Building Excellence

Jerry Colangelo - Founder & Former Owner Phoenix Suns, Arizona Diamondbacks, & Managing Director Of USA Basketball On Confident Humility & Building Relationships

#240: Jerry Colangelo is the founder and former owner of the Phoenix Suns and Arizona Diamondbacks, as well as Managing Director of USA Basketball. He is a 4x NBA Executive of the Year, former NBA GM & Head Coach, Chairman of the Basketball Hall of Fame, founder of multiple sports franchises, and also started with Dick Klein to found the Chicago Bulls. The accolades are endless, but he additionally won a world championship with the Diamondbacks and returned the once-tarnished U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team to glory. As Chairman of USA Basketball, Colangelo created a team that brought home the Gold medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, another in the 2012 London Olympics, again in the 2016 Olympic games in Rio, and most recently in 2021 in Tokyo. Having served as Chairman and CEO, general manager, and head coach of the Phoenix Suns, Colangelo boasts the second longest tenure with one franchise in the NBA. On the show he shares his story of growing up, starting the Bulls, moving to Phoenix to start the Suns, winning a world series with the Diamondbacks, confidence, the power of relationships, preparation, failure, listening, excellence, his faith, and much more. Currently, he continues his business in real estate as a principle in JDM Partners, LLC. He is also the special assistant to the president of Grand Canyon University. For more on Jerry check out www.jcolangelo.com [http://www.jcolangelo.com/] as well as his book How You Play The Game which is one of my favorites all time.  Enjoy the show!

Brent Beshore - Founder & CEO Permanent Equity On Self Awareness, Growth, & Building A Private Equity Company

#239: Brent Beshore is the founder and CEO of Permanent Equity, a private-equity firm he launched in 2007 that takes a mission-driven, long-term approach: investing in family-owned and founder-led companies and rarely exiting them. Raised in Joplin, Missouri, Brent studied politics (with a focus on poverty) at Washington & Lee University. Before starting Permanent Equity, he was an entrepreneur and operator across service and marketing ventures. He’s well-known for his patient, “slow-growth” philosophy — raising ultra-long (30-year) funds, avoiding heavy leverage, and emphasizing value-creation over quick returns.  He also authored The Messy Marketplace: Selling Your Business in a World of Imperfect Buyers, reflecting his belief in thoughtful transitions and is also the founder of Main Street Summit which gathers business owners, operators, investors, and teams in Columbia Missouri.  For more on Brent you can find him on social as well as www.permanentequity.com [http://www.permanentequity.com]  Enjoy the show!

Wren Baker - West Virginia University Athletic Director On Details, Maintaining Perspective, & Authentic Leadership

#238: Wren Baker is the Director of Athletics at West Virginia University, taking over the role in December 2022 as the school’s 13th athletic director. A native of Valliant, Oklahoma, Baker built his career through a blend of coaching, educational leadership, and administrative success. Before arriving in Morgantown, he served as the athletic director at the University of North Texas, where he led the Mean Green to unprecedented competitive success, record-breaking fundraising, major increases in attendance, and long-term strategic planning for facilities and program growth. His earlier stops included leadership roles at Memphis, Missouri, Northwest Missouri State, and Rogers State University, where he first stepped into an athletic director role and also coached basketball. At WVU, Baker oversees 18 varsity sports, more than 250 staff, and nearly 500 student-athletes, guiding the department through a rapidly changing college athletics landscape shaped by NIL, the transfer portal, and evolving conference dynamics. His tenure has already included major coaching hires, strong fundraising performance, competitive success across multiple sports, and renewed emphasis on academic achievement.  For more on Wren check him out on social as well as www.wvusports.com [http://www.wvusports.com]  Enjoy the show!

Hans Helmerich - Chairman of the Board Helmerich & Payne Inc on Mentorship, Resilience, & Prioritizing Family

Hans Helmerich is the Chairman of the Board of Helmerich & Payne, Inc., a Tulsa-based energy company and the largest provider of land drilling services in the United States. He previously served as the company’s Chief Executive Officer for 25 years, leading its growth and innovation in the oil and gas industry. Under his leadership, H&P developed its innovative FlexRig platform which played a major role in advancing land-based drilling technology. A graduate of Dartmouth College and Harvard Business School’s Program for Management Development, Helmerich also serves on other boards and is deeply engaged in community service in Tulsa and beyond. On show you will hear his story and his perspective on mentorship, leadership, faith, prioritizing family, and much more.  For more on Hans and Helmerich & Payne check out www.hpinc.com [http://www.hpinc.com]  Enjoy the show!

Ritchie McKay - Liberty University Head Men's Basketball Coach On Leadership, Faith, & Trust

#236: Ritchie McKay is the head men’s basketball coach at Liberty University, having first served in that role in 2007-09 and then returning in April 2015. Under his leadership, the Flames have achieved multiple 20-win seasons, won several conference championships, and secured the program’s first NCAA Tournament win in 2019. Prior to his return to Liberty, McKay was associate head coach at University of Virginia under Tony Bennett, where he helped guide the program to back-to-back 30-win seasons. He has also served as the head coach at New Mexico, Oregon State, Colorado State, and Portland State.As a former collegiate player at Seattle Pacific University, McKay was known for his defensive tenacity and holds the school’s career and single-season steals records. He is one of the best coaches in college basketball not just for his success on the court, but more importantly how he helps develop his team and his mission off the court. For more on Coach McKay check out libertyflames.com  Enjoy the show