With approximately $24 billion in assets, CoBank has been a leader in delivering financial solutions to some of America's most successful businesses since 1916. CoBank offers a broad range of flexible loan programs and specially tailored financial and leasing services to agribusinesses, rural communications and energy systems, and Farm Credit associations. CoBank's customers are local, regional, and national agribusinesses; rural communications, energy and water systems; Farm Credit associations and other businesses serving rural America.

In an effort to utilize the latest in banking technology, CoBank was making major changes to their operating systems. The bank has 10 offices around the U.S., and international offices in Mexico, Singapore, and Buenos Aires, and employs 500 personnel. Transforming their operating systems encompassed making changes to both hardware and software applications.

The primary users of the new software were commercial loan officers, internal accountants, and other office support. Users were accustomed to software which had been in place for 10+ years. CoBank had a specific “cut over” date for the new system which would not allow the running of parallel systems. There was a three-day period between the software being finalized and the first training being delivered.

Melina's team documented the functionality of the software into a comprehensive self-paced User's Manual. In addition, the team also designed and developed a facilitor-led training session that would allow participants to not only learn and navigate the software, but also learn the strategic ways in which they could better support their customers.

As the Master Trainer for the course, Melina led a team of facilitators who simultaneously trained key users in CoBank's 10 branches to successfully meet the challenges of the cut over date.