"Never be Satisfied with the Status Quo"
August 17, 2012
Philadelphia Business Journal
Steve Wray
Executive Director, Economy League of Greater Philadelphia
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Name: Steve Wray
Age: 48
Title: Executive Director
Company: Economy League of Greater Philadelphia
Type of company: Regional civic leadership and strategy organization in Philadelphia
Number of employees: 9
Revenue in last fiscal year: $1.4 million
Recent project: World Class Greater Philadelphia, the Economy League's signature initiative, is bringing together leaders around strategies to make the region globally competitive in business growth, talent development and infrastructure
Education: Carnegie Mellon University, MS in public management and policy (1989); Duke University, AB in public policy studies (1986)
First job: Swept floors in a specialty metals facility
Little-known fact about you: I have a baseball signed by Babe Ruth
Home: Newtown
BUSINESS PHILOSOPHY
Essential business philosophy: Sharing the credit gets you a long way
Best way to keep a competitive edge: Never be satisfied with the status quo
Yardstick of success: Other world-class regions, places like Shanghai, Sydney, San Francisco and Toronto
Goal yet to be achieved: Bringing the Olympics to Philadelphia
JUDGMENT CALLS
Best decision: Marrying my wife Suzanne
Worst decision: Not saying "marrying my wife" in a similar questionnaire!
Toughest decision: Leaving my post-college job without knowing what was next...but it set me on my current path
Mentor: David Thornburgh, my predecessor at the Economy League
TRUE CONFESSIONS
Word that best describes you: Analytical
Like best about your job: Always a new challenge to undertake
Like least about your job: Administrative roles
The most important lesson you've learned: Make time for your family while you can
Life motto: No matter where you go, there you are (from "The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension")
Greatest fear: Complacency
Person most interested in meeting: Coach K from Duke - a great leader who does it with new and different teams each year
Company you respect most: IBM. Like the Economy League, they've been at it for 100 years, and totally reinvented themselves after 90 years - and are just as influential and important
First choice for a new career: Sportscaster
Greatest extravagance: Sports packages on cable to ensure I can see every Duke game
ET CETERA
Award/honor most proud of: Getting a fellowship from the Ford Foundation to study regional sustainable development
Most influential book: "Steve Jobs," by Walter Isaacson
Favorite movie: Hoosiers
Favorite restaurant: Isaac Newton's in Newtown
Favorite vacation spot: Sunset Beach, N.C.
Favorite room in the house: Family room, because it is where I can hang out with my daughters Allison and Maddie
Favorite way to spend free time: Golf, Duke basketball, coaching soccer
Car you drive: 2006 Mazda 3