Category: 2024

If you want a unique perspective on leadership, ask a quarterback.

For football player turned USD Foundation president and CEO Noah Shepard, life on and off the field has provided valuable insight into leading teams and fostering culture.

Shepard, a Colorado native, first stepped into South Dakota for a recruiting visit at USD, which led to four years as the Coyotes’ quarterback and a first job playing football professionally after graduation in 2010. He briefly joined the Green Bay Packers before playing in the Canadian Football League.

Shepard returned to his alma mater in 2021 as a campaign director for the USD Foundation, before being promoted to vice president of development in 2022 and assuming the role of president and CEO earlier this year.

In between, his career took him to Molson Coors in Colorado, where he helped lead a team during a major beverage industry merger, and to Amazon, where he served in management roles during company growth spurts.

“Along the way I gained different perspectives on business from really smart folks and had great mentors,” he said. “I was fortunate and blessed to have the opportunity to work through these growth periods, but my heart has always been here since I left.”

His wife, Abby, is a South Dakota native and USD graduate, and they were eager to raise their three kids here.

“I’m forever grateful for what USD has done for my wife and myself,” Shepard said. “When they reached out to see if I wanted to come back, I said there really wasn’t anything to negotiate because I wanted to be here.”

Shepard will be one of four panelists sharing perspectives on the topic “Microcultures Matter: Tailoring work environments for employee success” at the seventh annual WIN in Workforce Summit, presented by the Sioux Falls Development Foundation. The popular event will be from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sept. 24 at the Sioux Falls Convention Center. Click here to learn more and register.

Other panelists include:

• Brooke Fitts, First International Bank & Trust
• Karla Santi, Blend Interactive
• Natasha Smith, Sanford Health

The discussion will explore how strategic development of micro cultures can revolutionize talent attraction, development and retention.

“Culture gets thrown around a lot and means different things in different organizations,” Shepard said. “I’ve experienced companies that did a really good job of defining that and instilling pieces of it in their core values.”

While at one point he was a young leader managing people twice his age, “I think if you instill those principles, those core values, you can really start to make some headway,” he said. “But understanding your audience and how it needs to be delivered in an appropriate fashion to sink in is something you have to be in tune with.”

Successful companies also give leaders creative freedom to build micro-cultures, he said.

Shepard with his team at the USD Foundation.

“As a former athlete, everything for me revolves around winning and how we define if we’re winning,” he said. “You don’t have to win every day, but you have to understand where you’re at in the current state and how we continually grow. If you instill a culture and mindset that focuses on continually getting 1 percent better, you can look back and be extremely proud of what you accomplished.”

He now leads a team of about three dozen people and is putting that philosophy into practice.

“We’re reinvigorating with a new and fresh approach and doing it in a way in which everyone in the organization knows what it takes to win at their levels and how their role plays into the greater good,” he said.

Note: Sessions at the WIN in Workforce Summit are eligible for nine SHRM and HRCI recertification credits. The Sioux Falls Development Foundation is recognized by SHRM to offer professional development credits for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® recertification activities.

If you have questions, email deniseg@siouxfalls.com. Click here to learn more and register.

Here’s a look at the full agenda.

Think about 10, 20 or 50 years ago, and the health care field looked powerfully different.

The ways health care professionals diagnosed and treated patients were more limited, and as medicine has evolved, those working in the field have had to up-skill too.

“Simply considering the evolution of medicine and the resources we use to care for our communities, having a continuous learning and growth mindset is vital in our success,” said Dr. Ron Place, CEO of Avera McKennan, who leads a team of more than 8,200 employees.

“This often means learning to use new tools, techniques or approaches so that we can continue to stay on the cutting edge of care delivery.”

Place will be one of four panelists sharing perspective on the topic at the seventh annual WIN in Workforce Summit, presented by the Sioux Falls Development Foundation. The popular event will be from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sept. 24 at the Sioux Falls Convention Center. Click here to learn more and register.

Place will be joined by:

• Derek DeGeest, DeGeest Manufacturing.
• Devin McGrew, C&B Operations.
• Anna Jankord, Viaflex.

The panel will take a deep dive into the need to up-skill employees for the future, exploring innovative approaches, personalized learning pathways and fostering a culture of continuous learning.

We sat down with Place for a preview of how his organization is addressing the topic.

How is Avera McKennan specifically addressing reskilling employees? Are you offering additional or ongoing training, or what does that look like in real time?

One item that comes to mind is our virtual communication and virtual care delivery. This requires a significant shift for those used to being physically in the same space as their colleague, care provider or patient. It’s a big shift for some folks to navigate, requiring new skills, but has proven to be very beneficial, particularly in rural areas.

At Avera, our virtual nurses are working in a new care environment, and they’re often “floating” to a variety of care units, rather than a dedicated home unit they may have historically worked in. These nurses are supporting their colleagues at the bedside with really vital tasks like medication verification, documentation and more.

Our transfer center is another area we’re shifting some crucial duties, allowing our referring physicians to devote more time to patient care while our transfer center team is able to serve as the lead communicator and facilitate appropriate transfers between specialties and facilities.

Along with positions requiring specific skills, leaders also need to evolve and enhance their abilities, especially as they are leading a growing organization or find their roles are changing. How are you developing those skills in leaders internally?

Avera has multiple leadership and mission development programs aimed at setting employees and leaders up for future growth and success. Leadership is a skill to be mastered – and giving leaders opportunities in our organization to practice those skills is important. And I think that it’s important for leaders to have their own leadership philosophy, that they write it down so it becomes “real” and they update it as they mature as leaders. We recently held a leadership discussion where I shared leadership lessons in the context of some of my favorite leadership books. Having a full auditorium of leaders show up, ask questions and engage in meaningful dialogue shows just how significant and hungry our leaders are for these opportunities.

How are you partnering with area educational institutions or other trainers to reskill within Avera?

Educational partners are critically important to Avera, and we’re being much more intentional about forming strategic partnerships that develop future workforce. The most recent examples:

• Developed in partnership with Avera Behavioral Health, Southeast Technical College launched a new behavioral and mental health technician associate degree program in the spring of 2024, with scholarship opportunities available. As mental health techs are in high demand in the inpatient setting, this program was very much needed.
• In an effort to support health sciences and future workforce building, Avera gifted its property at 33rd Street and Minnesota Avenue to South Dakota State University to provide them with a permanent home for its Sioux Falls-based programs in nursing and pharmacy.
• Mount Marty University in collaboration with Avera launched a new graduate certificate in endocrinology for nurse practitioners, one of two in the United States and the only one offered in the Midwest. The hope is to enhance access to high-quality diabetes care in rural areas.
• The Avera Academy is a nine-month collaboration between Avera McKennan, Southeast Tech and the Sioux Falls School District. Each year, 24 students interested in the field of health care enter the program from local high schools and visit facilities and departments all across Sioux Falls to see the wide range of career opportunities at Avera. The program has proven to be a great pathway into the field as 96 percent of students who have participated in the program have furthered their education in health care.

Avera McKennan is a large organization with significant resources, but do you have any advice for smaller organizations that also see a need to reskill their teams? Are there some things you do that might be replicable on a smaller scale?

Fostering an environment of leadership development and lifelong learning is something any organization can do if it truly matters to them. But it has to matter as staff quickly figure it out if it’s not really a priority. In addition, finding, reading and discussing leadership books is something that any organization can do. Being open and receptive to feedback is also important – and we can often find opportunities for growth and improvement when we truly listen.

You spoke at last year’s WIN in Workforce Summit. What were your takeaways from that event, and what value did you find in it?

Having recently relocated back to the area, I was surprised at just how big the event was and how hungry the community was for information. From the sheer number, depth and breadth of conversations to the panelists’ expertise and top-notch, plentiful questions, my expectations were wildly exceeded.

Note: Sessions at the WIN in Workforce Summit are eligible for nine SHRM and HRCI recertification credits. The Sioux Falls Development Foundation is recognized by SHRM to offer professional development credits for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® recertification activities.

If you have questions, email deniseg@siouxfalls.com. Click here to learn more and register.

Here’s a look at the full agenda.

Leaders who bring empathy to their work help create stronger teams.

But how do you go about cultivating empathy and leading with it?

Jennifer Schmidtbauer is passionate about answering that question. With more than 25 years of experience supporting people in publicly traded companies, nonprofits and government organizations, she’s now an owner at Crestcom, a talent development organization that focuses on sustained behavior change using a process that incorporates accountability and ROI measurement.

“It’s a proven approach for helping managers grow their leadership confidence and competency, so I was excited to become a Crestcom business owner in 2023,” she said.

“After many years as a formal leader myself at different professional levels in different types of organizations, I had a strong desire to leverage that experience in helping other leaders grow their management and leadership skills. Through Crestcom, I’m now able to assist companies across South Dakota in elevating team performance for achieving business results.”

Schmidtbauer will be sharing perspectives at the seventh annual WIN in Workforce Summit, presented by the Sioux Falls Development Foundation. The popular event will be from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sept. 24 at the Sioux Falls Convention Center. Click here to learn more and register.

Schmidtbauer will be joined in her session by Robyn Ewalt, a consultant with Avera Health.

We caught up with Schmidtbauer to learn more about the leadership perspective she’s bringing to the WIN Summit.

The topic of your session is “Empathy-Driven Leadership for High-Performing Teams.” What does empathy-driven leadership actually look like to you?

In business, the job of leadership is to deliver results through your team – teams which are made of people! Empathy-driven leadership is full recognition of this humanity. Our workplaces are much more than simply places of transaction, exchanging wages for labor. Empathy-driven leadership recognizes and prioritizes the various motivators and needs we have as humans – to support and encourage people in achieving company goals. Empathetic leadership is characterized by the quality of relationships. When I see a leader who has high-trust, meaningful connections with colleagues, who expresses genuine concern for others and is responsive to them, I know they are leading with empathy.

Is empathy a skill that can be learned? If so, how do you suggest helping leaders train for it?

Yes! While research has shown the capacity of our cognitive intelligence is difficult to expand upon after age 25, our emotional intelligence has ongoing opportunity for growth! Empathy is a component of EI. It’s aided by self- and social awareness and choosing to manage our behaviors for optimal relationship outcomes. There are several ways to “train” for it, but it begins with recognizing our own emotions, as well as how others might be feeling. You use that knowledge to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and connect meaningfully through listening and nonjudgmental responses. It’s not easy for a lot of us at first, but with practice, it becomes more natural. Empathy asks us to focus our attention on others, resisting the demands of our own ego and impulses.

What are the benefits of empathy-driven leadership for organizations?

We’ve heard the platinum rule is “treat others the way they want to be treated,” and empathetic leadership is about adapting your leadership style to the needs of your team – how you can best support them in the ways they find most motivating. If you go back to “the job” of leadership – achieving results through teams – then the best way to inspire the outcomes you need is to have each person working from a place of personal purpose and fulfillment. When a leader is able to help someone tie their personal success to the company’s success, you have a highly accountable and engaged organization. This is what empathetic leadership can create!

What would you say to leaders who, for whatever reason, see empathy as a potential sign of weakness?

I’d first have a conversation about what empathy is as perhaps it’s being misunderstood. Empathy is not about being “soft” or “not strong,” and it doesn’t neglect the need for accountability. It’s more about acknowledging that people aren’t machines, and if you value productivity, it’s important to set people up for success. Peter Drucker once wrote that it’s much easier to engineer technology than it is to engineer people. Emotions are part of the human software, and we can’t ignore the impact they have on us all day long. If a leader isn’t comfortable with empathy but is willing to learn for their own growth and advancement of their team, there are plenty of great coaches, courses and resources out there to help. The most successful companies are investing in empathetic leadership, and if your organization wants to be competitive, it’s a skill that can’t be ignored.

Formal leadership is a tough job, and it’s a never-ending growth journey. Leaders: Have some empathy for yourself as you navigate your role, and seek out support and perspective from other leaders. WIN will be a great place to do that!

What other “soft skill”-type qualities do you see today’s talent seeking in their leaders?

Many of these qualities are extensions of empathetic leadership. People desire leaders that demonstrate active listening, act on feedback, promote unity and collaboration, acknowledge hard work and who are both personally accountable and able to hold others accountable. All of these attributes require a genuine interest in team members’ lives and challenges at work and understanding their point of view. I see these qualities being in alignment with the work-life balance expectation people have of their employers as well.

Note: Sessions at the WIN in Workforce Summit are eligible for nine SHRM and HRCI recertification credits. The Sioux Falls Development Foundation is recognized by SHRM to offer professional development credits for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® recertification activities.

If you have questions, email deniseg@siouxfalls.com. Click here to learn more and register.

Here’s a look at the full agenda:

Among the many lessons Ben Utecht took away from his NFL career, this one has formed his future:

“If you build better men, you get better football players.”

Utecht learned and lived that mantra thanks to his Indianapolis Colts Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy, “the first to win a Super Bowl based on servant leadership,” he said.

“He was probably the most authentic and consistent leader I’ve ever been around. What you see is what you get. People want to be led by him because they can trust that his moral and ethical and corporate self is consistent and scalable.”

Utecht now leverages those and other life experiences in his role as chief culture officer at True North Equity Partners, based in his home state of Minnesota but with multiple business interests in the Sioux Falls area. Its portfolio spans 28 companies across five industries and includes ownership of the Sioux Falls Canaries.

“I always joke in keynotes that in my last career, my job was to hit people first, and now my job is to care about people first,” he said.

“In a company as leaders, you realize you have the opportunity to transform every single person that walks through the door in a way such that they go home a better person. How inspiring is that? If we put the time and intentionality into our culture, not only can we increase revenue but we can improve our people, and they might become better partners and parents and friends because of their work experience.”

He’ll share that message with attendees at the seventh annual WIN in Workforce Summit, presented by the Sioux Falls Development Foundation. The popular event will be from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sept. 24 at the Sioux Falls Convention Center. Click here to learn more and register.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Ben Utecht as this year’s keynote speaker,” said Denise Guzzetta, vice president of talent and workforce development. “His message empowers organizations to design, deploy and direct culture strategies that not only boost the bottom line but also inspire and uplift employees.”

WIN in Workforce itself is an all-day opportunity “to share best practices in talent and workforce development, network with experts and gain valuable insights that will help you and your business excel,” she added.

Breakout sessions will be structured around talent attraction, retention and current issues contributing to the workforce development field:

• Engage and hear from leaders transforming our region and workforce landscapes.
• Find out how technology is transforming the way and how people work.
• Learn the new playbook for employee retention in the global and diverse workplace.
• Hear from CEOs and seasoned business leaders about where and how they are investing in the workforce to develop and strengthen their organizations.

Beyond the business world, Utecht’s philanthropic focus lies in concussion awareness — a cause close to his heart because of a career-ending brain injury. His journey, chronicled in his book, “Counting the Days While My Mind Slips Away,” sheds light on memory, relevance and resilience.

As an award-nominated singer, his talents extend beyond business — performing for presidents to serenading Muhammad Ali.

At WIN in Workforce, he describes his message as “The Champion’s Creed,” a creed being a set of beliefs that guide behaviors and actions.

“The mission is how to build high-performing, championship culture within your organization built on the practice of an objective value and belief system,” he explained. “My goal is not just to be an inspirational speaker but to help businesses understand culture more objectively and, more importantly, how to practice culture and develop their people to help achieve their business goals.”

Attendees will leave with practical, actionable advice for incorporating culture into hiring, onboarding, training, talent development and employee engagement, he said.

“How are you hiring toward your culture and then developing team members toward the beliefs of the organization and holding them accountable?” he said. “And then as leaders, you also want to be listening and learning from employees because they are going to be honest and tell you what your culture needs are.”

Utecht also will be sharing insight with high school students attending the event as part of the Sioux Falls Development Foundation’s Career Connections program.

“Where I think this is great for high school listeners is that it should inspire emotional intelligence development,” Utecht said. “We’re talking about things in an inspirational way that provides clarity for them to begin thinking about their strategic plan for life. Decisions about college or what to study are connected to their belief system, so my hope is that there’s crossover in how you create culture and strategy in business and how you can apply that individually in your life.”

Note: Sessions at the WIN in Workforce Summit are eligible for nine SHRM and HRCI recertification credits. The Sioux Falls Development Foundation is recognized by SHRM to offer professional development credits for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® recertification activities.

If you have questions, email deniseg@siouxfalls.com. Click here to learn more and register.

Here’s a look at the full agenda: