The Cleaver Company Story

William Marston, an American psychologist, created the DISC model of behavior in the 1920s as part of his research on emotions and personality. His work was detailed in his 1928 book, "Emotions of Normal People," where he identified four primary pers

William Marston, an American psychologist, created the DISC model of behavior in the 1920s as part of his research on emotions and personality. His work was detailed in his 1928 book, "Emotions of Normal People," where he identified four primary personality traits: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Compliance. Marston's DISC theory has since been widely adopted in various fields and serves as the basis for the Cleaver DISC & Motivating Values Assessment.

Walter Clarke developed the Activity Vector Analysis (AVA) in the 1940s as a psychometric tool for assessing personality traits and predicting workplace behavior. Clarke's AVA was designed to measure four key personality dimensions: Assertiveness, So

Walter Clarke developed the Activity Vector Analysis (AVA) in the 1940s as a psychometric tool for assessing personality traits and predicting workplace behavior. Clarke's AVA was designed to measure four key personality dimensions: Assertiveness, Sociability, Calmness, and Compliance, helping employers make informed hiring and management decisions. Over time, AVA has been integrated into various professional settings, enhancing understanding of employee behavior and organizational dynamics.

John “Clipper” Cleaver joined Walter V. Clarke Associates and began developing his own version of the DISC Assessment which he called the Self DISCription. His focus was on matching behavior to roles and sought to arm the supervisor with a tool that

John “Clipper” Cleaver joined Walter V. Clarke Associates and began developing his own version of the DISC Assessment which he called the Self DISCription. His focus was on matching behavior to roles and sought to arm the supervisor with a tool that could be used to ensure the right people were placed in the right roles.

In 1956, Clipper started his own firm, J.P. Cleaver Company, and used his new assessment which took Clarke’s work on the Activity Vector Analysis and evolved it into a 24 factor questionnaire with forced-rank questions.

In 1956, Clipper started his own firm, J.P. Cleaver Company, and used his new assessment which took Clarke’s work on the Activity Vector Analysis and evolved it into a 24 factor questionnaire with forced-rank questions.

The next evolution in the Cleaver DISC was the addition of the Human Factor Job DISCription where a supervisor or leadership team could create a DISC pattern specifically for each role and then match applicants to those roles based on their individua

The next evolution in the Cleaver DISC was the addition of the Human Factor Job DISCription where a supervisor or leadership team could create a DISC pattern specifically for each role and then match applicants to those roles based on their individual DISC patterns. This was one of the earliest versions of pre-hire applicant screening where a behavioral assessment was used in the hiring decision specific to the role that was being hired for.

In the next major evolution of the Cleaver Tool universe, Clipper developed the 360 Leadership Skills Assessment as a way for managers to gather anonymous feedback and reviews from team members to drive their own growth and development. The Cleaver 3

In the next major evolution of the Cleaver Tool universe, Clipper developed the 360 Leadership Skills Assessment as a way for managers to gather anonymous feedback and reviews from team members to drive their own growth and development. The Cleaver 360 Leadership Skills assessment was one of the first corporate 360 assessments in use in the USA.

Clipper added to the library of Cleaver Tools in 1968 with the creation of the Job Success Indicator which used a set 13 customized factors to predict the likelihood of success a person could have in a role. This tool is still used by the Cleaver Com

Clipper added to the library of Cleaver Tools in 1968 with the creation of the Job Success Indicator which used a set 13 customized factors to predict the likelihood of success a person could have in a role. This tool is still used by the Cleaver Company today in consulting projects for companies who are hiring senior-level or c-suite roles.

The next major evolution in the Cleaver DISC was the creation and addition of the Motivating Values assessment as a part of the DISC and HFJD. This final component of the Cleaver DISC uses a forced-rank set of questions to determine an individual’s p

The next major evolution in the Cleaver DISC was the creation and addition of the Motivating Values assessment as a part of the DISC and HFJD. This final component of the Cleaver DISC uses a forced-rank set of questions to determine an individual’s prioritization of the six core motivating values: Theoretical, Economic, Aesthetic, Social, Political, and Regulatory.

Frank DuMar, the current owner and CEO of Cleaver Company, joined the J.P. Cleaver Co. in 1987 as a Certified Cleaver Consultant. He traveled with Clipper and performed trainings and workshops for companies installing the Cleaver DISC & Motivating Va

Frank DuMar, the current owner and CEO of Cleaver Company, joined the J.P. Cleaver Co. in 1987 as a Certified Cleaver Consultant. He traveled with Clipper and performed trainings and workshops for companies installing the Cleaver DISC & Motivating Values system in their hiring practices.

As the J.P. Cleaver Co. transitioned from an assessment-based firm to a coaching and consulting firm, Frank DuMar helped create the Cleaver Career Planner as the basis for career development and coaching for executives and managers. Clipper’s quote,

As the J.P. Cleaver Co. transitioned from an assessment-based firm to a coaching and consulting firm, Frank DuMar helped create the Cleaver Career Planner as the basis for career development and coaching for executives and managers. Clipper’s quote, “The difference between a job and a career is a plan.” This sentiment drove a comprehensive assessment that helped professionals outline their strengths, skills, gaps, and opportunities for growth and helped to put a plan in place with their employer to map out potential career paths.

Frank DuMar purchases the Cleaver Company from J.P. Cleaver moving the firm towards a future of helping teams, individuals, and enterprises succeed through consulting and coaching.

Frank DuMar purchases the Cleaver Company from J.P. Cleaver moving the firm towards a future of helping teams, individuals, and enterprises succeed through consulting and coaching.

With a new emphasis on coaching and consulting, Frank DuMar began to help thousands of individuals with new partnerships with large organizations. With the Cleaver Company beginning to focus on group and team coaching, the number of individuals affec

With a new emphasis on coaching and consulting, Frank DuMar began to help thousands of individuals with new partnerships with large organizations. With the Cleaver Company beginning to focus on group and team coaching, the number of individuals affected by Cleaver Company coaching grew exponentially culminating in our ten thousandth client in 2005.

With a fully fleshed-out library of Cleaver tools and resources, Cleaver built out one of the first versions of what we now call a Learning Management System (LMS), offering the core Cleaver developmental modules in self-paced, video courses that par

With a fully fleshed-out library of Cleaver tools and resources, Cleaver built out one of the first versions of what we now call a Learning Management System (LMS), offering the core Cleaver developmental modules in self-paced, video courses that participants could work through on their own. Leaders were grouped into teams and placed in a feedback-rich and supportive environment, by providing a Cleaver Coach to guide and keep each team accountable, and by delivering proven professional management and leadership curriculum online in small, self-paced modules.

Continuing the evolution of Cleaver’s core offering from assessments to coaching and consulting, the Cleaver Team began to grow, adding Mike Borst, our current COO, in 2007 and moving to a Team Coaching Model. In this revolutionary approach to coachi

Continuing the evolution of Cleaver’s core offering from assessments to coaching and consulting, the Cleaver Team began to grow, adding Mike Borst, our current COO, in 2007 and moving to a Team Coaching Model. In this revolutionary approach to coaching, clients who hired Cleaver were given access to a group of coaches instead of one coach per project allowing the unique strengths of the entire Cleaver team to increase the impact of our development work.

The next phase of Cleaver’s development offering included the creation of our Best Practice Programs as well as pioneering virtual coaching and development. In our Best Practice Programs, the Cleaver Team would interview the top performers at a compa

The next phase of Cleaver’s development offering included the creation of our Best Practice Programs as well as pioneering virtual coaching and development. In our Best Practice Programs, the Cleaver Team would interview the top performers at a company and combine insights from those interviews along with Cleaver’s 50 years of practical research into a custom curriculum that gave companies a blueprint for every team member to become a top performer.

In 2013, the Cleaver Team updated, upgraded, and combined all of the historical tools of the Cleaver Company into a training and development curriculum called The People Development System. Cleaver developed programs and tools combining them into the

In 2013, the Cleaver Team updated, upgraded, and combined all of the historical tools of the Cleaver Company into a training and development curriculum called The People Development System. Cleaver developed programs and tools combining them into the People Development System to support the modern manager at every level addressing real pain points that managers face every day in a way that offers managers a way to succeed in their role.

In his decades of research, John Cleaver found that highly qualified people with stand-out functional skills often struggled when promoted into management. Why? Because managers need an entirely different set of skills from a functional specialist.  

In his decades of research, John Cleaver found that highly qualified people with stand-out functional skills often struggled when promoted into management. Why? Because managers need an entirely different set of skills from a functional specialist.  They need insight, technique, and clear and consistent language to overcome obstacles and achieve results. This is where the Cleaver Management School stepped in by elevating managers to a higher standard through one-week intensive course instruction on the application of core management principles.

The ETI Leadership program was, in many ways, a coalescing of all the product development since the founding of Cleaver in 1956. This new iteration of Cleaver created clarity at every level so that the Enterprise, Team, and Individual (ETI) could be

The ETI Leadership program was, in many ways, a coalescing of all the product development since the founding of Cleaver in 1956. This new iteration of Cleaver created clarity at every level so that the Enterprise, Team, and Individual (ETI) could be synced and maximize potential. Through business coaching and consulting services, Cleaver now offers a holistic development program to organizations that address every level of the organization.

Around 2018, Frank DuMar began asking executives, “What is your philosophy that governs how you team?” Most executives and CEOs, when asked this question, did not have an answer, so the Cleaver Team began to develop a philosophy and methodology to he

Around 2018, Frank DuMar began asking executives, “What is your philosophy that governs how you team?” Most executives and CEOs, when asked this question, did not have an answer, so the Cleaver Team began to develop a philosophy and methodology to help organizations build healthy, high-performing teams. In 2021 we began to launch ETI Integrated Teaming initiatives with clients that provided group and individual coaching focussing on the whole person, linked their development to enterprise goals and targets, and installed a development framework within the team to promote ongoing development and growth.

The current project for the Cleaver Team is to take all of our development work for the last six decades and attach it to the vision that drives each of us. As we grow through 2024 and beyond, we are asking ourselves, how can our work build better le

The current project for the Cleaver Team is to take all of our development work for the last six decades and attach it to the vision that drives each of us. As we grow through 2024 and beyond, we are asking ourselves, how can our work build better leaders, better teams, better companies, and perhaps even a better world? More to come…