The 5Rs of Being in Service to Others

Chris Mittelstaedt and his partner, Erik Muller, cofounded The FruitGuys in 1998 as a way to bring healthy, fresh fruit to offices and have built the company guided by Evergreen 7Ps® principles. In this presentation from Tugboat Institute Summit 2020, Chris shares the unifying theory of doing business that guides the Evergreen business and keeps the team focused on being in service to others.


Why Are You Doing That? The Values, Beliefs, and Principles That Got Me This Far

Kevin Switick, President and CEO of Avian, Inc., spent 20 years as a Navy test pilot before founding his defense contracting firm. As he has grown his Evergreen® business and developed as a leader, Kevin has become increasingly aware of the key lessons from both his military career and his entrepreneurial education that have guided him as a leader. 

In this presentation from Tugboat Institute Summit 2020, Kevin shares these insights and takeaways and describes his commitment to paying his knowledge and success forward through mentorship.


The Status of Energy and Its Future

Fireside Chat with Jack Hand and Dave Whorton

In this interview from Tugboat Institute Summit 2020, Tugboat Institute Founder and CEO Dave Whorton speaks with Jack Hand, Chairman of POWER Engineers. Jack shares wisdom from his 19 years as CEO of the global consulting engineering firm, offering insight into current dynamics and long-term trends in power generation, distribution, and consumption.


How I Transformed My Company by Transforming Myself

Bruce Williams, CEO of US Tool, learned a tough lesson fairly early in his career as second-generation leader of the family-owned specialty manufacturing firm. In this talk from Tugboat Institute Summit 2020, Bruce shares the difficult conversation that served as a catalyst for personal and professional growth and the parallel, positive trajectory of the business over many years that was the result.


Curiosity and 100% Responsibility

As an expert in small-group dynamics and leadership development, Kaley Klemp coaches leaders and organizations in communication and interaction skills to help develop trusting, effective teams. In this presentation from Tugboat Institute Summit 2020, Kaley describes the concept of being “above or below the line” in relationships and the three unproductive roles of the “drama triangle,” which can stifle clear communication, creativity, and problem solving. Kaley’s new book, The 80/80 Marriage, explores how these same dynamics show up in intimate relationships. 


Leadership Lessons

Allen Serfas founded and leads Assistance Home Care in St. Louis, Missouri, a business he and his wife were inspired to launch after helping to care for his father in law at home over many years. Allen’s personal experience and his unique home care business model reflects an innovative and Purpose-driven approach, informed by a 20+year career in a completely different industry.


Be Brave

Ingrid Carney, Founder and CEO of Ingrid & Isabel, a maternity essentials company, never considered bravery a defining characteristic of her life or her business journey. But now, as she shares in this talk from Tugboat Institute Summit 2020, 20 years after founding her Evergreen business as a new mother, Ingrid has a different view. As she reflects on the many small and big moments of motherhood and entrepreneurship that have led to success and personal growth, she is able to see the through line of bravery in her story and encourages other leaders to do the same.


Transforming Luck Companies through Values, Leadership, and Process

Dr. Tom Epperson serves as President of InnerWill Leadership Institute, which works with companies to navigate challenge and achieve success through values-based leadership.

In this presentation from Tugboat Institute Summit 2020, Tom shares the origin story of InnerWill, offering insight into the transformation of the family-owned Luck Companies, and describes the process and impact of integrating and operationalizing values-based leadership.


Bill Roark

Building a Great Company from Humble Origins

Bill Roark, Co-Founder of Torch Technologies, Inc., Founder and CEO of Starfish Holdings, Inc., and Founder of Freedom Real Estate & Capital, LLC, has built a remarkable Evergreen® company in Huntsville, Alabama, with a deep commitment to service. From very humble origins, Bill has been driven to create opportunity and give back, inspiring his team to do the same.

In this presentation from Tugboat Institute Summit 2020, Bill shares the path that took him from a tar-paper shack to become Co-Founder of a now $400 million defense contracting company and the philanthropic drive that continues to inspire his work.


Pivoting 101: Caviar, Tattoos, and Bingo

I think we could all agree that the word “pivot” has dominated many of our conversations around business—and life in general—in 2020. Brian Canlis and his team at Canlis restaurant in Seattle are exemplars of the power of the pivot. From transforming the storied fine-dining restaurant to a drive-through, to creating a delivery program, to offering drive-in movies in their parking lot, the team has been on a constant path of adaptation and reinvention.

In this presentation from Tugboat Institute Summit 2020, Brian shares insight into the approach that has helped the business thrive over 70 years and the mission that drives the company’s commitment to continue to flex and adapt.