Accelerate April 2021 Magazine

What has been your biggest takeaway since starting your new role? How impressively comprehensive WCTC is in serving all aspects of its mission. Missions are common for most organizations, living up to them the way WCTC does is rare. What is the most important lesson you’ve learned? As a leader, hire the best people that you can, and simply get out of their way. If you as the leader are the smartest or most skilled person in the room, you haven’t performed your most basic function. What is your personal key to success? Never, ever, be outworked. I made a deal with myself when I was a graduate student at Central Michigan University. The deal was that no matter how well others were prepared, how intelligent, or skilled they might be, no one was ever going to outwork me. Sometimes, all you have is the willingness to put in more effort than anyone else. What’s the first job you ever had? When I was nine years old, our neighbor hired me to do simple maintenance and lawn care around his house. He made me negotiate an hourly wage and required me to submit invoices for services and time rendered. What book are you currently reading or would you recommend? I’m an avid reader of National Geographic. As for a book, I’d recommend “Grit” by Angela Duckworth. What has been your biggest takeaway since starting your new role? The national nursing shortage and the urgent need to increase our production of nurses to meet the current, and future, healthcare needs of our region. Our direct- entry accelerated nursing programs are creating more opportunities for students and, I hope, will help meet the employment demand of our healthcare partners. What is the most important lesson you’ve learned? The success of any organization is driven by the people that work there. What is your personal key to success? I sincerely care about the people I work with and have a deep connection to fulfilling the mission of our University. I’ve been blessed to work with an extraordinary team that shares my passion for student success, thrives on collaboration and is driven to continuous improvement. What’s the first job you ever had? I worked at a grocery store in high school beginning when I was 15. What is your dream job? Exactly what I'm doing right now. What is something unique about you? I have competed in a bodybuilding competition, completed a half-marathon and earned a doctorate in higher education. JEFF HILL Regional Campus President, Herzing University WAUKESHA COUNTY BUSINESS ALLIANCE, INC. RICH BARNHOUSE President, Waukesha County Technical College 28