KCC Graduation Address

May 14, 2005

Katherine Topel

Good Afternoon! I want to start off by Thanking Dr. Michael Townsend and everyone at KCC for inviting me to speak to each of you today.  It is truly an honor and a privilege to have an opportunity to return to KCC and be a part of a day that each of you should be tremendously proud of.  Today is a day to reflect on hard work, a day to praise yourself for the attainment of a dream, and a day to look to the future and envision what it might bring to each of you. 

I speak to you today with the true passion that I have for mentoring others through what I have learned and what I have found to be successful for me. I have experienced and achieved many things over the last several years.  I was a partner and CEO of a company I started with 2 other individuals at the age of 22.  I lead that company of over 90 people and 3 offices with my partners from 1988 to 2002 at which time it was successfully sold to a larger corporation.  I started a new company in 2003 in which I am the president of at this time.  During 2003 I also authored a book titled POWERSHIP.  POWERSHIP is an acroynmn for a management model in which I share my strong belief that the only way to succeed is to have everyone in your company understand the vision of the company and how they individually participate in the achievement of that vision.

In preparation for this presentation I was provided an opportunity to reflect on my past.  I had a chance to think about what were the core elements that supported my success.  Those core elements are what I would like to share with you today.  They are

1. A strong educational foundation.

2. The ability to create a vision and strive for it.

3. The continual growth of Leadership skills.

4. A belief in yourself.

Core Element number 1 - A strong educational foundation. 

20 years ago, I was a member of the KCC graduating class of 1985.  It was a very proud moment in time for me.  I enjoyed 2 years at KCC in which I was very fortunate to be able to take part in many activities that the college had to offer. 

I received my Applied Science degree in Business Computer programming.  Kerry Adams and Nick Watson were my instructors for my computer classes.  Each of them were very supportive and always had time for one on one communication.  A very positive attribute of the community college experience.  Each of them had very high standards for delivery and expected a high level of attention to detail in each of our projects.  These expectations were lessons that would show up over and over again in my career in the computer field. 

I was a student worker in the computer center.  I met 2 mentors that where the starting point for what was to come.  1st there was Sheryl Bacon, who was my supervisor and very strong mentor.  She taught me what it meant to work hard and be a role model of customer service. Ron Kelch, the director of the department was also a very strong mentor and taught me that confidence in my role and in myself were paramount to success in a job.   Both individuals kept in touch with me well past my college years and were very supportive.

KCC also provided me with financial opportunities through foundation scholarships.  I was very fortunate to be able to receive a scholarship each year.  Each year the scholarships were tremendously appreciated by myself and my family.  They were truly an incentive for me to succeed because the scholarships represented to me that others believed in my success too. On behalf of myself and other foundation scholarship recipients I would like to thank all of the contributors for believing in each of our successes.   Your contributions truly do make a difference.

KCC presented me with an internship opportunity at what was Gaines Foods Corporation in 1985.  I interviewed for the one year role and received the job.  My experience at the KCC computer center allowed me to be ahead of many other candidates that applied.  This internship lead me to the foundation of my first company.  When I was complete with my 1 year program, unfortunately Gaines Foods Corporation did not have any further work for me but what they did have was an introduction to the General Foods Kool-Aid Plant in Chicago, IL.  The position with General Foods was one in which I would need to be a contractor.  This meant that I would need to set up a company to work from.  The skills that I brought with me to General Foods were quickly recognized and General Foods requested that I bring in other individuals such as myself to train and be a very effective part of a national delivery team.  This would be the start to the company that I would grow with 2 other partners from 1988 to 2002.  The skills that were recognized early in my career were those that were developed here at KCC.

As you can see KCC provided me the educational foundation that I was able to build a career on.  Many of you will go on for further education and many of you will be starting into your career.  Which ever is your choice, rest assured, a strong educational base has been formed here at KCC.

Core Element number 2- The ability to create a vision and strive for it.

I talk to people about putting a vision together of where they want to be and the first thing they usually say is  “I don’t know how to dream or put a vision together”.  I would like to take a few moments and help each of you with what it takes to build a vision.  This skill is something all of us need to understand how to do so that we can guide our future to where we want to take it. 

I ask each of you to think for a moment that it is 3 to 5 years from now. You choose which one.  Put a year to that vision, it will give more life to it for you.   Think of what you would like things to look like in your education, your career, your family, and your life.  Remember this is your vision and you are the one that is in control of this vision.  Don’t let things from the past dampen your vision just let your current success today guide you.  This should be your new goal for the future.  For without a goal or a vision  a company would not be able to prosper, a hospital would not be able to heal the sick, a football team would not be able to win, and you will not be able to reach your full potential.  Make the commitment to yourself to identify your next vision and work to achieve it.

Core Element number 3 – Continual growth of leadership skills.

Early in my career I had my challenges and my fears.  I attended many seminars on leadership and applicable topics and I also read a tremendous amount on business and management.  I realized early on that the greatest ideas were not always my own.  The greatest ideas came when individuals worked together to solve problems.   I realized that the way to grow past my college education was to grow through and with others.  This lead me to realize that the concept of leadership was not the sole responsibility of 1 individual but rather the responsibility of everyone.  Leadership is not something that is only shared at work but something that you must grow your skills in and will be expected to demonstrate in almost every area of your life.  Family, Community, Friends, and at Work. 

Leadership is something that if it is learned and skills are practiced, it will guide you into achieving the next steps in your vision.  I would like to share with you what I have come to use everyday.  I share this concept with individuals whenever I speak.  I truly believe it will make a difference for each and every one of you, regardless of your path from today and into the future.

I have a leadership acronym RESPECT that I use so that it is easy to remember.  Each graduate should have it in front of you on the silver card that you were given with your program.  I would like to go through this acronym and share my thoughts and beliefs on what has lead to my success. The concept will seem easy but practicing it each and every day will be the challenge. 

The first letter R is for Respect.  Treat others with respect wherever you are at work, in public, and at home.  People will respect you if you share the same respect for them openly and honestly.

The second letter E is for Energy.  You will need energy to work hard for your vision.  There will be times when it may seem unreachable but that will be the time that you need to find even more energy to continue. Realize this is a natural part of growth and strive for it.

The third letter S is for Support.  Realize that no matter what you already know there is always more to be learned.  Find those people to learn from and provide you with support.  In turn also provide others around with the support they may need to grow as individuals themselves.

The forth letter P is for Patience.  This is a letter that even I struggle with frequently.  Understand that you need patience to grow and learn.  You need patience for your ideas to mature and go to the next level.  You also need to understand that others will need your patience when they are growing and moving to the next level also.

The fifth letter E is for Ethics.  I tell everyone to identify their individual ethical boundary and make a commitment to yourself to never cross it.  The ethical boundary is an area that will be tested many times in today’s society.  Realize that you own your own consequences so set your boundaries and watch success come your way. 

The sixth letter C is for Courage.  I guarantee that this letter will challenge you the most. You will need to make a lot of choices on your way to your vision.  You may want to quit along the way and you will have to work hard to get the courage to stand by your decision and go for what you believe in even if it is not easy. 

The seventh and final letter T is for Trust.  You must show trust with others and others will see you as someone who can be trusted.  If we are not grounded to trust factors than everything else that we do will suffer. 

Practice Leadership RESPECT each day and you will grow and others will grow around you.

Core Element number 4 – The belief in yourself.

There is only one person that can do this and that is you.  You have believed in yourself and you have brought yourself here today through pride, tenacity, and hard work.  There will be several times when the belief in yourself will be difficult.  This is the time when you need to motivate yourself through others and through your accomplishments to date. 

I had someone teach me along my career path to take a file folder or a box and label it moments to be proud of.  This file folder or box is a spot that you should place thank you notes, letters, awards, messages of praise, or anything else that is important to you.  Always know where that file folder or box is and be able to look at it whenever needed.  If you are having a difficult day and you are down on your accomplishments take out that file folder or box and review your successes.  It is human nature to remember the negatives.  We have to strive to overcome that human nature and work to see all of the positives in ourselves.  This file folder or box will serve as that reminder.  I have things in my folder such as thank you notes from children who I have spoken to at their schools, letters of appreciation from customers and employees, a note and a special picture from my daughter and as of April 11th a letter from Dr. Michael Townsend – KCC Dean of Student Services, asking me to speak here today. I have used this for years to remind myself that there may be difficult times but life’s small successes need to be celebrated over and over again. 

Take some time to start your file folder or box.  A copy of your graduation program would make a nice start.

I have completed for you the review of each of the 4 elements that I have found supported my success through the years.  I hope I have provided each and every one of you with some ideas on how to reach your future success through my core elements of;

1. A strong educational foundation.

2. The ability to create a vision and strive for it.

3. The continual growth of Leadership skills.

4. A belief in yourself.

I have given the silver card to you today to keep along with you on your journey to your vision in the future.  This journey is going to be filled with many challenges and many rewards along the way.  How you treat those challenges and those rewards will determine your ultimate success. 

I want to leave you with a famous quote from Winston Churchill that I keep with me all of the time.  You will find it on the back of your silver card.  The quote is “Never, Never, Never give up”!  It has guided me over and over again on my journeys. Let it guide you too.

Congratulations to each and every one of you and best wishes on what ever your next vision may be.   Thank You!