300 Main Street, Suite 200, Dubuque, IA 52001
Mon – Thurs 8 am – 5 pm, Fri 8 am – 12 pm
The Young Professionals Dubuque convened at the Q Casino for their monthly luncheon with a fresh spin for October. The keynote speakers were a panel of four local community leaders that were nominated for the Telegraph Herald’s Rising Star award: Heather Jelinske from RSM, Antonio Mouzon from the City of Dubuque/Multicultural Family Center, Morgan Samek from Hodge, and Regan Takes from UMB Bank.
Moderated by the TH’s Marketing & Events Director, Allie Burk, the group kicked off with introductions, warming up Dubuque’s young professionals with some relatable career paths that led them to where they are today.
Each story highlighted the power of mentorship and influence. Mouzon credited his parents and faith for shaping his outlook: “I’ve had people that looked like me that showed me what was possible.”
Jelinski reflected on challenges that were presented to her at RSM and how those opportunities impacted her, citing that along the way, whatever you do personally or professionally, “there will be that human relation element to it.”
Samek “picked on” Jordan Fullan, a Rising Star Alum, Jennifer Mond, YPD past-speaker, and Michael Fullan, Samek’s first boss at Hodge. She shared a memory about how, when meeting him, how “hands-off” he was as a leader. “It really changed the way that I saw myself, and it really changed the way I approached my role.”
Takes mentioned his mother, Kay Takes, as a great model for service leadership. “She was an amazing example of service leadership for me,” citing her leadership through the COVID-19 pandemic. Takes gave credit to her leadership and how she was able to thrive during such unprecedented times, alongside highlighting some of his coworkers in the room.
With a little background on the panelists and their influences, Burk flipped the switch, inviting the panel to share some advice for the budding young professionals in the room.
Leaning into this advice, the panel shared the skills and habits they’ve honed to help them be successful.
Mouzon recommended skills related to emotional intelligence: “All good leaders have a strong foundation in emotional intelligence.” He shared that in his experience, the domino effect can come into play in the worst way so the ability to manage relationships can be really impactful.
Jelinski advocated for the ability to look at a situation and proactively provide solutions, saying it’s a completely different situation if you bring a problem to light versus bringing a problem to light and presenting a solution; you’ll find much more success with the latter approach.
Samek shared her love from professional development, primarily through reading books and listening to podcasts that promote self-awareness.
Takes rounded out the question with a story of how he starts his day with this question: How can I contribute today and how can I make a positive impact? This framework his eyes to seeing how big of an impact he can actually have. “It’s a really simple, small habit that highlights how many opportunities are out there if you pay attention,” said Takes. His colleagues could attest, he also walks every single day at work. While this can seem like a waste of time to some, Takes shared that the 20 minutes of fresh air really clears his mind, and he comes back with fresh eyes.
Equipped with these skills and habits, the conversation turned to work-life balance and the definition of success. Jelinski shared first stating: “Work-life balance is a myth. There are times where work comes first and there are times in my life where family comes first. You can’t be in two or three places at once, you have to set that boundary ahead of time.”
While there was agreement that work-life balance is never static, other members of the panel offered their own insights. Samek agreed that it’s often seasonal, citing work-life balance as a core value at Hodge. Mouzon shared that his wife is how he stays grounded in balance, stating how important it is to: “have a phenomenal team that will kick you out of the office and a phenomenal partner.” Takes added that it comes down to values for him. He has a deep love for travel that demands a bit of a balancing act, emphasizing the importance of being responsible but committed to your values.
The event wrapped with the group sharing their favorite books, podcasts, and resources.
