Leadership Fellows Spotlight: Protégé Daniel Valette and mentor Ed Hendrickson
CBPP’s Leadership Fellows Program pairs high-performing CBPP students with a mentor in the Anchorage business community, giving students the opportunity to learn about real-world leadership from local business leaders. This year’s cohort includes 22 CBPP students, called protégés, and their mentors. To begin the program, each protégé interviewed their new mentor, and every week, we will feature one of these interviews with the mentors, who share their thoughts on leadership. This week’s featured protégé/mentor pairing is Daniel Valette, who is pursuing his degree in global logistics and supply chain management, and his mentor, Ed Hendrickson, who is the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for the Alyeska Pipeline Company.
Where are you from? How did you decide to pursue a career in Alaska?
I'm fortunate that I grew up in Anchorage, Alaska. As a family, we spent our summers on a river, in a floatplane, or on the ocean in an 18-foot powerboat. The exploring we did and the adventures we had, in many ways, shaped who I am today. There was no question that when I went to college, I would return to Alaska.
Where did you go to college? What did you study in college?
I started out at Oregon State University and then transferred to, and graduated from, the University of Idaho with B.S. degrees in Finance and Human Resource Management. I did tinker with the idea of going to law school, but business and finance was in my blood. My dad and mom both had their own business (as did my aunts and uncles), and in my youth I had a lawn mowing business and a snow removal business. It wasn't an empire, but it was enough to pay for my freshman year of college.
Did you have anyone you relied on for mentorship/solid career advice? If yes, what is the most important leadership advice they shared with you?
Yes, absolutely. I am grateful to have had many mentors in my life. My parents, father-in-law, neighbors, coaches, bosses, and colleagues have all helped provide me with important guidance at one time or another. The most important leadership tenant they shared with me was 1) you can't lead others if you can't lead yourself, and 2) listen; the people around you have valuable perspectives, and understanding those perspectives will lead to better decisions and a more collaborative organization.
It is important and beneficial for CBPP and Anchorage’s business community to collaborate and invest in the next generation of leaders. What do you think should be conveyed to our next generation of leaders?
You are part of a community - whether within your company, neighborhood, city, state, or nation. Invest your time, get to know people on a one-on-one basis (twitter don't count), and give back. You'll never regret it.
The College of Business and Public Policy is excited to host this unique mentorship program and is grateful for our excellent protégés and for the outstanding business leaders who have chosen to participate as mentors.