2022 CXO OF THE YEAR.

• Author: Malan, Mekenna

As team leaders, C-suite executives make the hard decisions that impact daily operations as well as the long-term vision of their companies. Developing the strategies behind company success in an ever-changing world is no small task, but these distinguished individuals are forging ahead with veracity and tact. Join us in celebrating the 2022 CXO of the Year honorees.

BRENNER ADAMS

CHIEF INNOVATION OFFICER | THE FOOD TRUCK LEAGUE

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What is the most rewarding thing about your job/industry? I am grateful for the opportunity to be very selective about who I surround myself with at work. One of the great things about The Food Truck League is the amazing set of leaders I get to spend time with--not to mention the opportunity we have to empower thousands of micro-entrepreneurs across the world who are doing their best to feed their communities.

What does business look like to you in a post-COVID world? The pent-up demand of people wanting to hang out with new and old friends over recently-discovered favorite foods is exploding! COVID hurt, but it has enabled all of us to develop a greater appreciation for even the simple things in life. After all, variety is the spice of life, and the low barriers to entry with food trucks create a dramatic range of variety in any community.

NATHAN ANDERSON

EVP AND CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER | MOUNTAIN AMERICA CREDIT UNION

in /IN/NATHAN-ANDERSON-4A197A236/

What does success look like to you? Organizational psychologist and bestselling author Adam Grant said the most meaningful way to succeed is to help others succeed. I subscribe to this philosophy and define success as adding value, making a difference in the lives of others, and helping my team, colleagues, and our members succeed. I'm able to do that by identifying ways to help the people I work with improve, develop, and reach their full potential. I am committed to my team and Mountain America, and I realize that one day I'll retire and won't play an active role in the credit union's day-to-day success. Preparing the credit union for long-term growth by training and mentoring the next generation of leaders is one of the primary ways I measure my personal success.

What's one thing you want to say to the other members of your C-suite? Thank you for all you do to make Mountain America successful, as well as your contributions to my own success. I'm grateful to work with such talented, amazing people who are recognized as premier experts in their fields. I appreciate your skill and commitment to excellence, but most importantly, I'm grateful for the way you care about the people you lead and the members we serve. It is a privilege to work with and learn from you as well as benefit from your knowledge and dedication to delivering on our promise to help our members define and achieve their financial dreams.

JEREMY BAKER

CO-FOUNDER AND CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER | AUTOSAVVY

in /IN/JEREMY-BAKER-916A0B17/

What's your life motto? "Do more with less." We are born into a world with limited, or scarce, resources and challenged to meet seemingly unlimited wants. It's a principle of life, and it's also one of our company values. Time is a resource we can never get back--it's non-renewable. We expect our people to use their time wisely and not waste a customer's time, either.

What challenges have you overcome to get here today? Starting a business can be unforgiving. I think that's why many businesses start in college dorm rooms when we're invincible, a little naive, and willing to take the risk. We are no different than when we started our business (hatched in our college dorm room) 17 years ago. Early in our business, we had to figure out how to get our customers financed, how to finance our inventory, how to warranty our vehicles, etc. We have literally created and scaled a sub-market of the used car market that didn't exist before us. As we scale to new markets in the US, we must continually navigate a regulatory environment that was created without knowing something like this was possible.

SARAH BEARD

CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER | PATTERN

in /IN/SARAH-BEARD-BA5487133/

What's your life motto? My life motto changes depending on what's going on in my life and what I want to focus on. Lately, my life motto has been, "Where am I going next, and how am I getting there?" It's about being forward-thinking instead of wasting time and energy dwelling on the past. I think it's important to learn from the past but not get stuck there. And where I'm going next doesn't always have to be a big achievement--it can be sitting by a lake with my kids or finishing a book that's been sitting on my nightstand for six months. It's about asking myself daily which goals are most important to me, then laying out a plan to get there. The point is, dwelling on the past stifles growth, so I try to look forward instead.

What does success look like to you? To me, success is all about having meaningful connections with the people who are most important to me. That is the only source of true and lasting happiness. I don't think it matters which career path people take or how high up the corporate ladder they climb. Success means bringing honest effort and integrity to your chosen career and to your personal relationships. And if it's impossible to do both, then sometimes success means choosing a different career or job that will allow for personal relationships to flourish. I think most people (including myself) struggle with this delicate balance and are continually having to examine priorities to ensure the most important things remain the top...