September 25, 2020
Steve McKiddy
Steve McKiddy listened attentively as the president of Greenleaf Trust conveyed the wealth management firm’s core values. Steve’s phone pressed closely to his ear, yet what he heard spoke directly to his heart. Being honest and honorable; putting clients’ interests first; doing the right thing always, and setting things right if we err; prizing continuous improvement; and so on. These were the very principals Steve had long strived to uphold. His fast track executive experience with large corporations had been enormously valuable, but he wrestled with the fact that an inviolable rule of publicly traded companies—shareholder interests precede all others—was sometimes out of step with the true north of client needs, commitment to long-term strategy, and his own sensibilities.
In the process of leaving one large company for a better position with another, Steve paused when a friend told him about Greenleaf Trust, and how our values were not merely written but purposefully lived. Introductions were made, conversations ensued, interest was expressed, assessments were conducted, and a shared realization set in that the fit was good. In Steve’s heart, he had accepted our offer even before we’d made it. Today, just a few months into his role as Chief Financial Officer, Steve is already managing our growth, assessing new markets, and exploring ways in which we can ever better meet the needs of our esteemed clients. Hail, and welcome, to Steve McKiddy.