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.

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.

Chris Ruder, CEO of Spikeball, bought the rights to a childhood game he loved, and through Pragmatic Innovation and a focus on early Profits, relaunched it with an entirely different approach. In this talk from Tugboat Institute Summit, Chris recounts the story of Spikeball, including how he leveraged e-commerce, social media, and existing communities to build a nationwide movement around the product and the opportunity for connection it creates.

Allen Serfas founded and leads Assistance Home Care in St. Louis, Missouri, an Evergreen business he and his wife were inspired to launch after helping to care for his mother-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-plus year career in a completely different industry.

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.

Tugboat Institute Founder & CEO Dave Whorton continues his conversation with Dr. Gary Kunkle, a leading academic researcher in the area of sustained company growth over time.

Bill Roark, CEO and Co-Founder of Torch Technologies, 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 and CEO of a now $400 million defense contracting company.

Dr. Gary Kunkle is a leading academic researcher in the area of sustained company growth over time. In this interview with Dave Whorton, Founder and CEO of Tugboat Institute, Gary offers insight into several of the key variables that set sustained growth companies apart and perspective on the role these businesses play in the economy and in communities.