Moving Forward In Business Amidst the Pandemic with Jenni Wendt
Executive Decisions by SYM Financial Advisors
Release Date: 04/12/2022
Life 2.0: Finding Purpose Beyond Retirement
Executive Decisions by SYM Financial Advisors
In today's episode of Executive Decisions, host Sarah Delahanty speaks with Todd and Cindy Shinabarger about their inspiring journey of transitioning from demanding careers to what they call “Life 2.0”—a purposeful and fulfilling phase of life dedicated to service and impact. Todd and Cindy share their experiences of stepping into volunteer roles with Operation Mobilization, where their skills in IT and science transformed projects and systems, helping the organization achieve excellence. They reflect on the importance of being intentional, crafting a plan, and seeking purpose beyond...
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From Airplanes to Orthopedics: Leadership Lessons Learned Along the Journey with Todd Davis
Executive Decisions by SYM Financial Advisors
In today's episode of Executive Decisions, host Sarah Delahanty sits down with Todd Davis who shares his rich career history from building airplanes to his executive career in the orthopedic industry. Todd reflects on his journey from managing older union workers while still in his 20’s to his transition into executive leadership roles. He emphasizes the importance of work ethic, persistence, and building relationships, sharing valuable insights from his experiences. Todd also discusses his post-executive life, engaging in mentorship, fundraising efforts for his community, and continuous...
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A Holistic Approach to Professional and Personal Development with Dr. Drew Flamm
Executive Decisions by SYM Financial Advisors
In today's episode of Executive Decisions, host Sarah Delahanty sits down with Dr. Drew Flamm, President of Grace College & Seminary, to explore the formative experiences that shaped his leadership path and the value of embracing a spectrum of opportunities. Dr. Flamm shares personal stories of early financial discipline, the impact of mentorship on his career, and the significance of lifelong learning in both personal and professional realms. Through anecdotes and advice, the conversation delves into the integration of personal interests with family life, highlighting the holistic...
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From Pacemakers to Entrepreneurship: Navigating the Medical Device Industry with Tim Early
Executive Decisions by SYM Financial Advisors
In this episode of Executive Decisions, guest hosted by Seth Whicker, guest Tim Early, CEO of DreamOn Group, shares his insightful journey from an early career decision to move from New York to Florida, leading to a pivotal role in the medical device industry with Cordis Corporation. Tim reflects on his educational transitions, notably from West Point to Rochester Institute of Technology, and his shift from accounting to packaging engineering, emphasizing the importance of aligning one's strengths with career choices. The episode delves into Tim's experiences with changing industry...
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Cultivating Diverse Leaders and Inclusive Culture with Dionna Topps James
Executive Decisions by SYM Financial Advisors
Dionna has been with Whirlpool Corporation for 15 years and currently leads the Whirlpool Sales Enablement Team as well as being the Chief of Staff for the Sales SVP. She is responsible for creating strategies and experiences to enable profitable sales growth for both Whirlpool and its Trade Customers. Dionna has held various positions with escalating responsibility within training, operations, sales and merchandising. As an accomplished sales leader she has been awarded National Sales Manager of the year and has delivered record breaking profitable growth in each of her respective role...
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From a Service Station Garage to Financial Advisory: Insights on Risks, Rewards, and the True Measure of Wealth with Dennis McKeever
Executive Decisions by SYM Financial Advisors
Dennis McKeever has a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh along with a PhD in physical chemistry from the University of California, Irvine. Dennis retired from Dow Chemical after a thirty year career where he primarily served as a senior manager in Research and Development. However, he also had two business management experiences – first as the manager of the Chemicals business for Latin America and subsequently as the VP for the Polyolefins and Elastomers business unit for Dow North America. After retiring from Dow, he served for six years as the...
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From Frogman to CEO: How Special Ops Skills Translate to Corporate Success with Matt Stevens
Executive Decisions by SYM Financial Advisors
Matt Stevens transitioned from the U.S. Navy in July 2017 after serving for 26 years as a SEAL. He attended The Honor Foundation’s (THF) inaugural East Coast class in the Spring of 2016, joined the THF SOF Advisory Board in the Spring of 2017, and then joined THF’s Board of Directors in February 2018. Throughout his career, Matt served as a Special Operations Executive leading high-performing teams conducting our nation’s most sensitive operations, cultivating interagency relationships and executing plans in dynamic environments. Matt served on the leadership team of an emerging...
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Balancing Growth and Experience with Ed Mohr
Executive Decisions by SYM Financial Advisors
Ed Mohr is the retired Vice President of Total Rewards at Whirlpool Corporation, a Fortune 200 company specializing in home appliances. With a background in HR, manufacturing, and logistics, Ed has accumulated 29 years of experience in various roles. In his current position, he is accountable for executive compensation, broad-based compensation, global mobility, benefits, health, wellness pensions, and 401 k plans globally. As a member of the Global Senior HR Leadership Team, he plays a crucial role in shaping the company's human resources strategies. Ed holds a bachelor's degree in Marketing...
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Blazing Trails and Giving Back with Jenée Velasquez
Executive Decisions by SYM Financial Advisors
Jenée Velasquez is the Executive Director of The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation, a prestigious organization dedicated to philanthropy and community development. Velasquez began her professional journey as the Chief Executive Officer of Midland County's Economic Development Corporation, Midland Tomorrow, where she played a pivotal role in driving economic growth and prosperity. Prior to that, she served as the Manager of Economic Development Services and the first Downtown Development Authority Coordinator in Midland. She also worked for the Manhattan, Kansas Convention, and Visitors...
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TACTICAL | Executive Compensation
Executive Decisions by SYM Financial Advisors
In this episode of Executive Decisions Podcast, host Sarah Delahanty, a certified financial planner, talks about how her firm, SYM Financial Advisors, helps executives understand and maximize their executive compensation and benefits. She emphasizes the importance of diversifying risks and making sure clients have a game plan for the year, including determining what may be beneficial to exercise relating to stock options, selling or retaining restricted stock units, participating in employee stock purchase plans, and deferred compensation plans. Sarah also explains the complexities around tax...
info_outlineJennifer “Jenni” Wendt is the Global Director of Strategic Planning and Business Analysis at Dow, a sustainable materials science company that sells products in the packaging, mobility, infrastructure, and consumer care industries. Jenni is responsible for generating strategic plans that support the company’s capital planning and corporate strategy. Jenni also has oversight of Enterprise Working Capital, with a special focus on managing the risks related to $5-billion investments in trade account receivables.
Jenni joins me today to discuss her role and core responsibilities at Dow. She describes her early work experience and what she learned from working with a variety of finance companies. She explains why she preferred to pursue a career in finance over legal and the risks she took to get to where she is today. Jenni also shares her thoughts on financial advisors, her favorite authors and books, and what she enjoys doing when she’s not working.
"It's okay to be uncomfortable. Learning to be uncomfortable can be really powerful and can open a lot of doors." - Jenni Wendt
This week on Executive Decisions:
- Jenni's role at Dow and her strategic expertise
- Jenni's professional experience and the time she worked on a farm
- Jenni’s key takeaways from her first job as an executive
- What it means to know how to use your voice
- How Jenni identified her passion for finance
- Why Jenni made the change from legal to finance
- The life-changing risks Jenni took in her career
- Jenni's advice to young professionals that are afraid to take risks
- Jenni's most significant takeaway from 2020 and other life lessons
- What Jenni finds rejuvenating outside of the office
- Jenni's favorite books and authors
- Jenni's thoughts on hiring financial advisors
Resources Mentioned:
- Nora Roberts
- Book: Horses Never Lie: The Heart of Passive Leadership
- Book: What Got You Here Won't Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful
Our Favorite Quotes:
- "Keep your eyes open to everything, don't come in with preconceived notions. You're not too good to do anything." - Jenni Wendt
- "That 'can do' attitude usually produces great opportunities for people." - Sarah Delahanty
- "You enjoy what you do because you enjoy the people you're doing it with." - Sarah Delahanty
Connect with Jenni Wendt:
- Dow
- Jennifer Wendt on LinkedIn
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: (989) 636-2473
About SYM Financial and Executive Decisions Podcast
Executive Decisions is a show for business leaders. In each episode, host and financial advisor Sarah Delahanty sits down with executives and local experts who serve them. Together, they tackle some of the harder questions that business leaders face today. From inspiring creativity in the workplace, to managing company politics, to making the best choices with executive compensation, taxes, and lifestyle — our show delivers stories and lessons learned across many industries and lifetimes.
Email Sarah at [email protected] with questions, comments, and to schedule a one-on-one conversation.
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