Member Spotlight | Dan Hoffmann

Senior Vice President, Business Development, Core BTS

  ACG WI Member Since: 2021

 

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Dan Hoffmann, Core BTS
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Core BTS

Why did you join ACG?
knew several members of ACG and was interested in learning more about how the organization collectively helps to impact a favorable business climate in Wisconsin. Also, I was keen to learn how we are promoting Wisconsin’s “brand” across the country and beyond as we look to leverage our unique assets to attract talent and firms looking to expand.

How has ACG WI helped you in your career?
I’ve only been a member for just over a year, but in that short time ACG has helped me connect with leaders in various functions outside of my own. Incorporating views from various functions helps me improve my decision-making process and plan for the risks we face in the business. The speakers have been compelling and relevant to challenges we face. Bringing some of my peers as guests has been great in building bridges across our business.

What has your ACG membership meant to you?
ACG has been a great place for me to continue learning. It’s a great place to bounce ideas off people or get alternative views to problems you are trying to solve. Also, it’s been a great avenue to connect with other business leaders in chapters outside of Wisconsin, as I recently experienced in Minneapolis. I’m looking forward to visiting other chapters in the future.

What lessons have you learned during the pandemic that you think you will carry over in the long term?
I would welcome the opportunity to meet any ACG member over coffee and discuss this question. In general, I would boil it down to four things:

  • Overcommunicate with your clients and employees... especially during times of uncertainty or chaos.
  • Stay physically active.
  • You never know what other people are going through. Empathy and compassion open conversations to what really matters to our people.
  • Prioritize more time for succession planning and scenario planning. The work we did on succession planning before 2020 really helped us successfully navigate the challenges of the pandemic. We knew our people and we had confidence in our extended leadership team to move the business forward.

What do you think are the biggest challenges your industry will face in the next 5 years, and what actions is your business taking to position it for success in the future?
The biggest challenges I think all ACG members face are Trust and Human Capital. Security, privacy, and how firms leverage data all underpin these challenges. Core BTS takes a very client-centric, outcome-driven approach to working with our clients. We try to ensure that every touch point across every function of the company is an impressive experience, and that it builds trust with our clients. Regarding human capital, A-players want to work with other A-players. We have to build the value proposition of our firm internally as well as externally to be an “employer of choice” in our space. Continuing to differentiate our business both externally and internally is critical.

What do you do for fun?
As a family, we enjoy traveling. Montana and Arizona are two of our favorite destinations. Personally, I play trombone as part of the worship team in church, and I also play golf with 100+ year old “hickory” wooden shafted golf clubs.

If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?
I have long been impressed with the complexity and power of the pipe organ. It would be an amazing challenge to learn how to play it.

What is the best book you have read this past year?
The Boys of Winter, Wayne Coffey and Half Time, Bob Buford.