HomeEventsJohn Taft | July 13 | Business Leaders Breakfast Forum

John Taft | July 13 | Business Leaders Breakfast Forum

John Taft | July 13 | Business Leaders Breakfast Forum

Date

July 13, 2018

Time

7:30 am to 9:00 am

Location

Lurie LLP, 2501 Wayzata Blvd.

Event Description

John Taft’s 2012 book on Stewardship talked about how the financial services industry lost touch with its mission, purpose and values. But it also described the Financial Crisis as a case study in what happens when we lose touch with our Stewardship responsibilities.

“Precisely the same thing is happening today in sectors,” he wrote. “In too many areas, we see a focus on the short-term gratification instead of the long-term. We see leaders ducking responsibility for fixing critical problems: in the finances of our governments; climate change, income inequality; population growth and resource scarcity. We see a lack of integrity, humility, purposefulness.”

That was six years ago. Has anything changed for the better? Hear John discuss why– what the world needs more than anything else is principled leadership–at all levels.

As the author of two books, “Stewardship: Lessons Learned from the Lost Culture of Wall Street” published in 2012, and his most recent book “A Force for Good: How Enlightened Finance Can RestoreFaith in Capitalism,” John offers innovative ideas on how the financial system needs to evolve to contribute more consistently to positive societal outcomes.

John G. Taft

About the speaker

John G. Taft is currently Vice Chairman at Baird, an international employee-owned wealth management, capital markets, and private equity firm, overseeing $188 billion in client assests. Prior to joining Baird, John served as CEO of RBC Wealth Management-US; Senior Advisor to Deloitte & Touche LLP; and a member of the Board of Directors of the Columbia Threadneedle Funds, Segall Bryant & Hamill and The Clifton Group; President and CEO of Voyager Asset Management; President and CEO of Dougherty Summit Securities; and as Managing Director of Piper Jaffray & Hopwood.

In addition, John was the former chairman of the Securities and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA), a member of the CFA Institute’s Future of the Finance Advisory Council. Earlier in his career, John was assistant to the mayor St. Paul, George Latimer, and worked as a journalist.

He has served on a wide-range of not-for-profit and public service organizations; currently John sits on the Boards of The Minneapolis Foundation, and the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. In March, John was recognized by The Center for Ethical Organizations at The University of St. Thomas, at their Principled Leadership Spotlight event.

The great-grandson of U.S. President William Howard Taft, and grandson of Senator Robert A. Taft, John comes from a distinguished family well-know for its commitment to integrity. Join us to be inspired!