Notre Dame, Corporate Leadership

Hesse Family Donates $3 million Gift for Boys & Girls Club | South Bend Tribune

This article, outlining donations from the Hesse family to the Boys and Girls Club originally appeared in the South Bend Tribune. Published March 2014. 

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The CEO of Sprint and his wife are giving $3 million to the University of Notre Dame and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America that will create a new position at the local Boys & Girls Club — with the net effect of doubling the club’s 75 volunteers.

And that could ramp up the number of at-risk kids that the local club can serve at its main campus, at 502 E. Sample St., from about 140 daily to 200 in the first 18 months, said Jory Fitzgerald Kelly, executive director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Joseph County.

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Notre Dame, Interview

A Tribute to Father Hesburgh | The Observer

This letter originally appeared in The Observer, a student newspaper serving the students of Notre Dame and Saint Mary's. Dan focused the letter on lessons of Life, Love, and Marriage imparted by Father Ted Hesburgh of Notre Dame. Published September 2015.  

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It is with a heavy heart, that during the week my wife Diane and I are celebrating our silver wedding anniversary, we learn of the passing of a great man who played a part in our union and helped us stay together these 25 years.

On Feb. 23, 1990, we walked into Fr. Hesburgh’s office atop the Hesburgh Library to have our “Dutch Uncle Talk” (as Fr. Ted called it) with the man who was to marry us the following day.  Fr. Hesburgh was holding press interviews when we arrived, as El Salvador’s former President, Napoleon Duarte, a Notre Dame graduate and Fr. Ted's close friend, had passed away earlier that day.  When finished, Fr. Ted came into a room we waited in and told us he was going to fly to El Salvador to perform the funeral after he married us at the Log Chapel.

He then gave us advice about keeping a marriage together.  His most memorable story was about the need for open communication.  He told the story of a couple he knew well.  The wife had suffered for decades with her husband’s foul-smelling breath.  She never told her husband to brush his teeth or use mouthwash in fear of offending him or hurting his feelings.  He urged us not to keep things inside, to communicate openly.  Father Ted (we know you can hear us), thank you for some great advice.

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Interview, Award, Corporate Leadership

How Fortune 500 CEOs Can Drive Corporate Responsibility | Forbes

Dan Hesse was presented with the lifetime achievement award by Publisher of Corporate Responsibility Magazine in November 2013. Robert Reiss conducted the following interview with Dan Hesse to discuss the role of CEOs in solving the world's most pressing issues. 

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What is it about Fortune 500 CEOs that uniquely positions them to impact some of the world’s most pressing problems?

Dan Hesse: Because of the great divide between America’s political parties, plus global political differences, governments are less effective at solving problems, so the mantle of leadership is being passed to the leaders of the largest companies.  Fortune 500 CEO’s effect the lives and livelihoods of millions – customers, employees, suppliers, shareholders, communities and other stakeholders.  Values-based business leadership has never been more important to solving the country’s and the world’s problems.

What is the relationship between corporate responsibility and building a great organization with strong financial performance?

Dan Hesse: Corporate responsibility has become an important foundation in building Sprint’s culture.  It helps us attract and retain great talent because it’s a common cause and belief system that motivates us all to perform.  Many CR initiatives also reduce costs in areas like the usage of energy, water, or paper, thereby improving financial performance.

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Corporate Leadership

Sprint CEO Dan Hesse's plan to fight AT&T and Verizon: 'doing the right thing' | The Verge

This article detailing Dan Hesse's corporate strategy originally appeared in The Verge. Published August 2012. 

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"At Sprint, we describe it internally as being the good guys, of doing the right thing," he said today. That moral component pervades many of the PR-friendly activities Sprint engages in, from eco-friendly recycling programs to distracted driving prevention, but it also, Hesse says, informs what would otherwise seem like calculated business decisions like continuing to offer unlimited data.

The topline example is Sprint's place in the American Customer Satisfaction Index, which since Hesse's four-and-a-half-year tenure as CEO have gone from worst to first amongst carriers. Hesse says that "doing the right thing" when it comes to better customer service not only makes customers happier, but saves the company money: "Customer care costs are roughly half of what they were four and a half years ago."

While Sprint is making some headway in customer service and its cash position, that's not to say the company or its CEO has illusions that everything is great, "What you’re not going to see around here are any mission accomplished signs," Hesse says. Amongst the reasons Sprint is struggling is the vastly more powerful and entrenched competition it's up against: AT&T and Verizon.

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Interview

Building a Sustainable Brand | Leaders Magazine

The following interview with Dan Hesse appeared in LEADERS Magazine online in March 2015. 

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How do you define the role of a CEO today?

One of the reasons one takes on the role of running a big public company is that it provides the opportunity to have a positive impact on so many different stakeholders. It’s not only about doing things right but, more importantly, doing the right things.

You have an opportunity to positively impact your employees, customers, shareholders, and suppliers – the companies that serve you – which is quite important. In addition, you can do much to affect the community.

Will you discuss the interactions between your many constituencies?

If you focus on customers and do a good job at that, it makes employees happier as well and prouder to be part of your firm. As the business does better, you then provide more business for your suppliers. If your company is doing well, it helps the communities you serve as well as your shareholders.

If you do the right things, all of these constituencies will benefit.

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Award

Steering Sprint's Turnaround | Wireless Week

Dan Hesse's leadership was recognized at the Wireless Week 2012 Leadership Awards. Details of the recognition follow. Published May 2012.

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Four years and several ups and downs later, Hesse's efforts to revive Sprint are starting to bear fruit.  

"I told you on my first call that our turnaround would be difficult and not quick," Hesse said during the company's fourth-quarter earnings call in February. "Although we're far from finished, our progress, nevertheless, has been very significant."  

Under Hesse's leadership, the company launched unlimited data plans, forged a WiMAX alliance with Clearwire, bought Virgin Mobile USA, got the all-important iPhone and began the laborious process of phasing out its iDEN network and moving toward LTE. 

Hesse’s reign also has been characterized by a number of out-of-the-box initiatives, such as signing up to be the launch partner for Google Wallet, outsourcing management of its network to Ericsson and embarking on a company-wide environmental push ranging from energy-efficient facilities to handset recycling.

Along with those initiatives came much-needed improvements in customer growth, sales and consumer perception of the Sprint brand. 

Sprint's net adds during the last three months of 2011 were its best in six years, its customer base reached an all-time high of 55 million and its postpaid net adds marked a 10th consecutive quarter of year-over-year improvement.  

"Our top line is growing again," Hesse said. "Our customer experience has gone from the worst to arguably the best in the industry, and our once battered brand is strengthening and gaining momentum." 

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Award

Inaugural L. Joseph Thomas Leadership Award | Johnson School of Management

Dan Hesse received the inaugural L. Joseph Thomas Leadership Award in January 2012 and spoke on the subject of Evolving Role of America’s Business Leaders at the ceremony. 

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In recent years, wireless technology has become the most rapidly adopted technology in history. “It has been growing faster than TVs, PCs, and automobiles combined,” Hess said. A recent survey suggests that four out of 10 students on college campuses cannot go more than 10 minutes without checking one of their wireless devices. “In my day, we couldn’t go more than 10 minutes without checking out a member of the opposite sex,” Hesse joked.

Despite the rapid growth of the industry, Hesse explained that American business in general has been in trouble over the past few years. “In my view, principal business leaders will need to build our nation's leadership back up from the mess left by the lack of political leadership from our increasingly ineffective two-party political system,” Hesse said. “The imperative for corporate social responsibility by America’s business leaders to build our country’s leadership back up has never been greater.”

According to Hesse, one of the main problems with the American economy is the changing attitude towards capitalism. “Mitt Romney’s business background should be an asset, but instead, it’s a political liability,” he said.

Another issue, he believes, is that the nation is losing interest in the future. “I was talking to the CEO of a major corporation just last week, and he said that investors would prefer a higher profit next quarter even if it meant killing his business over the long term,” Hesse said. What’s even worse, he said, is that this is a widely held sentiment.

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Award

10 Inspirational Leaders Who Turned Around Their Companies | Entrepreneur

Article originally appeared in Entrepreneur online. Article reviews the inspirational stories of 10 CEOs who revitalized their companies. Published February 2013. 

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When Dan Hesse took over the role of Sprint's CEO in 2007, the company was in a freefall, reporting losses of $29.6 billion after a merger with Nextel Communications. Hesse implemented Sprint's new "Simply Everything" rate plan in 2008.

In 2008, Sprint lost 5.1 million subscribers and wireless revenue fell by $3.1 billion, but the company, which had been last in customer satisfaction surveys, was scoring higher on its customer service ratings. In 2009, Sprint acquired Virgin Mobile USA and moved into the prepaid market. By 2010, Sprint had returned to positive subscriber growth for the first time in three years. Hesse continues to serve as CEO. In 2012, Sprint reported revenue of $35.3 billion, an increase over 2011's revenue of $33.7 billion.

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Award

Boys and Girls Club Great Futures Award | BGCA

Honor originally posted to homepage of Boys and Girls Club of America. Published October 2013. 

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Boys & Girls Clubs of America is pleased to present Dan Hesse, CEO of Sprint Corporation, with the Great Futures Award. This award is presented to an individual who has demonstrated outstanding leadership and commitment to the youth of this country.

Hesse joins a list of distinguished leaders previously honored, such as Craig Omtvedt, Edward and Diane Zore, and Thomas Flanagan. A premier event in Chicago, the Chairman’s Dinner has also featured many special guests including President Bill Clinton, Regis Philbin, and Major League Baseball Commissioner, Bud Selig.

Hesse has served as a Governor for Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and continues to work to provide a bright future for children and teens.

With a goal to provide every young person with a cyber safe future, Sprint supports BGCA’s media safety initiative providing tools and resources to educate parents, guardians, educators and youth on important issues like cyberbullying, social networking, online privacy and mobile safety. BGCA’s cybersafefutures.org, along with Sprint’s online safety resource 4NetSafety, aims to raise awareness around potential cyber safety issues while giving adults and youth the resources they need to have a fun, positive experience online.

Award

Dan Hesse is a Top Rated CEO on Glassdoor | Glassdoor

Article originally appeared on TelecomRamblings.com as part of the review of Glassdoor's Highest Rated CEOs 2015. Published March 26, 2014.

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Dan Hesse smile

Sprint employees have spoken, and Dan Hesse is among the leaders on Glassdoor’s 2014 list of the Highest Rated CEOs at large companies.

He is the only CEO of a telecommunications company to be recognized this year.

“We find on Glassdoor that a strong leader is often one who has the ability to clearly communicate the vision for the company and who helps employees see how their work connects to the big picture,” said Robert Hohman, CEO and co-founder of Glassdoor, a popular online career community.

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