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Gloria Petersen Profile

  • Business etiquette and relationship building expert, Gloria Petersen draws from 30 years of trade secrets to help professionals project charisma and power at meetings and events.

  • Petersen is the author and creator of The Art of the Professional Connection, a book and training series that is the definitive career resource guide.

  • A graduate of the Protocol School of Washington® with 16 years of experience working in corporate America, Petersen has shared her wealth of expertise on FOX, The Learning Channel, and several other media outlets.
  • Gloria Petersen has a 30 year legacy of teaching others how to bring their best self to meetings and events. As the Founder and President of Global Protocol, Inc., Petersen works with professionals on their personal image and business etiquette, turning them into masters of first impressions and professional connections.

    Petersen evolved her line of work from her eclectic background in fashion and corporate America. She is a graduate of the Protocol School of Washington®, a Certified Protocol Professional, and the author and creator of the book and training series, The Art of the Professional Connection. Her products and services are used religiously by several Fortune 100 companies.

    Petersen was host of the FOX reality series Image of Success. She has also appeared as an “etiquette judge” on The Learning Channel and as a guest consultant on many mainstream news programs.

    • View Extended/Alternate Bio

      Multidimensional Expert

      Gloria has touched many lives over the years. Through her talks and presentations, her consulting and training programs, thousands have unearthed the secret to projecting their personal presence with charisma, power, and poise in their business and personal lives. She has created an arsenal of programs and speeches that have and will continue to inspire people to see life’s obstacles as opportunities to grow and emerge stronger, smarter, and more determined than ever to live life to the fullest.

      Prior to 1985, she spent sixteen years in corporate America. Then, during her early years developing Global Protocol, Inc., she studied and conducted seminars on business protocol, professional etiquette, and personal image. These experiences gave her the groundwork needed to develop her company, Global Protocol, Inc.

      Persevering Entrepreneur

      A question Gloria constantly hears is: “How did you get into this business?” Her response: “I evolved into it.” It was not a profession for which you say, “When I grow up I want to be. . . .” Life does not always work that way. Detours in the road cause us to reroute our goals and our ambitions. The challenge becomes to stay focused on an outcome that works for you, not against you, whatever the odds. First, you have to tap into your unique abilities (your gifts); from this you identify your passion. Next, you create your plan. (Read Gloria’s “Upfront and Personal” blog to learn more about her journey and how you can use her experiences to enhance your own career goals.)

      Gloria has always been an achiever with great work ethic reviews. When bad times and corporate cutbacks left her dangling in 1980, literally, she decided to focus on being a full-time mother. To fulfill her ambitions and her need to be engaged with people, she became involved in volunteer work at the YMCA and YWCA. Then, as she helped the YWCA develop “lunch and learn” programs, an idea emerged.

      In 1985 she launched a company known today as Global Protocol, Inc. She used her fashion-design schooling, cosmetic training, and color-analysis expertise to get started as an image consultant and debuted a series of fashion workshops for both men and women. But something was missing, so she researched and found The Color Studio in Richardson, Texas; The Professional Image Institute in Atlanta, Georgia; and The Protocol School of Washington in Washington, D.C. The only training available at that time was in the form of certifications from these institutions. She completed all of them—sometimes more than once. Then Gloria formulated her own version of this new and emerging industry. Of course, it took years to make this all happen. She started in 1985 but her plan did not fully come together until 1994, when she landed her first major retainer with AT&T—you can be sure that a lot happened in between.

      Exemplary Survivor

      Recuperating, Gloria continues to share her knowledge.

      Gloria has overcome many challenges in her life, both personal and professional. Her first serious personal challenge happened when she was stabbed in a senseless act of violence in 2004 at an upscale Chicago department store. She stopped the attempted theft of a mink coat. She was told she would never regain full use of her severed left thigh muscle. She didn’t listen and instead focused on rebuilding her leg muscle. She was still alive! The rest was up to her. Beating the odds, she is now fully recovered and has full use of her left leg. With the help of her faith, determination, and physical therapy regimen, she walks proudly today with no sign of a limp—even in high heels! She is now able to talk about the healing process from this senseless act of violence as an inspiration to others.

      If that was not enough, in January 2010 she was hospitalized for emergency surgery and learned that she had a rare form of cancer (carcinoid cancer). She thought she had been living a very healthy life! She ate right, exercised regularly, maintained a healthy weight, did not smoke, and rarely drank alcohol. Her response: “If I am going to contract cancer, of course, it is going to be a rare one!” Instead of letting this unexpected illness consume her, she fought back with her faith, diet, and exercise. She is winning the battle without radiation or chemo. While in the hospital, she made the decision to record the wisdom she acquired through her years of work (her legacy) in a four-book series entitled, The Art of Professional Connections, which is now available in soft-cover and ebook (Kindle) formats. These books were released in 2011, 2012, and 2013.

      Overcoming obstacles is what inspires her: achieving dreams against the odds. These personal traumas have made her a stronger person and an inspiration for many.

      Dedicated Mother and Grandmother

      Gloria has a son and a daughter (both in their 30s), who have blessed her with eight grandchildren (ages ten and under). Although they live in two different states (Arizona and Virginia), she is there when they need her to help with the children. Whether it is watching the children while their parents enjoy a vacation or taking the children on an adventure.

      It only took one phone call in the spring of 2007 from her daughter to inspire Gloria, without hesitation, to move from Chicago to Phoenix in November of 2007—a move that proved to be a blessing in disguise. She arrived in time to experience the amazing birth of her daughter’s twins (Adam and Allison). Her daughter, Serena, now has four children (Jonathan, Adam, Allison, and Janie). Her son also has four children (Aiden, Hannah, Kate, and Lauren). They keep her spirit young!

      Giving Volunteer

      Gloria has served on numerous fundraisers, benefiting organizations like The American Red Cross, Lutheran Social Services, and the Serenity Hospice. These campaigns involved organizing fundraising events, commentating fashion shows, and arranging for donations. There are just not enough hours in a day to “give” time to all the charities in need. Therefore, on her globalbusinessprotocol.com website, she designated a monthly blog called “In the Spotlight” to spread the word and promote “good works.”

      Her professional memberships include the National Speakers Association, American Society of Training and Development, Association of Image Consultants International, and local Chambers of Commerce, to name a few. Whatever the membership, she always takes an active volunteer role. These roles can range from being a people mover at a national convention to organizing chapter programs and speakers.

    Gloria Petersen Speaking Videos

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    Gloria Petersen's Speech Descriptions

    Gloria Petersen draws from 30 years of trade secrets on networking, making a positive impression, and building lasting relationships. Petersen helps individuals resurrect and refine people skills that have gotten lost in the shadows of rising technology, and she is constantly updating her content to keep up with modern day business etiquette across various cultures and settings. Her interactive and case-driven keynotes will take you through simple details and actions you can apply to work a room more effectively and get the most out of any networking event.

      Have you ever wished you could take back a mistake you made and start over?

      Do you realize that how things end make a greater impression on people than how they begin?

      The good news is that you can save an awkward moment with a powerful rebound that sets a lasting impression. But you must first understand what happened so you can put a new strategy in place.

      This begins by gaining specific communication attributes that deliver better results than you ever expected.

      Using these attributes will:

      • improve the social skills of your management team so everyone can enjoy a greater spirit of cooperation,
      • help you know the best approach to use with a diversified customer base,
      • enhance the personal magnetism of your leaders to ensure that they attract loyal team members and customers,
      • model the social skills leaders need for a wide range of applications.

      And they can be learned!

      Through our customized seminars and workshops, you can experience for yourself the effectiveness of these attributes.

      Topic Ideas:

      Business Etiquette/Protocol

      • The History of Etiquette
      • Gender/Age/Cultural Influences
      • Meeting/Seating Protocol
      • Conference/Trade Show

      International Protocol

      • International Protocol Guide
      • Briefings/Debriefings
      • Gift Exchange Do’s/Dont’s

      Cultural Diversity

      • Cultural Etiquette Variances
      • Nuances to Avoid
      • Crossing Cultural Barriers

      Business Socializing

      • Business Lunch Tutorial
      • Dine Like a Diplomat
      • Mix and Mingle Like a Pro
      • Networking Simplified

      Personal Empowerment

      • Power of Perception
      • Engage Your Personal Power
      • Captivate with Presence
      • Body Language Cues
      • Connect with Charisma

      Communication Style Units

      • Impressive Greetings
      • Formal Introductions
      • Handshake Messages
      • Conversation Skills
      • Business Card Exchange

      Behavior

      • Civility in the Workplace
      • Conflict Diplomacy
      • Office Politics and Gossip
      • Handling Rudeness

      Electronic Community

      • Email Composition
      • Social Media Reputation
      • Telephone Savvy

      Personal Enhancement

      • Image Development
      • Color Analysis
      • Body Line Analysis
      • Personal Style

      Business Dress

      • Casual and Tailored Defined
      • Trends and Taboos
      • Strategic Dressing
      • Power Dressing
      • Head to Toe Assessments

    What People are Saying about Seeing Gloria Speak

    Rating Entries

      “Thank you again for the great seminar you put on for our account representatives. Your customization of the agenda made the seminar more meaningful, the pace was perfect, the lunch tutorial was fun as well as instructive, and the feedback we received was excellent.”
      Larry M. Stege, Vice-President, Chicago Metro Sales and Marketing Manager, First American Title Insurance Company

      “Your keynote address was spectacular. I have received only positive comments about not only the breadth of your knowledge but also the method of presentation. In addition, I was able to apply much of your insight a week later when I was in Japan on business. My thanks come not only from Graydon, but also from a personal perspective. You are always welcome as a speaker at any of our conferences.”
      Eric MacDonald, International Council Graydon Holding NV, New York

      “It′s not easy for college grads to make the transition to a corporate, customer-focused work environment. We wanted to give our new hires that extra boost of confidence that comes from knowing how to conduct themselves in a professional, business-like manner. The etiquette training module was very well received by our new hires, and all of our objectives were met.”
      Walt Marston, Manager of Sales Development and Training AFP, Sun Microsystems, Inc.

      “Congratulations on your super program for Alpha Kappa Psi. You were the best I have seen in my four AKPsi conventions and regionals! I am a tough critic! Thank you for that well-organized, totally professional and properly focused session.”
      Bill Johnson, Speaker

      “Thank you for serving as a speaker for this year′s NSFRE (National Society of Fund Raising Executives) conference. Your session was a huge hit, and I appreciate the time and effort it took to develop the program. I look forward to working with you again. It was a real treat to have you with us — Many Thanks!”
      Sarah W. Hitch, CRFE Chief Staff Officer, Lynn Sage Cancer Research Foundation

      “Gloria Petersen′s Dine Like a Diplomat course prepared our executives for Continental style dining with our business partners in the finest restaurants in Europe.”
      Carl Caldeira, President and CEO, Rapid Granulator, Inc.

      AT&TMiller Brewing Company
      Arthur AndersenMotorola
      Bank OneNordstrom
      Bergstrom, IncRussel Metals Bahcall Group
      Chicago Tribune Sara Lee Corporation
      First Chicago NBD BankSearle
      GE Capital ServicesSun Microsystems
      Greenlee TextronSundstrand Corporation
      Kraft Foods North America Taylor Company
      McDonald′s Corporation University of Chicago

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