Early Stories
We love hearing about the memorable early stories that defined our Evergreen companies. They often evoke the passion and perseverance that’s especially important to bootstrapping a company. Whether it’s a memorable employee, a disastrous situation, or a nickname that evolved into a badge of honor, our members recall the details in their own words.
Featuring: Jay Wilkinson, Stephane Fitch, Courtney Kingston, Jairemy Drooger, Amy Simmons, Daniel Goldstein, and Steven Jacob
Profit With a Purpose: The REI Story
Dennis Madsen’s journey at outdoor retailer REI started in the stock room at REI’s first store when Madsen was 17. Under his leadership as CEO, and later as a board member, REI grew to the national brand it is today, respected for its products, inviting stores and quality customer service.
In this Tugboat Institute Summit talk, Madsen acquaints us with REI’s remarkable history, its unique co-op model, his growth with the company and how REI focuses on its employees, customers and local communities.
My First Buck
We all remember how we made our first buck — and for many Evergreen leaders it was something quite entrepreneurial, or an entry-level job that unveiled their passion for serving customers. In this Tugboat Institute Summit video, our members look back on their first-buck moments.
Featuring: Will Snook, Don MacAskill, Dan Kenary and Wynne Odell.
The Inadvertent Multigenerational Family Business: Secrets of Longevity
Multigenerational family businesses are a testament to the Evergreen 7Ps, particularly their importance through decades, if not a century, of technological advances, economic cycles, interpersonal family dynamics and competition both domestically and abroad.
Tugboat Institute Summit guest speaker Spencer Burke is an expert in guiding families and their businesses through these inevitable challenges in his work at The St. Louis Trust Company and Washington University in St. Louis. His deep understanding of their history and practices has allowed him to synthesize and share specific strategies that enable multigenerational businesses to thrive for the long haul. As Burke states in his talk, “It’s not a straight line. … Sometimes you need to reinvent yourself and keep moving forward.”
Update from Rebecca Rusch
As a seven-time ultra-endurance mountain bike world champion, Rebecca Rusch exemplifies Perseverance. In 2017, Rebecca set out on a deeply personal odyssey in search of her father’s Vietnam War crash site and final resting place along the 1,200-mile Ho Chi Minh Trail — a journey documented in the film "Blood Road." At our most recent Tugboat Institute Summit, Rebecca gave us a preview of her enormous project and the inspiration that led to the most important ride of her life.
First Starting Out
Some leaders know from day one that they want to build an Evergreen company — lasting, purpose-driven and private. For others, it takes a mentor, a life-changing event or a new idea to realize the kind of legacy they want to leave. At last year’s Tugboat Institute Summit, our members shared the watershed moment that brought them on the Evergreen path.
Featuring: Amy Simmons, Stephane Fitch, Steven Jacob, Jay Wilkinson, Courtney Kingston and Jairemy Drooger.
Original Values
Our parents are often our first teachers and shape who we become. The values we learn from them become the foundations of our lives. In this candid Tugboat Institute Summit video, a few of our members reflect on the most important lessons from their parents.
Featuring: Carrie Van Winkle Greener, Jay Wilkinson, Amy Simmons, Jair Drooger, Daniel Goldstein, Courtney Kingston, Stephane Fitch and Steven Jacob.
VIDEO: Evergreen Description
If you would like to watch the complete panel interview with Dave Whorton (The Tugboat Group CEO), Amy Simmons (Amy’s Ice Creams President), and C.Richard Panico (Integrated Project Management CEO) on how to build a business to last 100 years, please click here.
Engineering a Comeback: From Biggest Crisis to Best Year Ever in 18 Months
Jessica Rovello is the co-founder and CEO of Arkadium, an online gaming company based in Ukraine and the U.S. that provides brands and publishers with interactive, brand-safe content. In early 2014, when 100 of her Ukraine-based employees were affected by the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, Rovello’s commitment to Perseverance and putting People First was put to the test.
In her talk, Rovello walks us through a chronological series of geopolitical business challenges that nearly shut down her company. Through sheer grit and determination, Arkadium, within 18 months, went from the edge of despair to its highest year of revenue and profitability, all while solidifying its unique company culture.
Successful Habits
Grit, persistence, not taking no for an answer — these are some contributing factors that have helped our CEOs drive toward success. In this short video from Tugboat Institute Summit 2017, our members reflect on what’s made the biggest difference in their careers and what they continue to do each day to be successful.
Featuring: Robert Glazer, John Keatley, Jim Creel, Bryan Pape, Ross Evans and Rick Sutton.