“Lee Jones is AMAZING, she really is!” said one of her largest private equity shareholders and board members, Erwin Kelen. I met Erwin many years ago when we served together on a nonprofit board. He is a renaissance man if there ever was one. He is extremely smart, passionate, and when he decides to put…
Throughout my career I’ve made an effort to stay in touch with people I’ve worked with, enjoy, trust, and admire. Those who know me well often introduce me to new, interesting people. Such a gift! Certainly, in the BOLD leader work we’ve been exploring the last few years, connections have been critical to expanding our…
Dr. Penny Wheeler skipped directly from her obstetrics/gynecology medical practice to chief clinical officer and then to president and CEO of Allina Health. Allina, just to give a few stats, employs over 29,000 people, has over $4.1 billion in annual revenues, and each year has more than 7 million care interactions. In other words, Dr….
“If you are truly BOLD, everything you do is a tad bit uncomfortable. You can’t be bold if you’re not courageous and willing to be uncomfortable.” Terri Kline, President and CEO of Health Alliance Plan (HAP), made this observation about halfway through our conversation. From the beginning of our call to the end, she captured…
Fiona McCrae, Publisher and Executive Editor at Graywolf Press, along with Jeff Shotts, Executive Editor, received the 2017 Editor’s Award from Poets & Writers. The honor usually goes to an individual, but the committee decided to give the award to Fiona and Jeff jointly “in honor of the tremendous impact they have had, individually and…
What do a major zoo, a state run sports commission, and a senior housing and services organization have in common? Answer: a bold leader. The same bold leader. What do a Republican governor, a Democratic governor, and an Independent governor have in common? (In this day and age, that almost sounds like the start of…
As business leaders, we understand: companies exist only if they meet a set of customer needs. The most successful companies today increasingly understand that how their organization delivers for customers is as important as what it delivers. This orientation has resulted in an increased focus within many organizations on the customer experience. We see many…
The ancient Greek aphorism “know thyself” was on full display as we visited with the very self-aware Maureen Spivack. Maureen is one of those folks that immediately establishes instant credibility. Some of it is from her 30 plus years of investment banking experience with E & Y, Merrill Lynch, UBS, Morgan Keegan, KPMG Corporate Finance…
Has anyone reading this post NOT heard of “the Y?” The YMCA? How many of you have a story about how “the Y” in some small or great way touched your life? I’m guessing most, if not all, of you. Glen Gunderson is the President and CEO of the YMCA of the Greater Twin Cities…
Don’t you just love those moments when someone says something so simple, so clear and therefore so brilliant, light bulbs literally go off in your head? I sure do and it happened to me in a recent conversation with Mary Brainerd, CEO of HealthPartners. HealthPartners is the largest consumer governed nonprofit health care organization in…
