Investing in the Next Generation

Tracy Porter, ’85, Harold Schafer Leadership Award winner, believes in the power of relationships – with his colleagues, clients, and teammates from his time as a student at the University of Mary.

Tracy Porter says he’s been affiliated with the University of Mary men’s basketball program longer than anyone. “When the program first started, they didn’t have a gym on campus, so they played at schools in town. I’ve been going to the games since I was in second grade,” he said. Eventually, Porter would play on that same team under the leadership of legendary coach Al Bortke.

Being on the basketball team is one of Porter’s favorite memories from his time at Mary. “The atmosphere that Coach Bortke created for basketball was a winning atmosphere, but it was also about caring about your teammates, building friendships in a way that allows you to stay friends with these people for your life,” Porter said. “I feel like I could pick up the phone and call any one of my teammates and have a great conversation with them as if it were 30 years ago.”

Porter has sought to create relationships like that his whole life. For the past 28 years, he has served as the Chief Financial Officer for National Information Solutions Cooperative (NISC) in Mandan. NISC provides enterprise software solutions to rural electric and telephone companies in all 50 states. They employ 1,200 staff members across the country. Relationships continue to be essential to Porter, as he forms connections with his clients and employees.

Take each opportunity to be a good example to others.

Servant leadership is a cornerstone of the culture at NISC, thanks to leaders like Porter and longtime CEO and University of Mary alumnus Vern Dosch, ‘75, ‘88. “I had the good fortune to work with Tracy Porter for 27 years,” Dosch said. “He was a consistent, unflappable example of business ethics and innovation. His uncommon financial acumen led our organization through mergers, acquisitions, and to a place of financial strength. Tracy’s dedication to family, faith, community, and NISC were an inspiration to all who had the privilege of working with him.”

Porter says he is humbled to know others think of him as a leader and worthy of a leadership award. “My approach has always been that I’m not looking for people to follow me; I’m looking to create other leaders. I’m always looking for other people to do great things and to see if I could help them,” he said.

Porter continues to invest in the next generation of leaders in many ways, including his support of the University of Mary. “I’ve been involved in establishing several different endowed scholarships at the University of Mary. Not just personally supporting it myself, but helping get other people to say, ‘hey, it would be a neat thing to have a scholarship like this,’” Porter said. “And you look at who benefits from that, and it just gives you a great amount of satisfaction knowing that there’s a student every year, forever, that can benefit from it.”

It all traces back to the values and leadership skills instilled in him at Mary. “It’s amazing how things like the Benedictine values and servant leadership become a part of who you are,” Porter said. “In life, we face many challenges, but it’s how you conduct yourself that defines you as a person. Take each opportunity to be a good example to others.”