Navigating leadership: A Compass Fireside Chat with Ross Perot Jr. and retired Adm. Patrick M. Walsh
Opening remarks were given by Linda Silver, Ed.D., the Eugene McDermott CEO of the Perot Museum. 'Our mission to inspire minds through nature and science complements the work of The Compass School, so perfectly,' said Silver. The discussion was moderated by Peter Brundage, senior managing director at Evercore, who posed questions for the audience to gain insight into becoming, creating and employing great leaders.
It all starts with education and giving. Walsh attributed early success to his years at Jesuit, afforded to him by generous individuals through scholarship funds, while Perot recognized the programming at The St. Mark's School of Texas from the parent perspective and training taught in the Boy Scouts of America. In looking at the next generation, Perot emphasized the demand for more academic institutions in Dallas to hone the skills desired for great leaders. 'You've got incredible young men and women that need phenomenal education. Compass is needed. It's going to continue to add to the growth of the region,' he said.
expand
Compass opened in 2023 and has grown from 43 students to 102 students, pre-K through fourth grade, with plans to expand to eighth grade. Through intentional partnerships, the school offers students opportunities to dive into real-world skills, like financial literacy, sustainability and public speaking. Compass enhances its education through cross-curricular learning, integrating STEM, daily Spanish, art, music and a signature Farm-to-Table program with its core classes. The curriculum combines a rigorous academic approach with hands-on experiences that aim to shape children into compassionate students, global ambassadors, critical thinkers and confident leaders.
The conversation included many common themes on true leadership with a strong focus on integrity and altruism. When dissecting the qualities of accomplished leaders, Walsh said, 'There's an element of capacity that is just never exceeded. True leaders always find capacity.'
Upon reflection of his own involvement in emergency response in Japan after the 2011 tsunami, Walsh realized it is not always about having the loudest voice or the best ideas. 'Part of building an organization is just showing people how much you care,' he said.
This sentiment was shared by Perot, who stressed living by these principles in his own company, noting this mindset is why many employees on his leadership team have been with their company for more than 30 years. 'Somebody gets sick, we're going to find the best doctors, and we don't care what it costs. When you take care of people that way, you've got partners for life. The type of people that are attracted to our companies; they want that high achievement.'
expand
Perot's main takeaway for the night was that 'It's about others and it's about giving and about taking care of people. It's about making your city, your state, your country and the world a better place to live.'
His insight speaks volumes to the spirit of generosity embedded in the business community of Dallas. It is the same mentality that sparked a sense of stewardship in the Compass School of Texas founding team when developing the Fireside Chat series.
Frances Mitchell, co-founder of The Compass School of Texas, said, 'Having these remarkable leaders share their time and wisdom is truly invaluable. Hosting the Fireside Chat series allows Compass to share inspiring knowledge and partner with the community beyond our campus.' Each event is open to the public and designed to extend the learning experience by providing expert knowledge on core values instilled in the Compass students — community, family, leadership, purpose and resilience.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Boston Globe
an hour ago
- Boston Globe
Ski and snowboard passes, a new Seattle hotel, and a lightweight pack for hiking adventures
Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Pats Peak lets you secure an early-season rate on one of 10 different pass options through Aug. 18. Pats Peak Advertisement THERE Advertisement A new Seattle hotel with a luxury feel and nature-based vibe Feel connected to nature in the middle of a bustling city at 1 Hotel Seattle, a new hotel in the South Lake Union neighborhood that's within eyeshot of the Space Needle and within walking distance of the Museum of History and Industry on Lake Union and the Pike Place Market area less than a mile away. The hotel, formerly the Pan Pacific Seattle, has an earthy yet upscale Pacific Northwest feel with wooden room keys, mossy wall murals, driftwood sculptures, a giant chandelier made of lichen in the gift shop, and live-edge tables throughout, plus numerous potted plants and a wonderful woodsy aroma in the lobby. Sit on a fur-lined chair in the lobby and enjoy locally distilled spirits from Drift, the onsite bar, and enjoy a creative fusion of Mediterranean, Spanish, and Japanese cuisine at La Loba restaurant. The hotel, part of the Starwood Hotels group, has 108 rooms and 45 suites. Each one has a tree branch-style coat rack on the wall, furnishings made from reclaimed wood, plants, a faucet with filtered water in the bathroom, and a small wooden board that explains the hotel's '1 Less Thing' program, offering guests a chance to leave behind unneeded clothing that will be donated to a local family shelter. The hotel has an outdoor patio with Space Needle views, but cozier furniture in little sitting areas overlooking a two-story mural made from moss, sticks, and leaves. The onsite gym, called the Field House, has Peloton bikes, free weights, and cardio machines, but guests also get free access to sessions at DRYP Yoga Studio across the street. Advertisement The new 1 Hotel Seattle, located in the South Lake Union neighborhood and within eyeshot of the Space Needle, has an earthy yet upscale Pacific Northwest feel. 1 Hotel Seattle EVERYWHERE A lightweight pack for hiking adventures When it comes time to pack up all your favorite gear and hit the trail, consider Gregory's new Paragon (men's) or Maven (women's) lightweight backpack. One of my favorite features: The FreeFloat hipbelt, which enables the pack to fit securely at your hips yet move freely from the pack's frame for added comfort over the trail miles. The honeycombed Air-Cushion mesh back panel allows for great air flow when temps — or efforts — spike, helping to keep the pack off your back and the air circulating. Each pack has an adjustable torso and hipbelt (great for growing kids), two zippered pockets in the lid and on the hipbelt, mesh water bottle sleeves, a mesh stuff pouch up front for stashing rain gear, a whistle, and an internal pouch for your hydration bladder. It also comes with a zippered bottom compartment — offering a second access point — and color-coded side straps that make it easier to pair up straps correctly. The other top feature: An easy-access pocket on one shoulder strap with a built-in elastic bungee that's specifically designed to hold your Garmin inReach Mini or Messenger (or any small satellite communicator) — perfect for keeping it within reach but from bouncing around while you hike. The Paragon comes in 50, 60, and 70 liters (ranging from 3.3 to 3.8 pounds), while the Maven is available in 48, 58, and 68 liters (3.2 to 3.6 pounds). $239.95-$289.95. KARI BODNARCHUK Kari Bodnarchuk can be reached at
Business Insider
2 hours ago
- Business Insider
From camp counselor to Goldman Sachs partner — an exec explains her unlikely origin story at the firm
They say you never know when your big break will come. For one Wall Street executive, the path to Goldman Sachs started at a sleepaway camp in New Hampshire. In the summer of 2001, rising college junior Jennifer Roth didn't intend to be a counselor at Camp Wicosuta, the camp she'd been going to since childhood. She was a triple major in finance, international business, and Spanish at Washington University in St. Louis. Her heart was set on a banking internship in New York, but despite having sent out countless résumés, her in-box remained empty. The networking breakthrough she needed to get to Wall Street, however, turned out to be right under her nose. At the end of the summer, a conversation with one of her 10-year-old campers revealed that the girl's mother was both a Goldman exec and an alumni of Roth's school. "I love camp, but I want to get a job in finance," Roth told the girl when she begged Roth to return the following year. "Is Goldman Sachs finance?" the girl replied. Roth's résumé got reviewed for the next year's cycle, and she interned in Goldman's private wealth division in 2002 — before ultimately returning for what would become a 20-plus-year career at the firm. Today, Roth is the bank's global cohead of emerging markets and foreign exchange sales. She's had a busy year. "The markets have been volatile, so it's exciting to be on the trading floor," she told Business Insider in a recent interview. Roth originally shared this story three years ago on Goldman's website via a " letter to my younger self," but it came up again during an interview with Business Insider about her advice for the bank's 2025 summer interns. We were so taken with the anecdote and the lessons that could be gleaned from it that we decided to break it out into its own article with fresh commentary from Roth. A full-circle story Roth's camp story, funny as it is, stands as a good reminder that the world is small and every relationship counts — even the littlest ones. "It is essential to invest in your relationships because you never know where they will take you. For me, a 10-year-old changed the trajectory of my career, and ultimately my life," Roth told Business Insider. "It's a powerful reminder that every interaction, no matter how small, can have a huge impact whether you realize it at the time or not." Roth also met her husband at Goldman, when they were both analysts. And if the story weren't full-circle enough — the 10-year-old who helped her get an "in" at the firm? She went on to intern and work at Goldman, too. "In a relationship-driven business like ours, this lesson has become critical," said Roth, adding, "The connections you forge can open doors for you throughout your journey, so invest in your relationships and be thoughtful and present with the people that cross your path — whether it's a quick chat on the phone, a meeting, a chance encounter in the elevator or for me, picking up a 10-year-old from Logan Airport to take her to her first summer at sleepover camp." Today, she plays her part in giving back to the young upstarts at the firm via involvement with her team's internship program. Roth helps with hiring decisions and leads a "summer council," which are groups set up to ensure interns are having a meaningful experience. "On the rare occasions we feel like they're not really connecting with the desk, we pivot and gear them towards other desks," she said. "We deliver feedback to them and offer networking and social events throughout the summer." "Focus on what's in front of you because you want to do what's in front of you really well, and the next step in your career will come naturally," said Roth. "Some people will come to me and say, how can I become a partner at Goldman? And I say, I never thought of that when I started at the firm. I wanted to be a great analyst." As was the case with her summer camp story, your career path isn't necessarily going to go the way you plan or expect — just embrace what comes your way. "Your career is not one-dimensional, it's not going to be a straight line," she said, "and I think you just need to play the long game and be okay with that."
CNBC
4 hours ago
- CNBC
World's largest olive oil producer gives upbeat outlook after historic industry crisis
The chief executive of Spain's Deoleo, the world's largest olive oil producer, says a bumper harvest and improving market sentiment show that the industry is recovering from one of its toughest moments ever. A substantial olive harvest, notably in Spain, has helped to restore confidence in the sector and led to a pronounced fall in prices for both extra virgin and virgin olive oils in supermarkets. It comes after two consecutive seasons of poor yields resulted in a period of extraordinary turbulence throughout the olive oil value chain. A perfect storm of climate change-fueled extreme weather, high interest rates and robust inflation culminated in a dizzying price rally of the liquid fat last year — one that stunned consumers and industry veterans alike. Deoleo CEO Cristóbal Valdés said "a major shift" has since been underway, however. "What was once one of the most challenging periods in our history — marked by a scarcity of raw materials, high price volatility, and declining consumption — is now giving way to a more normalized and promising market landscape," Valdés told CNBC by email. Deoleo, the maker of household olive oil brands such as Bertolli and Carbonell, said it expects an environment of more contained raw material prices to persist throughout the second half of 2025. "The significant rebound in the olive oil harvest — particularly in Spain — is already translating into more stable supply conditions, and this is having a direct impact on prices at origin," Valdés said. "While some volatility may persist, we believe the trend towards normalization will hold," he added. Most of the world's supply of olive oil comes from the Mediterranean, with southern European countries such as Spain, Italy and Greece among the world's leading producers of the commodity. Spain, in particular, is the biggest olive oil producer in the European Union and a global reference for prices. Spain's Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food said the country produced 1.41 million metric tons of olive oil in the 2024/2025 crop year. The yield, which was slightly less than forecast, marked a roughly 65% increase from 855,600 metric tons a year earlier. Deoleo's CEO said the bumper Spanish harvest prompted a 50% drop in raw material prices, stimulated demand and allowed the company to lower olive oil prices at the shelf. "Our outlook is therefore cautiously optimistic: we anticipate a more balanced market, where responsible pricing and a focus on value will be key to sustaining growth and ensuring long-term category health," Valdés said. Deoleo's CEO also said the more favorable market conditions had allowed the company to double its investment in advertising and promotion to 10 million euros ($11.63 million). Speaking to CNBC before the U.S. and EU agreed to a tariff rate of 15% for most EU goods from Aug. 1, Valdés said the company intended to ramp up its communication, marketing and consumer engagement efforts to ensure olive oil remains an everyday staple.
