In this episode of The Mentors Radio, Host Tom Loarie talks with Ed Kopetsky, retired and award-winning Chief Information Officer (CIO) for Stanford Health’s Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital and Stanford’s Children’s Health. Kopetsky now focuses on mentoring families whose lives have been turned upside down due to drug addiction. In 2017, Kopetsky tragically lost his 31-year-old son to an opiod overdose. In this episode of The Mentors Radio, Ed shares 17 years of frontline experience, including invaluable insights on addressing addiction within families and communities. “There is no one I know who is better to provide guidance on dealing with addiction within a family than Ed,” says host Tom Loarie. Kopetsky has served as the Board Chair for the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) and he is the founder and serves today as the Co-Chair of the CHIME Opiod Task Force. He was awarded the John Gall “CIO of the Year Award” by CHIME and HIMSS. CHIME CEO Russell Branzell describes Ed Kopetsy as “one of the most courageous people I know.” HIMSS CEO Hal Wolf adds that Kopetsky “epitomizes values and traits all in health strive to achieve.” This episode showcases the epitomy of ethical leadership and human compassion, honed from deeply held principles and clear leadership that transforms lives, companies, families and communities. Listen to THE MENTORS RADIO podcast anywhere, any time, on any platform, including Spotify and Apple, just click here! We are always grateful for your review on Spotify and Apple podcasts, which helps us reach even more people!!

ED KOPETSKY:

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Dan Hesse is joined by Lt. General Robert Caslen Jr. (Ret.) and Michael Matthews, Ph.D. to discuss The Character Edge: Leading and Winning with Integrity, a unique book in the way it combines lessons from extensive leadership research—strengthened by experience and real-life examples of leadership in action, and shares practical tools that can both assess and develop character to maximize leadership effectiveness. Robert Caslen served in the U.S. Army for 43 years. His distinguished military career culminated in 2018 as the 59th superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Under his direction as Superintendent, the Academy was recognized as the Number One public college in the nation by Forbes Magazine and the Number One public college by U.S. News and World Report.  Caslen refined West Point’s leadership program with a focus on professional ethics as an essential part of leadership and character development. General Caslen also served in numerous combat and overseas deployments including operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, Central America and Haiti.  After retiring from the Army, he served as the 29th president of the University of South Carolina.   Dr. Michael Matthews is Professor Emeritus of Engineering Psychology at the U.S. Military Academy.  He served as President of the American Psychological Association’s Society for Military Psychology and is a Templeton Foundation Senior Positive Psychology Fellow. He has authored more than 250 scientific papers and edited, authored or co-authored several books.   Listen to THE MENTORS RADIO podcast anywhere, any time, on any platform, including Spotify and Apple, just click here! We are always grateful for your 5-star review on Spotify and Apple podcasts, which helps us reach even more people!!

—–

Watch your thoughts, they become words.
Watch your words, they become actions.
Watch your actions, they become habits.
Watch your habits, they become character.
Watch your character, it becomes your destiny.

         —Frank Outlaw

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Dan Hesse talks with legendary singer-songwriter Neil Young, who is widely regarded as one of the most influential and versatile musicians in history. Young could be the most difficult artist to categorize as he plays rock, folk, country, rockabilly, blues, new wave and electronic music, plus he’s been recognized as the Godfather of Grunge. Neil Young has released more than 60 albums, received multiple Grammy Awards, been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame TWICE, and he’s influenced and inspired countless artists. Rolling Stone magazine includes Neil on their lists of the greatest guitarists of all time and the greatest artists of all time. He continues to be very active in supporting important causes, and he continues to provide us with both new and previously unreleased music such as the Neil Young Archives, Volume III. Listen to THE MENTORS RADIO podcast anywhere, any time, on any platform, including Spotify and Apple, just click here!

BIO: https://www.biography.com/musicians/neil-young

BOOKS:

WEBSITE: Neil Young Archives

VIDEO CLIPS:

PHOTOS:

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Tom Loarie talks with Ashley Goodall, outstanding leadership expert, former Fortune 50 executive, former Senior VP at Cisco, former senior executive at Deloitte and author of The Problem with Change, one of Financial Times‘ top business books of 2024. As a thought leader, his work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Harvard Business Review, and more. In this episode, you’ll learn why nonstop disruption drains performance–and how to fix it. You’ll learn how predictability fuels innovation, why “check-ins” beat “performance reviews” and the four questions that make check-ins work. You’ll discover how to create real belonging at work, why corporate vision and value statements often backfire, and you’ll learn what actually does drive engagement. If you’re navigating change—or leading others through it—this episode is for you! Listen to THE MENTORS RADIO broadcast on Salem Radio in San Francisco, via live-streaming on iHeart Radio worldwide or anytime, on ANY podcast platform, including Apple Podcast, Spotify, iTunes, TuneIN, Stitcher, Google Play and all the others. Sign up for the podcast here.

ASHLEY GOODALL:

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Dan Hesse talks with Cathy Lanier, whose amazing story continues to inspire. At age 14, Lanier got pregnant, ran away from home, dropped out of high school. But by age 39, this single mother became Washington D.C.’s Chief of Police, earned two master’s degrees, and now serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Security Officer for the National Football League (NFL). In her role with the NFL, Lanier coordinates the efforts of the League offices—that is, all 32 clubs!—and federal, state and local law entities to ensure the security of the NFL’s venues, fans, players, staff and infrastructure. Cathy served as Chief of Police in Washington, D.C. from 2007 to 2016, where she was not only the first female police chief but also the longest serving chief, serving under three mayors. Her innovative strategies were credited with reducing violent crime in Washington, D.C. by 21 percent from 2007 to 2015 while the city’s population grew by 15 percent. LISTEN TO the radio broadcast live on iHeart Radio, or to “THE MENTORS RADIO” podcast any time, anywhere, on any podcast platform – subscribe here and don’t miss an episode!

CATHY LANIER:

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Dan Hesse talks with Dr. Chris Howard, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Arizona State University and former President of Robert Morris University and Hampden-Sydney College, to discuss his diverse career path on the way to discovering his calling in higher education. Elected student body president at Plano High, where 2% of the student body was African American, he helped Plano win the Texas state football championship. Chris received an appointment to the U.S. Air Force Academy where he again excelled in the classroom and on the gridiron and was selected to be the inaugural recipient of the prestigious Draddy Trophy, now called the Campbell Trophy, given to our nation’s top college football scholar athlete. Chris earned a PhD from Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar and served in the U.S. Air Force as a helicopter pilot and as an intelligence officer, where he was assigned to the elite Joint Special Operations Command. He later received an MBA with distinction from Harvard before embarking on a successful business and higher education leadership career, becoming the nation’s youngest college president.  LISTEN TO the radio broadcast live on iHeart Radio, or to “THE MENTORS RADIO” podcast any time, anywhere, on any podcast platform – subscribe here and don’t miss an episode!

DR. CHRIS HOWARD:

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Tom Loarie talks with David P. Wallace, sales expert and author, to uncover what the best sales professionals know—and how you can apply those same principles to your own life, no matter what your profession, background, circumstances. David has spent his career leading high-performing sales teams, advising companies on building world-class sales organizations, and helping professionals master the art of persuasion. He shares a wealth of insights as he breaks down the core principles of effective selling. Together, we’ll explore the different styles of selling, the common mistakes people make when trying to influence others, and the sales skills that anyone—regardless of their profession—can use to be more effective. How you use these skills can help you if you are in transition and need to sell yourself in today’s challenging job market, or if you are an entrepreneur and need to persuade investors, or if you want to improve internal communication and collaboration within your organization. David P. Wallace is also the author of The Sales Executive Handbook, a guide to creating and sustaining a winning sales force. Ultimately, whether we know it or not—we’re ALL in sales. From job seekers, to entrepreneurs, to professionals navigating internal office politics, to every day life and family…we spend our days persuading, influencing, and negotiating. Every day, we persuade, influence and communicate ideas—whether it’s selling a product, pitching an idea, securing funding for a new venture, or even convincing a hiring manager that we’re the right person for the job. Selling isn’t just for sales professionals—it’s a fundamental skill that drives success in business and in life! If you’ve ever wondered how to sharpen your ability to influence others, communicate more effectively, or close more deals—whether in business, your career, or everyday life—this conversation is for you. LISTEN TO the radio broadcast live on iHeart Radio, or to “THE MENTORS RADIO” podcast any time, anywhere, on any podcast platform – subscribe here and don’t miss an episode!

DAVID P. WALLACE:

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Dan Hesse talks with Jerome Bettis (also known as “The Bus”), who is a Hall of Fame running back and Walter Peyton NFL Man of the Year. Jerome describes how he “broke the cycle” of shunning rookies in the locker room and instead focused on encouraging and mentoring them. He also talks about how the generosity of one pro football player he met as a kid drove him to develop the habit of giving a “hand up” to those in need; a habit that he knows he will continue for the rest of his life. “The Bus” is also the title of Jerome’s bestselling autobiography, which tells the story of Bettis’ rise from a Detroit ghetto to an illustrious collegiate and professional football career. A six-time Pro Bowl selection and one of the league’s all-time leading rushers, Jerome retired in 2006 after helping the Steelers win the Super Bowl, and in 2022, at age 50, Bettis received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame, fulfilling a promise he made to his mother when he left college for the NFL draft a year before graduation! LISTEN TO the radio broadcast live on iHeart Radio, or to “THE MENTORS RADIO” podcast any time, anywhere, on any podcast platform – subscribe here and don’t miss an episode!

JEROME BETTIS:

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Tom Loarie talks with Mitch Warner, managing partner of The Arbinger Institute and also an Arbinger author, about how to break free from self-deception to build authentic, thriving relationships. Self-deception is one of the most insidious barriers to success—affecting our leadership, relationships and even our ability to see reality clearly. You will learn how self-deception blinds us to our own impact, fuels conflict, and keeps us stuck in destructive patterns. We’ll explore how shifting our mindset can transform not just our professional lives, but also our families, friendships and communities. If you’ve ever struggled with accountability, leadership challenges or personal growth, this episode will open your eyes. Don’t miss this powerful conversation! LISTEN TO the radio broadcast live on iHeart Radio, or to “THE MENTORS RADIO” podcast any time, anywhere, on any podcast platform – subscribe here and don’t miss an episode!

MITCH WARNER:

In this episode of The Mentors Radio, Host Tom Loarie talks with Hans-Werner Kass, co-dean of McKinsey’s CEO Leadership Program, The Bower Forum, and co-author of The Journey of Leadership: How CEOs Learn to Lead from the Inside Out. You’ll learn how to go from self-doubt, to driving bold organizational change and actionable steps to achieve goals, leading from the inside out; a truly eye-opening journey! Culling from decades of experience counseling top CEOs around the globe, Hans-Werner has gained an unparalleled view into the minds and behaviors of many leaders. His work has enabled him to see first-hand the personal and professional struggles of CEOs, giving him unique insights into why they struggle and how they can grow. Often leaders do not have anyone to talk to peer-to-peer. The Bower Forum provides a safe space for CEOs to open up about their fears, something rarely talked about and rarely discussed in other leadership books. Kaas and his team show these leaders how to overcome what is holding them back and key steps they can take to lead their organizations to success. For leaders, especially CEOs, it’s action and example (not words) that truly drives organizational success and boosts individual and team productivity. In this conversation, Hans-Werner will share not only how he has helped leaders transform, but also the deeper reasons behind their challenges. You’ll learn practical insights and inspiring stories you won’t want to miss! Listen to the radio broadcast live on iHeart Radio, or to “THE MENTORS RADIO” podcast any time, anywhere, on any podcast platform – subscribe here and don’t miss an episode!

HANS-WERNER KASS: