Latest / The UNWavering Podcast / Building a Legacy That Lasts | Dan Stoltz '88

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Building a Legacy That Lasts | Dan Stoltz '88 · The UNWavering Podcast

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_03: Hey everybody, this is Monty and Cassie.
• 0:02
  SPEAKER_03: And welcome to another episode of the Unwavering Podcast.
• 0:06
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, welcome.
• 0:06
  SPEAKER_02: Well, Monty, I have a question for you.
• 0:08
  SPEAKER_03: Go ahead.
• 0:09
  SPEAKER_02: If you were a CEO, what would you what would your business be?
• 0:13
  SPEAKER_02: What would you be the CEO of?
• 0:15
  SPEAKER_03: You know what?
• 0:16
  SPEAKER_03: I th I don't even know if they have this title at this kind of a business.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_03: I would be the CEO of a like coffee and ice cream shop.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, okay.
• 0:25
  SPEAKER_03: Or brand.
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_02: Sure.
• 0:27
  SPEAKER_02: And would you have like coffee ice cream?
• 0:30
  SPEAKER_03: Coffee.
• 0:30
  SPEAKER_03: Well, you have to have coffee ice cream.
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_03: That's called an affogato, actually, if you have like a cup of like a scoop of vanilla and you put the espresso over it.
• 0:37
  SPEAKER_03: But no, I would love the vision of impacting a community through a little place like that.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_02: That's sweet.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_02: I feel like ice cream could really like the kids could have their ice cream, parents are having their coffee.
• 0:48
  SPEAKER_03: Well, if you can't make the community a better place through coffee and ice cream, how can you?
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_02: What are we doing?
• 0:53
  SPEAKER_03: Other than Jesus.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_03: But uh Cassie, what would you be the CEO of?
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I'm so glad you asked.
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_02: Um I would have a book empire.
• 1:03
  SPEAKER_02: So yeah.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_02: I think like a a fleet maybe of bookstores and book vans, just the reading for the masses.
• 1:14
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 1:14
  SPEAKER_02: And just make it accessible.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_02: Hopefully there's like there's some vintage books and there's books that everyone can afford.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_02: I want everybody reading.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_03: Well, if you're touching a book, you have entered the empire of CEO Cassie Plantation.
• 1:27
  SPEAKER_02: Absolutely.
• 1:27
  SPEAKER_02: And it could be attached to your coffee shop so people could have both reading and coffee.
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_03: Our kingdoms could unite.
• 1:34
  SPEAKER_02: Absolutely.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_02: And maybe have the ice cream after you buy the book.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_02: Um don't bring the ice cream into the bookshop.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_02: That might get a little sticky.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_03: We can work that out.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_03: Great.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_03: Um but today we get to talk with somebody who is actually a CEO, Dan Stoltz, CEO of Blaze Credit Union, and uh we are very excited for this conversation.
• 1:57
  SPEAKER_01: Join as we highlight the people, the purpose, and the pulse of Northwestern.
• 2:02
  SPEAKER_01: This is the Unwavering Podcast.
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_03: Dan Stoltz is a 1983 graduate of the University of Northwestern St.
• 2:26
  SPEAKER_03: Paul, although it was Northwestern College at that time, and served as president and CEO of Blaze Credit Union, one of Minnesota's largest credit unions.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_03: Throughout his career, Dan has been recognized as a respected business leader with a passion for developing people, strengthening organizations, and leading with integrity.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_03: Alongside his wife, Robin, Dan has been invested deeply in the mission of Northwestern, including the establishment of the Stoltz School of Business.
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_03: Dan is passionate about helping people discover their purpose, lead with excellence, and build a legacy that lasts.
• 3:01
  SPEAKER_03: Dan, welcome to the Unwavering Podcast.
• 3:04
  SPEAKER_00: Hey Monty, thank you for that very nice introduction.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_00: I do want to say I'm a very proud graduate of the University of Northwestern, and I'm just really honored to be here and hanging out with you and Cassie.
• 3:13
  SPEAKER_02: Well, we're glad to have you here.
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_02: Um so starting with the obvious question, what's it like to have a cartoon version of yourself?
• 3:19
  SPEAKER_00: You know, it's a great question.
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_00: I will tell you that um two things I want to say about the the animation of the cartoon.
• 3:25
  SPEAKER_00: Uh number one, I've I haven't been that thin since junior high, so I love it.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I love the cartoon.
• 3:30
  SPEAKER_00: I think it really is fun.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_00: But number two, I would say that uh, you know, the marketing department within my company really saw an opportunity when you brand, you want to do something diff different.
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_00: You want something that stands out.
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_00: And I think with all of our years of branding, they came up with the idea of the animation and just to shock people on TV if they're watching news or watching a show, you know, they're used to commercials, but then if you see an animator coming on the air, it's a little bit memorable and you don't forget.
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_00: So I would say it's been really fun.
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_00: It has been a lot of fun to see it in a cartoon fashion for sure.
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_02: That's fun.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_02: Um, has anyone ever recognized you from your cartoon version rather than you?
• 4:08
  SPEAKER_00: You know, that's a really good question because I will tell you, we do a lot in social media and we actually do a lot of advertising and gaming.
• 4:14
  SPEAKER_00: And so I would say yes, I've had younger generation uh kids, I'll call them kids, you know, and they will recognize me and say, Hey, are you that cartoon person?
• 4:23
  SPEAKER_00: Because they they see it in their gaming or they have to watch it to get to the next level or whatever it is.
• 4:28
  SPEAKER_00: So um, yeah, I would say for sure, uh not a lot, but uh some people have noticed for sure.
• 4:33
  SPEAKER_03: Oh well, I get to see you every day on the way to work.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, on all the all the billboards, like, hey Dan, I kind of just wave at you on the way to Northwestern.
• 4:41
  SPEAKER_03: It's it's great.
• 4:42
  SPEAKER_03: The other thing is the um the Blaze truck.
• 4:44
  SPEAKER_03: Did you did you drive that to the studio today?
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_00: You know, it's a great question, Mike.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_00: I did not.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_00: And and I'm gonna I'm gonna give you just this really quick, quick thing, and I think this will tee up kind of the the business cycle and what happens in life.
• 4:55
  SPEAKER_00: But uh, when I took over the presidency in 2010, we were struggling as a as a financial institution.
• 5:01
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe matter of fact, maybe even going on under.
• 5:04
  SPEAKER_00: And uh, I just told the marketing team, come back to me in 30 days, you can't sell a secret.
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_00: So let's do some, let's do a marketing campaign.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_00: They came back to me 30 days later, and I just want you guys to hear this.
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_00: And they had these really cool boards.
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_00: They said, Dan, what we want you to do is drive this 52 Ford pickup, and we just want you to talk to people, and we're gonna do that on TV.
• 5:24
  SPEAKER_00: And I said, honestly, that's the stupidest idea I've ever heard in my life.
• 5:27
  SPEAKER_00: I said, Are you kidding me?
• 5:28
  SPEAKER_00: And a 52-Ford pickup and talking to people.
• 5:30
  SPEAKER_00: I'm a banker, I'm not a person to be in front of the camera.
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_00: But I I will say they they saw something in that they saw like a truck is Midwestern, hardworking.
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_00: And then they also just thought uh a person in business being authentic, real, and just hanging out.
• 5:45
  SPEAKER_00: And it's really hit really well.
• 5:47
  SPEAKER_00: So that yeah, that truck has been really kind of by mistake.
• 5:50
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I think it was just one thing we thought we'd try.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_00: And people like vintage, right?
• 5:54
  SPEAKER_00: Would you guys say people like old things in that?
• 5:56
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 5:56
  SPEAKER_00: So it's worked out pretty cool.
• 5:58
  SPEAKER_00: But no, I I didn't drive it today.
• 5:59
  SPEAKER_00: It doesn't have air conditioning.
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, terrible.
• 6:02
  SPEAKER_00: Just windows down.
• 6:03
  SPEAKER_00: Windows down, yes.
• 6:04
  SPEAKER_02: Well, you actually become part of our family lore because when your radio commercials come on for Blaze Credit Union, um, like when my kids are in the car, I say that's Dan Stoltz.
• 6:13
  SPEAKER_02: He went to Northwestern.
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_02: And so now they they grown.
• 6:16
  SPEAKER_02: And I'm like, that's Dan Stoltz.
• 6:18
  SPEAKER_02: And they're like, did he go to Northwestern?
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, he well, matter of fact, he did.
• 6:23
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, yes, he did.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, he did.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_00: He's very proud of it too.
• 6:25
  SPEAKER_00: So thanks, Cassie.
• 6:27
  SPEAKER_00: That's great.
• 6:27
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_02: That's exciting.
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_02: So well, switching gears here, we ask this to all of our guests.
• 6:32
  SPEAKER_02: Um, what has the Lord been teaching you in this season?
• 6:35
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I would say there's been lots of lessons.
• 6:37
  SPEAKER_00: And, you know, I've been through a lot, ups and downs for sure, peaks and valleys.
• 6:41
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I would say right now in the season where I am in life, uh, I've kind of I talk a little bit about this, but the need to power down to power up.
• 6:48
  SPEAKER_00: And what that means is looking for some rest.
• 6:51
  SPEAKER_00: And I think we're all heavy, we're trying to figure that out.
• 6:54
  SPEAKER_00: I like the word load management.
• 6:56
  SPEAKER_00: We all have a load of stuff to do.
• 6:58
  SPEAKER_00: And no matter what age you are, you've got family, you've got sports, you've got church, you've got so many different things.
• 7:03
  SPEAKER_00: And how do you manage that and stay stay real and stay energetic?
• 7:08
  SPEAKER_00: And it's just really, I mean, it's biblical, right?
• 7:11
  SPEAKER_00: Resting on the seventh day, uh, you would see um our Lord going um on his ministry on earth, you'd see you you go away and pray and meditate.
• 7:18
  SPEAKER_00: And I don't know why we we we sometimes see it as a badge of honor to push ourselves and say, Oh, we're busy and we gotta well, well, it it really isn't.
• 7:26
  SPEAKER_00: And I just know that I bring my best self when I've been rested and powered down.
• 7:31
  SPEAKER_00: So those are words I like.
• 7:32
  SPEAKER_00: So I'd say right now, that one lesson is really speaking to me in life right now.
• 7:37
  SPEAKER_03: Is that something that you build into your like current flow of your your week?
• 7:42
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it really is, Monty.
• 7:44
  SPEAKER_00: And I mean, I I I try to um literally dedicate some time in every day to just have nothing time without electronics.
• 7:51
  SPEAKER_00: I also really quick, I do a three-day annual retreat.
• 7:54
  SPEAKER_00: It's a silent retreat, and you literally don't talk for three days.
• 7:58
  SPEAKER_00: And I would say that that was kind of the beginning of understanding the need for silence, the need for tuning out other things and just really tuning in to what's important.
• 8:08
  SPEAKER_00: So, yeah, I try to uh find that, you know, I think I uh as faith believers, I think we have devotion times and you have to find those right times to really just really reflect and uh just just rest a little bit.
• 8:21
  SPEAKER_02: I have the opposite problem.
• 8:23
  SPEAKER_02: I'm really good at powering down.
• 8:24
  SPEAKER_02: I'm not good at powering back up.
• 8:26
  SPEAKER_02: So I'll have to ask you how you do that.
• 8:28
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, all right, all right, Cassie.
• 8:29
  SPEAKER_00: You got it.
• 8:30
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, don't ask Cassie how she feels about Mondays.
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_03: Um for you listening, um that might have been all you needed to hear in this whole conversation.
• 8:38
  SPEAKER_03: I'm I'm excited for all we get to talk about, but just just that insight, just to power down, power up, or take take a chance to take a silent retreat.
• 8:46
  SPEAKER_03: That's a good word, Dan.
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_03: Thanks for just starting us with that.
• 8:49
  SPEAKER_03: That just, you know, our relationship with the Lord is not just something we say and not just something we can just put in the background.
• 8:55
  SPEAKER_03: Like it's it's our it's our anchor.
• 8:57
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 8:57
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, and we have to start by depending on him to be our strength, and that's just such a good word.
• 9:01
  SPEAKER_03: So thanks for starting this with that.
• 9:02
  SPEAKER_03: I'm thank you, Mani.
• 9:04
  SPEAKER_03: Taking encouragement right away.
• 9:05
  SPEAKER_03: Um, I'm excited for our conversation.
• 9:07
  SPEAKER_03: I've got lots of topics to get us into your Northwestern story, the school of business, uh, back to blaze, some other things.
• 9:14
  SPEAKER_03: But I want to start with something that you shared at Northwestern recently.
• 9:18
  SPEAKER_03: But you were you were talking about the importance of having a personal mission statement.
• 9:21
  SPEAKER_03: And why is that such an important part of your life?
• 9:24
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you know, so here's here's I mean, I do start out every day, and even when I talk publicly, I always say, you know, every day is a gift.
• 9:30
  SPEAKER_00: You know, all three of us are here doing this podcast.
• 9:32
  SPEAKER_00: It's amazing.
• 9:33
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, we have another day.
• 9:35
  SPEAKER_00: And so I um, real quick story, I was I was going for my advanced degree um after University in Northwestern and going to school Tuesday nights, Thursdays, Saturdays, had a family, had a career.
• 9:46
  SPEAKER_00: I was just trying to get through this school, and all of a sudden, the last class, there's 50 of us in there, you really don't know any of them.
• 9:52
  SPEAKER_00: And the professor said, Hey, I want you to put together a mission statement, a purpose statement, and I want you to talk in front of the whole class if you got 15 minutes to tell everybody who you are.
• 10:00
  SPEAKER_00: And I really prayed about that and thought, wow, this is something that um I really want to really search within, but I wanted to have a statement.
• 10:08
  SPEAKER_00: So, long story short, I put together my own mission statement.
• 10:11
  SPEAKER_00: I shared it with the class at that time.
• 10:13
  SPEAKER_00: And uh Monty and Cassie, um, I'll tell you this every morning for 35 plus years, I do two things in the morning.
• 10:19
  SPEAKER_00: I have one or two cups of coffee for sure, and I look at my mission statement.
• 10:23
  SPEAKER_00: And I do that every morning.
• 10:25
  SPEAKER_00: Uh I've do I've done that, as I said, I mentioned for 35 years, 365 days, and I do that to keep me recalibrated to who I am, making sure that I stay true north to what I what I'm all about.
• 10:37
  SPEAKER_00: And it's just it's really become impactful.
• 10:39
  SPEAKER_00: So just living an intentional life.
• 10:41
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you know, you you don't you just life happens and it's lots of things happen at us.
• 10:46
  SPEAKER_00: And I just say don't let life deal you.
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_00: You deal life, right?
• 10:49
  SPEAKER_00: And and live it to the best you can.
• 10:51
  SPEAKER_00: Doesn't mean you have to do powerful things, but just be intentional.
• 10:54
  SPEAKER_00: So I I did come up with a personal mission statement, and I'm a strong believer in it.
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_00: I talk to people, just write down who you are and what you're about.
• 11:02
  SPEAKER_03: That's really good to have that North Star that reminds you why you're doing what you do.
• 11:05
  SPEAKER_03: Yes.
• 11:05
  SPEAKER_03: Um, would you be willing to share your personal mission statement?
• 11:08
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you know, and it's I would say it's not super profound, but but it's I mean, I I know it by heart of obviously, but you know, my mission statement is to live my life with integrity and stewardship.
• 11:17
  SPEAKER_00: So those two words are really key for me integrity and stewardship towards my faith, family, friends in the marketplace.
• 11:25
  SPEAKER_00: And I actually have that in order of what's most important faith, family, friends, and marketplace.
• 11:31
  SPEAKER_00: Because listen, I love competition.
• 11:33
  SPEAKER_00: I love business.
• 11:34
  SPEAKER_00: I I I could I could do business 24 hours.
• 11:37
  SPEAKER_00: I I love it, but wait a minute.
• 11:39
  SPEAKER_00: My faith is my most important, my family.
• 11:42
  SPEAKER_00: So those are where my attention needs to be.
• 11:45
  SPEAKER_00: But I still have to make a living.
• 11:46
  SPEAKER_00: We have to be out in the public, we have to do things, but I just want to make sure that I I'm true to my faith and I'm true to my family.
• 11:53
  SPEAKER_00: Those are legacy pieces, and then those other things are later in my category.
• 11:57
  SPEAKER_00: And then, you know, I'll we'll talk later about those two words integrity and stewardship, but there's deep meaning to those two for me as well.
• 12:04
  SPEAKER_02: It reminds me of the verse um seek first the kingdom of God and the rest shall be added to you.
• 12:08
  SPEAKER_02: That's yes.
• 12:09
  SPEAKER_02: That's great.
• 12:09
  SPEAKER_00: I love that.
• 12:10
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks, Cassie.
• 12:10
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 12:11
  SPEAKER_03: Are there uh or is there a a moment in your life where you've been you were trying to make a decision and your personal mission statement really helped call you to how you should make that decision?
• 12:21
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you know, it's a it's a great question because I would say leadership in life probably, but more leadership is living in the gray, right?
• 12:29
  SPEAKER_00: You have to you you're you're constantly living where there's not literally a black and white answer.
• 12:35
  SPEAKER_00: And so, yes, uh to that I will reflect on on my mission statement.
• 12:40
  SPEAKER_00: I will reflect on that integrity, integrity and character.
• 12:43
  SPEAKER_00: I just want to say this, you know, um you don't get a letter grade for it.
• 12:47
  SPEAKER_00: You you don't you don't get an A, B, or maybe a C and integrity.
• 12:50
  SPEAKER_00: It's a pass or fail.
• 12:51
  SPEAKER_00: So I I I think of that all the time, that my decisioning is gonna be noticed.
• 12:56
  SPEAKER_00: It's gonna be people are, you know, you have to model it every day.
• 12:59
  SPEAKER_00: Am I perfect?
• 13:00
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely not.
• 13:01
  SPEAKER_00: Do I mess up?
• 13:02
  SPEAKER_00: For sure.
• 13:03
  SPEAKER_00: But I do use that, as you, as you asked me, that that mission statement to sometimes go back and reflect like, wait a minute, let's look at through that lens.
• 13:12
  SPEAKER_00: And if I'm going through that lens, I feel a lot better about my decision.
• 13:15
  SPEAKER_03: That's really good.
• 13:16
  SPEAKER_03: And I love that statement you just said integrity is pass or fail.
• 13:19
  SPEAKER_03: Not a letter, not a letter grade.
• 13:21
  SPEAKER_03: Um for somebody listening who's who's maybe never thought of writing one, or maybe they have thought of one, but they haven't, where would you encourage them to begin?
• 13:28
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you know, I I would say that what you want to do is make it, you know, I'm a very simple-minded person, so my mission statement isn't a whole page.
• 13:36
  SPEAKER_00: It could be if that's what you want, but it doesn't have to be, first of all, don't get overwhelmed by it.
• 13:41
  SPEAKER_00: Simple is better, I believe.
• 13:43
  SPEAKER_00: So I would just come up with words that are really important to you and things that are important to you, your value system, and you start with those things, and then you start just putting together your mission statement in a sentence and use those words, use those priorities, and it'll come together.
• 14:01
  SPEAKER_00: And there's no mission statement that's right or wrong.
• 14:03
  SPEAKER_00: We're all different, we're all unique.
• 14:05
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but just I if you just pray about it, and I did, I prayed a lot uh before I went in front of the class because I just wanted, I didn't want this just to be an assignment and then I move on.
• 14:15
  SPEAKER_00: You know, unfortunately, some of my education was that way during the day, but I wanted this to be more impactful.
• 14:21
  SPEAKER_00: So I think you pray about it, uh, may think about it being impactful, but it also help if if some if someone didn't know you and they you wanted them to know you, that mission statement should reflect who you are and what you're about.
• 14:33
  SPEAKER_00: That's really good.
• 14:34
  SPEAKER_02: That's awesome.
• 14:35
  SPEAKER_02: Well, I'm gonna hijack the conversation a little bit for some nostalgia because I love hearing people's northwestern stories, and I think maybe we'll get into how Northwestern um was formative for you in your personal life and career.
• 14:47
  SPEAKER_02: But how did you come to Northwestern?
• 14:50
  SPEAKER_02: What brought you here?
• 14:50
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, Cassie, uh what what I grew up on the east side of St.
• 14:53
  SPEAKER_00: Paul in the inner city and I went to a public school system.
• 14:57
  SPEAKER_00: Uh I first of all I had parents that loved each other and loved the Lord.
• 15:00
  SPEAKER_00: Um church was not negotiable.
• 15:02
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I was in church on Sunday morning uh before anybody else, and I was the last one to leave.
• 15:07
  SPEAKER_00: We went Sunday night, we went Wednesday night.
• 15:09
  SPEAKER_00: You know, we that that was so I had parents that loved Jesus, but also uh loved each other, but we didn't have a lot of money.
• 15:16
  SPEAKER_00: And so uh going through the public school system, I thought, wouldn't it be really cool to go to a university or a college at that time that actually you can take Bible classes and get credit for it?
• 15:27
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I thought that was amazing.
• 15:29
  SPEAKER_00: So I Northwestern was literally all everyone was talking about it, and I said that's where I want to go.
• 15:34
  SPEAKER_00: I couldn't afford it, but somehow the Lord opened up those um opportunities.
• 15:39
  SPEAKER_00: So I think it was the opportunity to build in faith with a discipline that you wanted to do in Northwestern just fit that, felt a calling for sure.
• 15:48
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, we can relate.
• 15:50
  SPEAKER_02: Monty and I both.
• 15:51
  SPEAKER_02: Um so did you have any experience at Northwestern that had a big impact on the person you are now?
• 15:58
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, um, I I don't know if there's like any event, but it was amazing to me that I could sit in a room with 150 students and we I would have Bible survey.
• 16:10
  SPEAKER_00: I remember I was my eyes were just I couldn't believe it, a sitting with 150 like-minded individuals, opening up with Genesis and knowing that we're gonna go through all the way through Revelation, and I'd get credit for it.
• 16:22
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I just I mean that was just blow blew me away because I came up public school and there were so many other stuff going on there.
• 16:28
  SPEAKER_00: And then the fact that I could be in a classroom and dig deeper in the word and then find out a little bit, you know, and I I also feel like universities are so important in maturation of us as individuals because we have that, those are such formative years when maybe it's our parents told us a certain way, but now we want to really enforce that or we want it to be our own faith.
• 16:52
  SPEAKER_00: And I feel like that's what Northwestern was for me was deepening my faith, but also making it Dan Stoltz's faith that this is why I believe.
• 17:00
  SPEAKER_00: And I I read Genesis through you know rev Revelation and I I saw that scripture passage that I I memorized as a young boy, but now it means something to me.
• 17:09
  SPEAKER_00: So it it really made the scriptures kind of come alive for me.
• 17:13
  SPEAKER_02: Absolutely.
• 17:13
  SPEAKER_02: Yep, I agree.
• 17:14
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so you're married to a really cool lady named Robin.
• 17:17
  SPEAKER_02: Did you meet her at Northwestern?
• 17:19
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I I did, and I just want to say, so you know, we're we're um celebrating 42 years of marriage.
• 17:25
  SPEAKER_00: She's my best friend, and uh yeah, I I met her at Northwestern, and um, you know, it's history from there 42 years.
• 17:32
  SPEAKER_00: We have three uh adult children, uh 11 grandkids, all of Jesus, and uh, but I will tell you, um, you know, she's kind of the unsung hero, right?
• 17:41
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, so when individuals are moving fast or whatever, you need the support system and you need someone that really supports you, encourages you, and she's been that she's been that rock, that soft rock where you know, just just by asking questions, being involved, supporting all the endeavors, um, it I couldn't do it without her.
• 18:00
  SPEAKER_03: Oh, so what was the moment like when you met her?
• 18:02
  SPEAKER_03: Was this this magical moment, your hair is blow blowing through the wind at the island?
• 18:07
  SPEAKER_03: And how did you how did you meet her?
• 18:09
  SPEAKER_03: Do you remember?
• 18:10
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, well, I I do a little bit here.
• 18:12
  SPEAKER_00: So I was I was an RA, so resident assistant at that time.
• 18:16
  SPEAKER_00: And so we got to school a couple weeks early.
• 18:19
  SPEAKER_00: And of course, sports would get there early.
• 18:21
  SPEAKER_00: And so, you know, as a resident assistant, you'd be wandering around school and killing time, and then there was volleyball practice, and she was a volleyball player, and pretty soon you just kind of go, That I'm gonna I'm I'm gonna ask that one out there.
• 18:33
  SPEAKER_00: That one that one looks really I wanna I want to get to know Rob.
• 18:35
  SPEAKER_00: And it's all history from there.
• 18:37
  SPEAKER_00: So um it really started with actually before school started, when uh you just kind of you know, you just I don't know, you just have that feeling like boy, I think there's there's a lot of likeness there, and uh it it's yeah.
• 18:49
  SPEAKER_00: So I that's that's what I remember.
• 18:50
  SPEAKER_00: She might have a different story, I'm not sure, but but that's my story.
• 18:54
  SPEAKER_02: Well, shout out to Residence Life and Volleyball for bringing you together.
• 18:57
  SPEAKER_02: There you go.
• 18:58
  SPEAKER_00: That's great.
• 18:59
  SPEAKER_02: Um Well, you have I mean, you've started uh Northwestern Legacy here.
• 19:04
  SPEAKER_02: I believe all your children are Northwestern alums and your children-in-law, is that correct?
• 19:10
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, Cassie, it's amazing.
• 19:11
  SPEAKER_00: So both Robin and I are proud graduates.
• 19:14
  SPEAKER_00: Um, then my my three kids, and and I will tell you, our three kids, we didn't say you are gonna go to Northwestern.
• 19:20
  SPEAKER_00: We said we'd love you to go there, but you know, pray about it, think about it, what do you where do you go?
• 19:25
  SPEAKER_00: All three of them chose on their own to come here.
• 19:27
  SPEAKER_00: Um, a couple of them uh found their spouse here, but then another, you know, they would meet them after.
• 19:32
  SPEAKER_00: But they but yeah, their spouses are all graduates.
• 19:35
  SPEAKER_00: So uh Robin and I are three kids and uh they're spouses.
• 19:39
  SPEAKER_00: So I have 11 grandkids, and I'm not forcing them, but I sure hope all of them go to Northwestern.
• 19:45
  SPEAKER_00: That's that's my prayer right now.
• 19:46
  SPEAKER_00: But but no, so that's why Northwestern, we go deep.
• 19:50
  SPEAKER_00: Uh we bleed Northwestern Purple.
• 19:52
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, this is the place where the foundation of our faith was strengthened, and uh, we just love everything, what it's all about.
• 20:00
  SPEAKER_00: And so that's why Northwestern has this deep, deep, deep love and appreciation, and uh we just love everything about it.
• 20:08
  SPEAKER_02: Absolutely.
• 20:08
  SPEAKER_02: Well, and you're touching on that a little bit.
• 20:10
  SPEAKER_02: So Northwestern's mission, Northwestern some things have changed over the years, but the mission has stayed the same.
• 20:16
  SPEAKER_02: So why does that resonate with you?
• 20:18
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I I would say I know that maybe there's I love so branding is everything, right?
• 20:23
  SPEAKER_00: I love branding, I love um selling, I love marketing.
• 20:27
  SPEAKER_00: And um I I just really love the new campaign of unwavering.
• 20:32
  SPEAKER_00: And um there's there's a there's a scripture passage that I just love.
• 20:35
  SPEAKER_00: It's it's 2 Chronicles 15, 7, and it says this, but as for you, be strong and never give up, for your work will be rewarded.
• 20:43
  SPEAKER_00: But I think of unwavering is to be strong, to stay committed, to stay what you say you are.
• 20:50
  SPEAKER_00: And um that that is Northwestern, and I think we talk about that.
• 20:54
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, we're gonna go through valleys, we're gonna go through some tough times, we're gonna do things probably we wish we wouldn't have, but you know what?
• 21:02
  SPEAKER_00: Stay unwavering, stick to what you believe.
• 21:05
  SPEAKER_00: And so that's that's that's what I love about Northwestern, and you know, you're bold about that unwavering, and I love it.
• 21:47
  SPEAKER_03: Well, you're spot on.
• 21:49
  SPEAKER_03: That mission's not for sale.
• 21:50
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, it's not, and it's not just the tagline, it is truly who we are as we pursue to have an unwavering love for God's word and his world only by his unwavering grace.
• 21:59
  SPEAKER_03: Yes.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_03: Um, we're still working on getting President Hornbeek his cartoon character, though.
• 22:03
  SPEAKER_03: You know, I'd love that.
• 22:04
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, we'll it's not there yet.
• 22:05
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, hasn't arrived.
• 22:06
  SPEAKER_03: He hasn't arrived.
• 22:07
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, we'll we'll work on that.
• 22:08
  SPEAKER_03: And also back to your family being uh that Northwestern legacy in multiple generations.
• 22:13
  SPEAKER_03: You know, I got a chance to attend school here with Heidi, your daughter.
• 22:16
  SPEAKER_03: Yes.
• 22:17
  SPEAKER_03: And we had her as a guest on this podcast.
• 22:19
  SPEAKER_03: So for you listening, if you want to um I don't know, get to know Dan a little bit more by listening to his daughter, Heidi Lee Anderson, formerly Stoltz, um, delightful conversation with her.
• 22:28
  SPEAKER_03: So go back to a previous season and find that one.
• 22:31
  SPEAKER_03: Um so so launching off of the way that the mission Continues to resonate with you, Dan.
• 22:37
  SPEAKER_03: You know, I want to talk a little bit about the Stoltz School of Business.
• 22:40
  SPEAKER_03: You know, there are countless organizations out there that would be, you know, great investments or great things for you to invest in places.
• 22:48
  SPEAKER_03: But why did you and Robin choose to partner with Northwestern through the Stolt School of Business?
• 22:52
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you know, I I think it is really twofold.
• 22:55
  SPEAKER_00: You know, things we just talked about earlier is that this is this is our home away from home.
• 22:59
  SPEAKER_00: This is it.
• 22:59
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, this is where we would want to be if we're not home.
• 23:03
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, this is this this this place invested in a lot for us uh and and made us who we are, and and we are forever grateful for that.
• 23:11
  SPEAKER_00: But I think the second point is um you know, you start thinking about legacy moving forward, you're thinking about next generation, you're thinking about paying it forward.
• 23:20
  SPEAKER_00: And so you're right, there's there's so many um really worthy and great um organizations, but we really felt um the Lord has blessed me in business.
• 23:30
  SPEAKER_00: Um He's opened up many doors, opportunities, and it just felt like Northwestern School of Business, it's where faith and business come together, they're connected, they're not separate.
• 23:41
  SPEAKER_00: Um we just thought, wow, wouldn't that be kind of fun to just incorporate it?
• 23:45
  SPEAKER_00: And we did not go into the uh thought process of having naming rights at all.
• 23:50
  SPEAKER_00: We just really thought that it would be really cool to uh invest in the business side.
• 23:54
  SPEAKER_00: There's so many great programs, but we business was my background, and then it just morphed into more detail and more discussion with the president and the board, and then uh we were just honored and quite honestly humbled that uh uh they have the name Stoltz in there, but it's it's that piece of faith and business should be and will be connected with the students that come through the program.
• 24:19
  SPEAKER_03: Well, when when when people hear Stoltz School of Business, you know, it is named that.
• 24:23
  SPEAKER_03: What do you hope that they think about uh with that school?
• 24:26
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you know, and and I'll go back a little bit maybe on a personal basis, go back to that integrity piece.
• 24:31
  SPEAKER_00: Um the world is asking for leaders with integrity, character to say and do what they say.
• 24:39
  SPEAKER_00: Um I I really believe that's part of our faith principles, and I feel that's uh important in business.
• 24:44
  SPEAKER_00: I also like that word stewardship in my mission statement.
• 24:46
  SPEAKER_00: I think that's what we're looking for is servant leaders.
• 24:49
  SPEAKER_00: And uh, you know, the old school was you would have a hierarchy in business where you'd have a CEO and you have everybody work for them, and and it was always dictating orders, but servant leadership is different, and and Jesus showed us that uh that that by loving others and taking care of others and leaning into others, you can do great things.
• 25:08
  SPEAKER_00: And so um I think that's another thing I'm really excited about.
• 25:12
  SPEAKER_00: The school of business is really um impacting students to learn that you can be super impactful and you will be impactful and influential wherever your mission field is, whether it's a small business, individual business, or it's in your home, um, but um keeping him first and keeping that in mind.
• 25:29
  SPEAKER_00: So it's it's those integrity, character, and it's also that servanthood and service.
• 25:34
  SPEAKER_03: Well, that's great.
• 25:35
  SPEAKER_03: And it's obvious that you want to you want this school to prepare business students for excellent careers, impactful careers.
• 25:41
  SPEAKER_03: Um, but more than that, you want them to be graduates.
• 25:44
  SPEAKER_03: And you just said with integrity that want to serve, want to make an impact.
• 25:48
  SPEAKER_03: Uh, thank you and Robin for investing in Northwestern, for getting deeply engaged, for helping us build this community together.
• 25:55
  SPEAKER_03: You know, um, as much as we want Northwestern to become a better and better place and to rise and become even more and more excellent, the end game isn't a more awesome Northwestern.
• 26:05
  SPEAKER_03: The end game is uh the kingdom of God expanding, right?
• 26:08
  SPEAKER_03: Yes, right.
• 26:09
  SPEAKER_03: And um, thank you for being a part of building towards that mission that we are in this together.
• 26:14
  SPEAKER_03: Um you know, as as you hire and develop leaders, you know, what what qualities, just ask one more question about kind of the students that are going to come through, but what qualities do you hope that today's students can cultivate in their time here before they graduate beyond what you've already shared?
• 26:30
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you know, um, so I talk about this um a lot.
• 26:34
  SPEAKER_00: So you you definitely hire for skill, you're definitely looking for knowledge, but honestly, at Blaze and um other organizations I work with, um over time when you just learn that what you're first hiring for, I always say leadership is less about doing and more about being.
• 26:54
  SPEAKER_00: So you really want to hire the individual, you want to hire the heart, you want to hire the compassion, the passion, uh the grit.
• 27:03
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you want to hire the person that shows up, right?
• 27:06
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, you so those are all, but those are all a part of our faith.
• 27:09
  SPEAKER_00: And so um, to me, it's just really um really leaning into where we're hiring for leadership.
• 27:16
  SPEAKER_00: We're asking questions about the person, what they do in their spare time, what they love, how they show up, how they treat others.
• 27:24
  SPEAKER_00: Are they team players?
• 27:26
  SPEAKER_00: All those things.
• 27:26
  SPEAKER_00: And then, oh, by the way, what's your skill?
• 27:28
  SPEAKER_00: You know, what so I I think that sometimes it's the opposite when we get out of school is that we got the resume.
• 27:33
  SPEAKER_00: Now I've got all these classes and I got these skills.
• 27:36
  SPEAKER_00: But as employers or leaders, we're not looking, we're looking for certain ones, but it starts out with who you are.
• 27:42
  SPEAKER_00: And I think sometimes we um don't say that enough to graduates that work on who you are and what you're about, and then the rest will fall into place.
• 27:51
  SPEAKER_03: Well, that's good.
• 27:52
  SPEAKER_03: That's a good word for um, you know, if you're listening to this, you're a prospective student or a prospective parent, um, or if you're an alum, um uh that's a good lesson for all of us to remember.
• 28:02
  SPEAKER_03: Yes, let's continue to cultivate what we are doing, our skills, but take a second and think or encourage your student to think about who they're becoming, who are they are being, and that's certainly gonna happen in their years here at Northwestern.
• 28:13
  SPEAKER_03: Um, one more kind of bonus Northwestern question for you.
• 28:17
  SPEAKER_03: You know, you're obviously deeply involved at the Stoltz School of Business, and you've been engaged in Northwestern for a long time.
• 28:22
  SPEAKER_03: But what excites you most right now about where Northwestern is headed as a university?
• 28:29
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it's a it's a great question.
• 28:31
  SPEAKER_00: And I I don't know.
• 28:33
  SPEAKER_00: I just feel that we are um in a period in our culture, our economy, in our world where there's just so much um division, what's wrong versus what's right.
• 28:45
  SPEAKER_00: And there's certainly stuff that we have to uh work on.
• 28:48
  SPEAKER_00: But Northwestern students are are the curriculum, the excellence, but then our faith is really the answer to all these.
• 28:56
  SPEAKER_00: And so to me, um, I just feel like the world is hungry for the good news.
• 29:01
  SPEAKER_00: And I feel like whether it's the mission field of business or the mission field and sciences or whatever your um major will be, be impact and influential and in and make it known what you're about and who you believe and what you believe.
• 29:16
  SPEAKER_00: And I believe the world is asking for that, and um we're all looking for something to anchor to.
• 29:22
  SPEAKER_00: And uh we've we talk about it Northwestern every day.
• 29:25
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm just really encouraged by um I think we're we're ready to see even more um explosion in enrollment, excitement.
• 29:35
  SPEAKER_00: And so I just think Northwestern through through prayer um will have some great opportunities to still see some some great expansion and expanding in the right way.
• 29:47
  SPEAKER_02: Very cool.
• 29:47
  SPEAKER_02: Well, I loved hearing your thoughts on um the school of business and how that relates to leadership.
• 29:52
  SPEAKER_02: And I want to talk about your leadership at the Blaze Credit Union, which is a very recognizable Minnesota brand.
• 29:58
  SPEAKER_02: Um and so yeah, people are seeing you on billboards and hearing you on commercials, but may not know what what your day-to-day looks like.
• 30:05
  SPEAKER_02: So, what does the job of a CEO look like?
• 30:08
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you know, it I think it's fun, it's great that you ask that, Cassie, because I think people see me and think um all I do is commercials and I do radio, right?
• 30:16
  SPEAKER_00: And I go, wow, that's one, two percent of what I do.
• 30:20
  SPEAKER_00: Um so what what what a CEO does is really ensure that the direction and you're thinking about what's important later versus always what's important now, and setting strategy, um, having a path, a clear path that everybody uh grabs a hold of and understands where you want to be.
• 30:39
  SPEAKER_00: We uh at Blaze, we have a one, two, five, and a 10-year plan.
• 30:42
  SPEAKER_00: And will it always work out that way?
• 30:44
  SPEAKER_00: No, but we have a plan and we're all working towards that plan.
• 30:47
  SPEAKER_00: So a CEO is really um ensuring that your strategy is there, that everybody's um following in that same, you're communicating it.
• 30:56
  SPEAKER_00: But then also the soft part of business is culture, you know, how you are as a as a company.
• 31:02
  SPEAKER_00: Do you treat the person next to you with uh dignity and respect?
• 31:06
  SPEAKER_00: Do you care about their family?
• 31:08
  SPEAKER_00: Do you care about what's going on?
• 31:09
  SPEAKER_00: So um that's uh another important piece that's hard to measure, but I say as a part of the CEO um uh responsibilities all the time.
• 31:18
  SPEAKER_00: So it's a strategy culture, it's encouragement.
• 31:22
  SPEAKER_00: Um, encouragement goes so far.
• 31:24
  SPEAKER_00: I think sometimes uh CEOs underestimate uh a thank you or a pat on the back.
• 31:29
  SPEAKER_00: And um, those go, I mean, people just need that kind of encouragement, way to go.
• 31:34
  SPEAKER_00: I noticed this.
• 31:35
  SPEAKER_00: So there's a lot of just being present.
• 31:38
  SPEAKER_00: I think that's another thing is that CEOs and presidents just need to be present so people can can see that modeling day in and day out.
• 31:45
  SPEAKER_00: And guess what?
• 31:46
  SPEAKER_00: I have a bad thing, they want to know when when times are tough, is Dan the same guy that he talks about he should be?
• 31:52
  SPEAKER_00: And so I know I'm on stage literally every minute, and that's okay.
• 31:56
  SPEAKER_00: I just have to you have to know as a CEO that you're you're being watched.
• 32:00
  SPEAKER_00: I do feel like there's a maybe an added pressure with Christian leaders because I do believe that um there are some that would like to see you fall or like to see how you really are in those moments, and that's where um your your prayer and your faith need to really dig deep.
• 32:15
  SPEAKER_00: But I think it's those kind of things, it's the modeling and the strategy.
• 32:19
  SPEAKER_03: So how much how much transparency do you show?
• 32:22
  SPEAKER_03: Because you people are always watching you, like if you're going through a season of discouragement or something, how much do you let them in on that versus being a strong front or what does that look like for you?
• 32:31
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it's a good balance.
• 32:32
  SPEAKER_00: You know, it's it's one that you you want to be authentic and real.
• 32:35
  SPEAKER_00: So I mean, I if I'm going through a tough time, I'll say, hey, look, it it's it's it's tough.
• 32:40
  SPEAKER_00: And I made a mistake here, and maybe it's the positivity in me and in leadership too, but I always talk about what did we learn?
• 32:46
  SPEAKER_00: What what what did that tough spot?
• 32:48
  SPEAKER_00: Because we're all gonna have obstacles, we're all gonna fail, we're all gonna miss.
• 32:52
  SPEAKER_00: I want people to fail, by the way.
• 32:53
  SPEAKER_00: I'll I'll talk a little bit about failure, it's not fatal.
• 32:56
  SPEAKER_00: It's actually our greatest teacher, but but you know, I I think you just have to come real with who you are.
• 33:02
  SPEAKER_00: You can't fake it, but on the other side of it, I do believe you need to give others hope that you see it, but you're not gonna let it bring you down.
• 33:11
  SPEAKER_00: And so I think it's that kind of a balance.
• 33:13
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 33:14
  SPEAKER_02: Well, I can't tell if you like your job.
• 33:16
  unknown: I'm just gonna lie.
• 33:17
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you see a little bit of my daughter and me here too, right?
• 33:19
  SPEAKER_00: We kind of like to to really talk, but we we we love life.
• 33:22
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, and and I think that's the difference too, is that we know people are having a lot of stuff going on in their own personal lives, marriages, kids, uh, health, all that stuff.
• 33:33
  SPEAKER_00: So we do you know, this is this is where we need to step up as leaders and support people.
• 33:37
  SPEAKER_02: Aaron Powell Yeah.
• 33:37
  SPEAKER_02: Is there something you like most about leading an organization I can't say the word.
• 33:43
  SPEAKER_03: Okay, try again.
• 33:43
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 33:44
  SPEAKER_02: Failure is not fature is not fatal.
• 33:46
  SPEAKER_03: That's right.
• 33:47
  SPEAKER_03: Love it, love it, love it, love it.
• 33:48
  SPEAKER_02: What do you like most about leading an organization of this size?
• 33:52
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 33:53
  SPEAKER_00: Well, Cassie, you know, I think leaders all have a little bit uh of an edge that they they like to be in front, maybe don't love it sometimes, but the fact that you can impact and influence for the good is really amazing.
• 34:09
  SPEAKER_00: And and then the other thing is when you have leaders around you that you see are just growing in front of your eyes, you feel like a proud CEO or a proud parent that you go, wow, we're building up the future.
• 34:22
  SPEAKER_00: Because to me, also, you know, um the the word success is in the word succession, right?
• 34:28
  SPEAKER_00: And so the next generation needs to be invested in.
• 34:33
  SPEAKER_00: And so that's what I like is is and by the way, we're in great shape with with our the next generation.
• 34:39
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I am so so encouraged by um the next generation and the younger um audience out there because uh they bring so much, but it's that kind of thing, making those kind of impact and differences, and uh it's fun to watch it.
• 34:54
  SPEAKER_02: That's great.
• 34:54
  SPEAKER_02: Well, not many people wake up one day and just start at the CEO.
• 34:58
  SPEAKER_02: So um can you give us a high-level look at how that what your career journey was like?
• 35:03
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you know, I'm gonna go back to that first question you asked me about Northwestern.
• 35:06
  SPEAKER_00: So this is kind of interesting.
• 35:07
  SPEAKER_00: So I graduated, as you mentioned, in '83.
• 35:10
  SPEAKER_00: Um there was the times were tough.
• 35:12
  SPEAKER_00: I couldn't get a job.
• 35:13
  SPEAKER_00: There was a great recession at the time, and I'll never forget, I I said I didn't know the CFO at Northwestern at the time, but I I called him up and I said, I just want five minutes of your time.
• 35:22
  SPEAKER_00: And I I know he didn't know what I was gonna talk about.
• 35:25
  SPEAKER_00: So I came, he offered because he was gracious enough to give me five minutes.
• 35:28
  SPEAKER_00: And I basically told him, I said, Look, I owe you a lot of money.
• 35:31
  SPEAKER_00: Um I but here's the deal.
• 35:33
  SPEAKER_00: I said, You're gonna get every penny of that plus the interest.
• 35:35
  SPEAKER_00: I said, I that there's no, I just wanted you to see in my face that I am going to pay you back and I'm thankful for this education.
• 35:43
  SPEAKER_00: Long story short, I'm ready to walk out the door.
• 35:45
  SPEAKER_00: He says, Hey, you know, I don't I can't think of the biblical character that had to work to get married to the the wife, you know.
• 35:50
  SPEAKER_00: But he said to me, He goes, Dan, how would you I'd like I I need to hire an accountant.
• 35:54
  SPEAKER_00: Will you work?
• 35:55
  SPEAKER_00: And I thought, I I do want to get outside of Northwest, I want to spread my wings a little bit, but he hired me as an accountant.
• 36:01
  SPEAKER_00: So I my very first job was at Northwestern.
• 36:04
  SPEAKER_00: And then all of a sudden things happened within um the ranks, and I became the CFO chief financial officer at a pretty young age, and I learned so much here on leadership, business, how to handle things.
• 36:16
  SPEAKER_00: And then just through other opportunities, this opportunity came up with this credit union to be the CFO.
• 36:21
  SPEAKER_00: And again, my background is finances, numbers, but I'm a relational person.
• 36:25
  SPEAKER_00: I'm not a person that can just sit and work on charts and things like that.
• 36:30
  SPEAKER_00: And so I was offered the CEO job at Spire Now Blaze uh 15, 16 years ago, and uh I've loved it ever since.
• 36:38
  SPEAKER_00: So it just, you know, I I say that every just look for opportunities.
• 36:41
  SPEAKER_00: God's gonna open opportunities, some are gonna be closed by the time you get there, but I never sought out to be in a credit union, but here I am and I love I love my work.
• 36:50
  SPEAKER_02: That's awesome.
• 36:51
  SPEAKER_02: So you've had a long career in finance, but have there been any fundamental lessons that have shaped you and the way you lead?
• 37:00
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah, oh I would definitely have had, you know, lots of um lessons learned through the throughout.
• 37:07
  SPEAKER_00: And I I would say just like the season with the you know power down to power up, I would say that there were important lessons that that just came through me um over time.
• 37:18
  SPEAKER_00: I know we may be talking about, but I I I've really been working on a book for like five, six years, Cassie.
• 37:25
  SPEAKER_00: And the book is not um here's Dan Sultz's knowledge and wisdom.
• 37:29
  SPEAKER_00: It's 25 lessons I wish I would have known when I was 25, a long time ago, because I've learned lessons throughout my career.
• 37:37
  SPEAKER_00: And I've said, wow, if I would have known that, maybe my path would have been a little bit straighter, a little bit cleaner, a little bit faster.
• 37:45
  SPEAKER_00: So there's there's just I think there's lessons in front of all of us.
• 37:49
  SPEAKER_00: And uh look at downturns, look at other things as opportunities to learn.
• 37:53
  SPEAKER_00: Even a no is a yes in terms of learning.
• 37:56
  SPEAKER_00: And so um I I do have a number of lessons, uh, but you know, they they've been very impactful for me.
• 38:03
  SPEAKER_00: So I'll I'm just gonna just pick one that I think would be kind of uh cool to think about.
• 38:07
  SPEAKER_00: So I've talked about get a personal board of advisors.
• 38:11
  SPEAKER_00: So what does that mean?
• 38:12
  SPEAKER_00: In businesses, we all have boards, we all have these these leaders, but in businesses, you know, the boards are there to direct, encourage, challenge strategy, look out for the betterment of the organization.
• 38:22
  SPEAKER_00: Well, why don't we have a personal board of advisors individually?
• 38:26
  SPEAKER_00: Why don't we have a group that literally is helping us in the journey of life?
• 38:30
  SPEAKER_00: Don't look go life alone.
• 38:31
  SPEAKER_00: So one of the things I talk about a lot is get a board of advisors and find five or seven people that maybe think differently, but you highly trust them.
• 38:41
  SPEAKER_00: And when you have big decisions, you go to those five or seven and you ask them the questions, and and it's not like you have to follow what they say, but you're getting more feedback and you're getting a better decision ahead.
• 38:52
  SPEAKER_00: So it's those kind of things that have just kind of helped me uh through through each path.
• 38:57
  SPEAKER_03: Uh this is actually that's a great segue because you just released a book titled Quest to be your best.
• 39:04
  SPEAKER_03: And you're sharing a little bit already about what inspired you to write it.
• 39:07
  SPEAKER_03: But tell me about the book.
• 39:09
  SPEAKER_03: What what makes up the book?
• 39:11
  SPEAKER_03: Who are you writing it for?
• 39:13
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, though.
• 39:13
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, no, thank you, Monty.
• 39:15
  SPEAKER_00: You know, so yeah, the title is Quest to be Your Best, and it even says uh how to get from here to there.
• 39:20
  SPEAKER_00: So it's it's really you know a self-help book on on just life and axioms, if you want to call it.
• 39:26
  SPEAKER_00: But I there's 25 lessons built in here.
• 39:28
  SPEAKER_00: These are 25 lessons uh over time that um have really impacted me, have really made a difference, and have helped me in my career moving forward.
• 39:37
  SPEAKER_00: So I would say the book is written to the general public.
• 39:40
  SPEAKER_00: At one time I was wondering if it would be a book for um high school, college as they're kind of going through life.
• 39:46
  SPEAKER_00: But as I uh one thing's about being a banker is you meet with people every day, breakfast, lunches, and you ask them questions, what their regrets are, and you learn a lot.
• 39:55
  SPEAKER_00: That's how I've learned a lot.
• 39:56
  SPEAKER_00: But you realize that we're still we're always learning.
• 39:59
  SPEAKER_00: Life is about that's actually my first chapter is life is about learning.
• 40:02
  SPEAKER_00: It doesn't stop after school.
• 40:04
  SPEAKER_00: And you with with the change that's just happening around us so fast, if you're not learning, you're not moving forward.
• 40:11
  SPEAKER_00: So um the book is kind of uh that's why it's chapter one, is that I think we all just have to keep learning and we all have to help one another.
• 40:18
  SPEAKER_00: And so these um lessons are are simple, you know, maybe four pages long, three, four pages long, and it's just literally twenty-five that have guided me over the years.
• 40:28
  SPEAKER_03: So that's good.
• 40:28
  SPEAKER_03: So that's uh you know, people can read through it, but they can also go back and go revisit these lessons, right?
• 40:34
  SPEAKER_03: Just to remind them of these.
• 40:35
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, that's exactly right.
• 40:36
  SPEAKER_03: Yes.
• 40:37
  SPEAKER_03: So you said the tagline is how to get from here to there.
• 40:39
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 40:40
  SPEAKER_03: So where's where's there?
• 40:42
  SPEAKER_00: Where are we going?
• 40:43
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, where are we going?
• 40:44
  SPEAKER_00: You know, and I and I that's what I kind of like.
• 40:46
  SPEAKER_00: So it was actually my book coach, who is a Christian, um uh came up with that, and it really is kind of we're all going there, but where's your there there, right?
• 40:55
  SPEAKER_00: And so it's it's I think we all have that definition of where we are in our life, where we are in our career, where we are in our faith journey, where we are in in life.
• 41:04
  SPEAKER_00: So this is just a guided, a guided principle that really honestly, my hope is that out of those 25 chapters, someone would read it.
• 41:13
  SPEAKER_00: Easy reading, airplane reading, beach reading, uh, read a chapter a day, pretty easy.
• 41:18
  SPEAKER_00: But I'm hopeful that someone looks at like two or three of these chapters and go, like, you know what, I'm gonna implement that, and that's gonna change my perspective or my process or my my way of doing things or my way of thinking.
• 41:31
  SPEAKER_00: And hey, we've improved somebody's process or thinking along the way to get to there.
• 41:36
  SPEAKER_02: Aaron Powell So I don't have to have the desire to be a CEO to get something from the book.
• 41:41
  SPEAKER_00: Exactly right.
• 41:41
  SPEAKER_00: And I didn't want it to be, and thank you, Cassie, for saying I didn't want it to be a business book and didn't want it to be even for uh CEO, if that's whatever your doesn't matter what your career path is, no, it doesn't matter where you are in life, uh, these lessons are universal in ways that you can just better your life for sure.
• 41:59
  SPEAKER_02: That's awesome.
• 42:00
  SPEAKER_03: Well, and you've been throughout our conversation sharing different lessons that you've been learning through life, and I have a hunch some of those are gonna be kind of within the book that was just published.
• 42:11
  SPEAKER_03: Um, but if you had to pick one, if readers are walking away remembering one lesson from the book without giving away everything, because I do want people to go get the book as well.
• 42:19
  SPEAKER_03: What do you hope that one lesson is?
• 42:22
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you know, so I I I knew you were gonna probably ask that question.
• 42:25
  SPEAKER_00: And when you got 25, I will tell you um they're all really, I mean, I I'm really passionate about all of them, but I but as I as I really you know thought, think through the book, um the there's a you know, we talked about that intentionality and in getting, you know, having your own mission statement or getting a a personal board.
• 42:44
  SPEAKER_00: Um but I guess I want to go to one that's pretty generic.
• 42:48
  SPEAKER_00: We hear the words like, you know, dream big and things like that, but but I I like the word chase your dreams.
• 42:54
  SPEAKER_00: One of the biggest regrets I hear as a banker when I'm having breakfast and lunch with with all sorts of people from all walks of life, um, the number one regret that always comes up is that it didn't chase your dreams.
• 43:05
  SPEAKER_00: And I like the word chase because it, you know, it's it's not you have to chase something, you have to you have to give up stuff.
• 43:13
  SPEAKER_00: You it is not gonna and it's not a straight line to get to something, whatever that dream is, whether it's a career, whether it's building up your faith or whatever it is, it takes work and you have to chase it, and that means you're gonna have to sacrifice, you're gonna have to um, you're gonna have to really be all in.
• 43:30
  SPEAKER_00: And so I I just say though, um you know, I'll use a secular quote here, but Walt Disney was fired from his uh the Kansas City newspaper because he lacked creativity.
• 43:41
  SPEAKER_00: And here's this guy that you know built the biggest empire of creativity, but he does have a quote that I love, and it's actually in the wallet blaze, but it just simply says if you can dream it, you can do it.
• 43:50
  SPEAKER_00: And so um I just say that wherever you are in life, if you want to go to Northwestern, but you're not sure, chase it.
• 43:56
  SPEAKER_00: Find a way to to get here like I did.
• 43:59
  SPEAKER_00: I didn't have the money, but you found a way to get there.
• 44:01
  SPEAKER_00: So whatever that whatever that dream is, I mean, dream, it could be big, but this could even be just uh a chase a dream today, doing something today with your family or whatever.
• 44:11
  SPEAKER_00: But but have goals, I guess that's another word for dreams, but I like the dreams because um sometimes they're out there and sometimes they inspire us more than oh, I gotta do this.
• 44:22
  SPEAKER_03: Well, I love that attitude because it it forces you to look at the things that are barriers to your thinking or barriers to what you think is possible and just to find a way over them or through them or around them or whatever to accomplish what the Lord's put on your heart.
• 44:34
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, I I I Love that.
• 44:35
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, so that that's one of the other chapters is never give up, you know, because um I can tell you so many times I was chasing a dream in business or in life, and I would have critics, I would have arrows, I would be, you know, I've got a big target on my back, and you can't do it, it's impossible.
• 44:52
  SPEAKER_00: But if you you know, I always say take the T out of can't.
• 44:54
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, if someone says can't, that's almost that's almost a challenge to me that you can.
• 44:58
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that's the kind of thing that we as believers need to do.
• 45:02
  SPEAKER_00: You you can do what you want to do, and God is there for you, but I think you um have to chase it and you can do it.
• 45:10
  SPEAKER_02: My sweet sassy grandma used to say, can't never did nothing.
• 45:15
  SPEAKER_00: Ah, I like that.
• 45:16
  SPEAKER_00: I I should have put that in my book.
• 45:17
  SPEAKER_00: I wish it would have been.
• 45:19
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, there you go.
• 45:19
  SPEAKER_02: On the wall, right next to Walt Disney's quote.
• 45:21
  SPEAKER_00: I like that actually, though.
• 45:23
  SPEAKER_03: That's great.
• 45:23
  SPEAKER_03: The updated version when you update for the the second edition of the book.
• 45:26
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 45:27
  SPEAKER_03: Um well, Dan, one thing I really appreciate about you, and it's been evident in this conversation.
• 45:31
  SPEAKER_03: Um, you have a a knack and an encouraging way of taking experiences that you've learned combined with the passion that is inside of you and giving it to us in a very digestible, practical, easy to understand and apply uh um medium.
• 45:50
  SPEAKER_03: So I I just really appreciate that about you.
• 45:52
  SPEAKER_03: And I have no doubt that this book is gonna be a lot of that um in that.
• 45:56
  SPEAKER_03: So if you're listening to this and you desire to grow, I encourage you to check out this book and and you get to hear more of the heart of the man that is sitting with us here in this conversation.
• 46:07
  SPEAKER_03: And um, you know, Dan, I might have to hunt you down after this interview and see if I can get on your early list for being on my personal board of advisors and figuring out how I can how much I need to pay you to be on that board.
• 46:18
  SPEAKER_03: But um, this has been this has been really good.
• 46:20
  SPEAKER_03: So thank you for sharing this.
• 46:21
  SPEAKER_03: I guess the last question about the book is where can where can people get a book if they want one?
• 46:26
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you know, it's on Amazon.com.
• 46:27
  SPEAKER_00: That's probably your best bet, and uh really excited and and I would love to get some feedback uh on it.
• 46:33
  SPEAKER_00: Um I just I it just it I just feel like this is I I never sought out to write a book, but it was one of those sort of silent retreats where I'm just jotting and journaling and uh really thought like wow, here's a couple well, no, here's another one, here's another one.
• 46:46
  SPEAKER_00: And so um it's just it just came to be and um I I had fun with it, so thank you.
• 46:52
  SPEAKER_00: That's great.
• 46:52
  SPEAKER_02: Did Heidi hook you up with a publisher?
• 46:54
  SPEAKER_00: Uh you actually, yeah, we're we're she we're she's using a different publisher than I am, so we'll we'll we'll have a little bit of competition going on between father and daughter.
• 47:02
  SPEAKER_00: We love it.
• 47:02
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, that's awesome.
• 47:03
  SPEAKER_02: Well, we've talked a lot about uh many facets of your life, including leadership and business and stewardship and your family.
• 47:12
  SPEAKER_02: Um and that all makes up who you are.
• 47:14
  SPEAKER_02: But as you look back on your life, what do you hope people remember as your legacy?
• 47:19
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I just feel like life is about giving, not getting.
• 47:23
  SPEAKER_00: You know, um actually we've Rob and I have a brick at um over in front of uh Billy Graham Commons and our verse is John 3.16, only because we both we love that verse, you know, for God so loved the world that gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.
• 47:39
  SPEAKER_00: But both of us memorize that at a young age.
• 47:42
  SPEAKER_00: But there's a someone pointed this out to me, and I think it's just fascinating.
• 47:45
  SPEAKER_00: But if you look at the first few words, for God so love he gave, and just stop there for we know who he gave.
• 47:52
  SPEAKER_00: But you know, that that that phrase alone inspires me.
• 47:56
  SPEAKER_00: I I'll never be a net giver, but I don't want I I my goal is to move from a net taker to a a net giver.
• 48:03
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that's the legacy piece is that uh again, uh is is that we're about giving giving back our time, talent, treasures.
• 48:12
  SPEAKER_00: You know, tw time we're we all have 24 hours a day.
• 48:14
  SPEAKER_00: Nobody has more time than anybody else, so give back some of that time.
• 48:18
  SPEAKER_00: You know, our treasures, our talent, nobody's talented more than anybody else.
• 48:22
  SPEAKER_00: Give back some of that talent, and then treasures, you know, your money when God blesses, doesn't matter how much it is, but give a portion of that and and make sure you're you're giving that back.
• 48:31
  SPEAKER_00: So to me, I think it's that generosity piece and doing it for the right reasons.
• 48:35
  SPEAKER_00: It's not about building yourself up, it's just about building up the kingdom.
• 48:39
  SPEAKER_02: That's awesome.
• 48:40
  SPEAKER_02: That's good.
• 48:40
  SPEAKER_02: I love that.
• 48:41
  SPEAKER_02: I'm gonna look for your brick.
• 48:42
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah, you gotta do that.
• 48:43
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, if you can find it.
• 48:44
  SPEAKER_00: I think all the kids have their own brick out there, by the way.
• 48:46
  SPEAKER_00: So it's kind of fun.
• 48:47
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 48:48
  SPEAKER_02: That's awesome.
• 48:48
  SPEAKER_02: Well, as we wrap up, you already touched on this, but I'd love to hear your thoughts again on what it means to you to be unwavering.
• 48:54
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, unwavering, uh, you know, I I do like that so strong.
• 48:59
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, stay strong, stay committed.
• 49:01
  SPEAKER_00: And probably the verse I want to use with that when I think of unwavering to stay strong, just remember, you know, if he is for us, who can be against us, right?
• 49:09
  SPEAKER_00: So um life isn't gonna be easy.
• 49:11
  SPEAKER_00: The the journey is not gonna be easy.
• 49:13
  SPEAKER_00: There's gonna be trials, there's gonna be misses.
• 49:16
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, but you know, don't stay, you know, just stay unwavering, stay strong, stay committed.
• 49:22
  SPEAKER_00: And uh that's my encouragement to everybody.
• 49:24
  SPEAKER_03: Well, that's awesome.
• 49:25
  SPEAKER_03: And uh, Dan, thank you for uh giving giving your time generously to us today.
• 49:30
  SPEAKER_03: This has been a fantastic conversation.
• 49:32
  SPEAKER_03: We really appreciate you.
• 49:33
  SPEAKER_03: So uh go Blaze, go Eagles, go Northwestern, and uh for you uh listening to this podcast, we're cheering you on today, too.
• 49:55
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you for listening.
• 49:56
  SPEAKER_01: To hear more, subscribe and leave a rating wherever you listen.
• 50:00
  SPEAKER_01: And if you know an alum, faculty member, staff, or student of Northwestern doing amazing things out in the world, let us know at alumni at unwsp.edu, the unwavering podcast, highlighting the people, the purpose, and the pulse of Northwestern.