Navigating Leadership: Insights from Industry Pros E46
This dynamic podcast interview, hosted by Karen Nowicki and Steven Zylstra, featured esteemed guests Victor Assad from Strategic HR Consulting; Carol Stewart from Tech Parks Arizona and Art Taylor from PayPal. These leaders engaged in a comprehensive exploration of effective leadership in the rapidly evolving tech landscape.
The group discussed the challenges faced by leaders today, including navigating remote work arrangements, adapting to changing regulatory landscapes, and maintaining strong organizational cultures amidst hybrid work setups. Victor emphasized the importance of aligning executive expectations with employee concerns, while Art stressed the need for ethics-based compliance programs. Carol highlighted the struggle of preserving a strong organizational culture in remote settings, focusing on creating inclusive environments and fostering connections among employees.
Transitioning to essential attributes for effective leadership and team development, the discussion continued with Art underlining the importance of openness to new approaches and creating a culture of trust. Victor emphasized transparency and flexibility, while Carol added courage and empowerment to the mix.
The conversation concludes with insights into the multifaceted nature of leadership, highlighting the significance of diversity, mentorship, and continuous growth in leadership roles, encapsulating a holistic understanding of effective leadership in today’s tech-driven world.
Fostering leadership growth is an important function of the Arizona Technology Council as they hold annual peer-to-peer networking groups for industry leaders to eagage with and learn from each other.
Victor Assad Strategic HR Consulting works with companies to transform HR, conduct executive and technical searches, implement hybrid work, improve compensation and performance management, leaders, teams, and cultures of innovation so they can grow profitably.
Victor Assad is the CEO of Victor Assad Strategic HR Consulting Managing Partner of InnovationOne, LLC. He works with companies to transform HR, conduct executive and technical searches, implement hybrid work, and improve leaders, teams, and cultures of innovation.
Victor is the author of the highly acclaimed book, Hack Recruiting: The Best of Empirical Research, Method and Process, and Digitization. He publishes a weekly blog and is quoted in journals such as The Wall Street Journal, Workforce Management, Human Resources Executive, and CEO Magazine. He publishes weekly blogs.
Victor has led human resources in strategic business units at Honeywell and Medtronic’s fast-growth, high-technology businesses. He has led HR globally from Mumbai to Milano. Victor has significantly improved HR and recruiting at business units of Honeywell and Medtronic and in his consulting, often cutting recruiting cycle time in half, improving diversity representation, and cutting costs per hire.
He has pioneered remote and hybrid work, improved performance management and compensation, built learning organizations, managed benefits, and developed great cultures, leaders, and teams.
He has worked in various industries with large and small employers, including medical devices, health care, semiconductors, high tech, real estate, retail, and with government agencies, such as the US Department of Energy, to name a few.
Victor holds a Master of Arts Degree in Human Resources and Industrial Relations from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota. He has executive leadership certifications from Harvard and Kellogg. He and his wife live in Scottsdale, AZ.
Connect with Victor on LinkedIn.
Tech Parks Arizona advances companies of all sizes and facilitates university-industry interaction in alignment with the research, mission and goals of the University of Arizona (UA). Companies that partner with Tech Parks Arizona are linked to a world-class team that is invested in their success and directly connected to the research expertise and talent of the university through purpose-built environments which include the UA Tech Park, the UA Tech Park at The Bridges and the University of Arizona Center for Innovation.
The UA Tech Park, a thriving employment hub in southeast Tucson, houses over 100 companies and 6,000 knowledge workers, contributing a remarkable $2 billion annually to the local economy. As one of the nation’s premier research parks, it encompasses 1,267 acres and has 2 million square feet of tech offices, R&D, and laboratory facilities in southeast Tucson.
The University of Arizona Center for Innovation (UACI), the university’s incubator network, provides access to people, programming, and places that help entrepreneurs take their companies from idea to market. With the mission to fuel the Arizona economy, UACI works to help scale science and tech-based startups through a 28-point structured roadmap.
The UA Tech Park at The Bridges is a 65-acre community of innovation within a larger 350-acre mixed-use development project, strategically located minutes from the University of Arizona Main Campus, Downtown Tucson and the Tucson International Airport.
The campus is perfect for tech-focused businesses and organizations that want to co-locate with the university and draw upon the talent and sharp minds that can be mined from the University of Arizona.
Tech Parks Arizona is proud to commemorate its 30-year anniversary. Shaping the Future at the Speed of Business – Technology’s Best Address.
Carol Stewart, a long-standing authority on research parks, is the Vice President for Tech Parks Arizona at the University of Arizona. Carol Stewart leads the UA Tech Park at Rita Road and is developing the UA Tech Park at The Bridges.
She is also president of the University of Arizona Center for Innovation (UACI), a technology business incubator network serving the University of Arizona, Tucson and international community.
Stewart’s expertise in university research parks spans decades and nations with more than 20 years of experience working with research parks, technology commercialization, business incubation, governmental relations and business development.
As a pioneer in the research parks world, she has driven national policy, standardized programs, created national and international networks, built technology clusters, engaged stakeholders, and assisted countries with the development of their national science and technology policies.
Stewart is passionate about her community and serves as a champion in university-based economic development. She is a member of Southern Arizona Leadership Council, Flinn Foundation Steering Committee, a member of the Canadian Global Mentor Program and she also serves on the Board of Directors for Tucson Metro Chamber of Commerce, Pima County’s Workforce Investment Board, Arizona Technology Council, Desert Angels, and is the Vice President on the national University Economic Development Association (UEDA) board, and a member of the North American CEO Council for Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW).
She also serves as the North American Division President for the International Association of Science Parks and Areas of Innovation (IASP). IASP is the worldwide network of science parks and areas of innovation. IASP has nearly four hundred members in 74 countries. Previously, Stewart served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Association of University Research Parks (AURP), which represents 170 research parks in North America. She collaborates with numerous leaders world-wide to build and grow university-related research parks through education, unification, and collaboration. She helps to expand and advance the impact of research parks and areas of innovation by showcasing best practices across the globe.
Her proven success record also includes co-founding the Canadian chapter of the Association of University Research Parks, founding director of the David Johnston Research + Technology Park at the University of Waterloo spearheading the development of the park, advancing the park to over the one-million-square-foot milestone, leading the marketing efforts and launching the professional services division of Maplesoft, a global spin-off company from the University of Waterloo, and enhancing the entrepreneurial culture of Canada at the Canadian Industrial Innovation Centre (CIIC).
Follow Tech Parks Arizona on LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Instagram.
PayPal allows any business or individual with an email address to securely, conveniently and cost-effectively send and receive payments online. Our network builds on the existing financial infrastructure of bank accounts and credit cards to create a global, real-time payment solution.
Art Taylor serves as a vice president within PayPal’s Global Compliance Investigations division. In this capacity, Taylor leads a team of industry experts in charge of risk and compliance investigations in North America, ensuring PayPal fulfills its commitment to combat money laundering, terrorism financing and other related financial crimes.
Taylor’s team is primarily concentrated in two main hubs — Phoenix and Omaha, Nebraska — and encompasses approximately 400 talented subject matter experts. Taylor brings over 10 years of financial crime risk management and operations experience to PayPal.
Prior to joining the PayPal team in 2016, Taylor worked for American Express and Bank of America serving in a variety of compliance and operations leadership roles.
Over the last decade, Taylor has led global teams and developed organizational processes in the financial and compliance industries In 2015, Taylor earned the designation of Certified Advanced Financial Crimes Investigations Specialist (CAMS-CFI).
Taylor earned his master’s degree in global business management from the University of Phoenix, and a bachelor’s degree in international business from Menlo College.
Connect with Art on LinkedIn.
About Your Hosts
Steve Zylstra serves as president and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council, a role he assumed in 2007. He is responsible for strategy, operations, finance and policy development. Zylstra is a vocal spokesman for the value technology can provide in raising social and economic standards in Arizona.
Zylstra serves on numerous councils, committees and boards, was named “Leader of the Year, Technology,” by the Arizona Capitol Times, and “Most Admired Leader” by the Phoenix Business Journal. In addition, he was awarded an honorary doctorate of science in technology from the University of Advancing Technology in Tempe, Ariz.
Zylstra earned a bachelor’s degree in automotive engineering technology from Western Michigan University.
Karen Nowicki is a successful author, speaker and the creator of Deep Impact Leadership™ and SoulMarks Coaching™. She is a two-time recipient of the prestigious national Choice Award® for her book and personal development retreat. Karen was crowned the first-ever “Mompreneur of the Year” Award in 2010 for the southwestern states. She was recognized for her leadership, business acumen, and work-life balance.
Karen has been an expert guest on regional TV and radio shows, including Fox Phoenix Morning Show, Sonoran Living, Good Morning Arizona, The Chat Room, and Mid-Day Arizona. She has been a regular contributor to many print and online magazines – publishing articles and blogs for business and education.
In addition to working with private coaching clients, Karen is also the Owner & President of Phoenix Business RadioX. The Business RadioX Network amplifies the voice of business – serving the Fortune 500,000, not just the Fortune 500. Phoenix Business RadioX helps local businesses and professional associations get the word out about the important work they’re doing to serve their market, profession, and community.
Of all the experiences Karen has had the privilege of participating in over her vast career, she shares that Phoenix Business RadioX is a pinnacle adventure!
Connect with Karen on LinkedIn and follow Phoenix Business RadioX on Facebook and Instagram.
Leslie Cooper Marquez is a dynamic marketing professional with over 17 years of broad-based marketing, public relations and advertising experience in both in-house and agency environments.
Originally from Birmingham, AL, Leslie has honed her expertise across diverse sectors, including non-profit performing arts, legal marketing, mortgage technology, and residential mortgage marketing.
Leslie has been an integral part of the Arizona community for the past 5 years. Most recently, she served as the Marketing Director for Scottsdale-based mortgage technology firm, focusIT, Inc., and previously as the Director of Marketing for Ballet Arizona.
Beyond her professional commitments, Leslie is an active member of the community. She serves as a Sustainer with the Junior League of Phoenix, volunteers with the Distinguished Young Women of Arizona scholarship program and is an alumna of the esteemed Valley Leadership Accelerate class of 2019.
In her spare time, Leslie shares her passion for fitness as a dedicated barre instructor at TenPoint5 Central. Above all, she cherishes her roles as a devoted mother to a young son and a loving wife to her husband, David.
About Our Sponsor
The Arizona Technology Council, Arizona’s only statewide organization serving the technology sector, fosters a climate of innovation to enhance technology in Arizona.
A trusted resource in strengthening Arizona’s technology industry, the Council proactively eliminates impediments that companies face, accelerates the entrepreneurial mindset in the state’s expanding innovation ecosystem, and works to create a destination for companies to be, thrive and stay.
Follow Arizona Technology Council on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.
