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Don’t Forget! You Saw it in the
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October 2020 #12255 Page #40
Servant Leadership and One of Our Industry’s Best
By Ben Hershey Solutions Provider & CEO 4Ward Solutions Group
I
remember it clearly; I was in the Lounge at Portland International Airport when I got a call from Joe Kannapell. Joe was going to be sharing with the MiTek team in the next day that he would be officially retiring at the end of 2020; Joe has been a part of the industry for more than 46 years. Generally speaking, I do not show a lot of emotion; but on that day I know my voice cracked a bit as I shared with Joe how much our friendship has meant to me for so many years. While Joe has been a consummate sales representative, the man I know has always been a servant leader for those around him and his customers. I have known Joe for several years now, probably dating back to the mid-nineties when I was one of the managers working with Andy Schwitter at Truswal Systems. But Joe and I actually have known of each other far longer as he worked with my Dad, Don Hershey and Dave Chambers at Imperial Components/TruTrus. It was just one of the stops Joe has made in his career, most of those being with MiTek and the companies MiTek acquired. Many of you have enjoyed Joe’s articles in The Advertiser for the past several months as he has been sharing a history of the industry – part reminiscing, large part sharing the knowledge he has gained over the years. Some may wonder why we should look back, but there is great value in understanding from whence we came as we continue to excel to the future.
Servant Leadership There are some in our industry who have told others, if you want to be a good leader, be a servant leader, but unfortunately have not shown the same quality themselves. To be a true servant leader requires commitment and integrity. When I was preparing this article, I talked with one of the 4Ward team managers, Owen Eldridge, and his words for Joe in addition to servant leader include ambassador and Gentleman Joe. Like pretty much everything nowadays, the concept of leadership has morphed and evolved into something our parents or grandparents would not recognize. A few decades ago, things seemed simpler. Being the boss automatically made you a leader in the eyes of employees. Now, everyone wears more than one hat, lines are more blurred, and being a boss doesn’t automatically make you a leader. Leadership is no longer concentrated at the top. It has trickled down the organizational chart. Continued next page
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