Barto served as an original member of the Joint Warfighting Center and was one of the key developers of the Joint Training System and the primary author of the June, 1996 Joint Training Manual.
He earned a B.S. degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY in 1978 where he was an army basketball player. Barto earned a master of public administration in organizational theory and leadership from James Madison University in 1988. He is on the Board of Directors for New Horizon’s Regional Education Center Foundation and the Association of Manufacturing Excellence’s Southeast Region Board of Directors, the Steering Committee for the Hampton Roads Quality Management Council, and the Chair of the Workforce Development Committee of the Virginia Off Shore Wind Coalition. He is a frequent presenter at professional forums and a published author in leadership, performance improvement and lean.
