This Is IOM
A podcast from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Organization Management. This show is a chance to get to know the stakeholders that make Institute possible.
This Is IOM
Personality Hire: The Authentic Judd - A Conversation on Leadership and Life
This week on the show, we're getting to know Judd Wilson, IOM, from the Community Development Foundation in Mississippi. Judd shares his unique journey from pharmaceutical sales to non-profit work, revealing the surprising path that led him to his current role. He discusses the challenges and rewards of his work, the importance of servant leadership, and how he brings his authentic self to the job. We also delve into his passion for music, his impressive bow tie collection (yes, really!), and his advice for young professionals. Hear an inspiring story of career change and a glimpse into the personality behind the bow tie!
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According to the AI overview on Google, a personality hire is valued for their emphasis on the soft skills, being a cultural fit or having the it factor. The it factor is a magnetic quality that draws people in and makes them feel comfortable and valued. This is a quality I see in a lot of our volunteers, so that means this series has a long bench of candidates to talk to. So talk about job security. But, getting back to the main point, one of those volunteers is Judd Wilson, iom from the Community Development Foundation in Mississippi. Judd is authentic to himself and I'm using this series so that we can all get to know the authentic Judd. So let's get to it. I'm Nathan Graham and this is IOM Judd Wilson. Welcome, welcome, welcome to the podcast. I do want to start with something connecting you to the program. So how did you first get involved with Institute?
Speaker 2:So got involved with Institute back in 2015. Was new to the chamber world actually, nathan, and so when I first kind of got involved in chamber work, I came from a sales background and so my CEO said, hey, you need to learn the business and the best place to do that is at IOM. So I was actually told to go back in 2015. But it was a good. I'm glad they told me because you know it was a good journey. It was a good journey but that's how I got involved Knew nothing about really much about Chamber of Commerce's or associations or really nonprofits, and didn't really know much about IOM. But that's sort of how I got there and jumped in with headfirst basically.
Speaker 1:All right. So now let's move into earlier Judd, maybe 10 years ago, and early Judd Well, I'm kidding, you're younger, a younger Judd. So as a child, what did you say you wanted to be when you grew up?
Speaker 2:So it's funny that you asked that, nathan, I never wanted to be a fireman or a policeman, loved them to death but just didn't have the physique for it. But when I was a little child, I wanted to be a veterinarian. Actually, and my dad is a physician and not a veterinarian. He actually took care of humans and I wasn't a bad student, but I wasn't the best student in the world. So, you know, by the time I kind of got into college and you know, finishing high school and college, I realized I don't know if I can even make it to vet school. And so people would tell me your dad's a doctor, are you going to be a doctor? I'm like no, no. They said oh, you don't, you don't like to, you don't want to be a doctor, you don't like blood. I said no, I really don't like having to study. So it had nothing to do with the blood. So, um, but that's how I kind of got into sales, just kind of making it through life that way, I mean.
Speaker 1:I I people obviously like said like lawyer dot, whatever nonsense. I was like I want to own a miniature golf course. I grew up loving miniature golf so I always wanted to do that and I'm always interested in what people said, because people looked at me, genuine, like, even as a kindergartner. They were like you want to own a mini golf course. I was like, yeah, I want to own a mini golf course, Wouldn't you want to own? Anyway, I was just like I want to be a small business owner, whatever, Um so, but then growing up, what are lessons you learned that you kind of hold on to to this day?
Speaker 2:So I was. I was in a family of four and I was the youngest and so my dad was a pediatrician. I mentioned he was a physician. So I kind of learned a lot of leadership skills just growing up in a large family and kind of seeing my dad the way that he was and kind of seeing my dad the way that he was. You know, a pediatrician is a little bit different than other other doctors because I mean they're really community minded and so I always saw my dad that way.
Speaker 2:So we would go to meetings with him or go to different events with him and I always noticed when I would see my dad he always went through the line last just to eat. I know that's something simple but you don't really realize it. But you know, as a leader you don't need to hey food lines open and just run up I mean be the last. I mean let's make sure everybody has a seat at the table. But you know, if there's not a seat you just stand Um, and I saw that growing up and you know that that's just kind of how he taught us.
Speaker 2:And so I've always kind of had that servant leadership mindset in everything that I've done, and, you know, in sales, of course you're trying to get the prize, win the best thing. But even then I was a pharmaceutical rep and I would call on physicians and I kind of had that mindset that my dad did. Even when I was selling pharmaceuticals to doctors, I would kind of paint the patient picture on, like, hey, I want you to use this product, but this is how it's going to help your you know your patient, which in turn is going to help your practice. So I tried to let them see things differently and so I'm still that way. You know, even through chamber and working with the community is like, hey, let's do this to kind of not only help your business but help the community in return.
Speaker 1:Okay, that's incredibly cool. I have never I mean, I, my dad was similar to that, but not I don't think he made an example of it, I think he was just always the one cooking for like church or things like that, so he had to go last, or or he was already eating something and just no one ever saw him eat. Um, but that that's incredibly cool, that that or incredibly mindful of your father to do that um, and Nathan, he didn't really tell it, we just saw it.
Speaker 2:I mean that yeah. I mean he would tell us and teach us things. I'm not saying that, but I mean he, we, just we kind of mimicked him, you know. So you kind of learn those things through just seeing others do that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you didn't need a lesson exactly, it was more of a just like a picture lesson, for that Correct, Um. So whatever you know you, you said you were a pharmaceutical sales rep, but what made you want to become a nonprofit professional?
Speaker 2:So, um, I'll, I'll, uh, kind of I did it for 15 years. I was a pharmaceutical rep for 15 years and was actually laid off, nathan. So I wasn't like, hey, I'm going to leave this industry and go into chamber work. Like I said, I didn't. I mean, I knew the organization that I work for now CDF, very well known in the community that I live. But again, I got in a car and drove off all over the state selling pharmaceuticals. So I was not involved at all and so went through four layoffs in the pharmaceutical industry over a four-year period, survived three of them but of course, did not survive the fourth one. That's why I'm on the podcast now, because if I had survived it I wouldn't be talking to you, nathan. I'm sure we would have met up sometime.
Speaker 2:But during that time I actually was looking for other pharmaceutical jobs. I mean that's because that's all I knew. And I actually had a friend of mine, a friend of the family, and called me up and said, hey, what are you doing tomorrow? I said I actually have a job with Merck. I just threw out their name Maybe they'll sponsor the next episode but actually did have a job, I mean an interview with Merck. And he said, well, what are you doing the next day? I said, well, I don't have an interview the next day.
Speaker 2:He said I want you to go down to CDF and talk to the president and CEO, david Rumbarger. And he basically David was just doing that guy a favor, is all that he was doing and so met with them. We had we hit it off tremendously actually started on the economic development side and did that for a little bit before I moved over to the chamber side. So that's how I ended up here. I walked into this building not knowing anything about it and actually after working here for just a few weeks, I went home and told my wife. I said this is where I need to be, this is where I can make a difference. So that's sort of how it happened.
Speaker 1:I mean I and like I still consider that an inspirational story. A lot of people would have been like, oh, you just needed a job. And you're like, yeah, I just need a job, but it worked out in the end that it would turn out to be a great job. Most people like, whenever you were saying, oh, I didn't leave because I wanted to go into non-profit professional, it's kind of you ended up there in a better way, but I I mean still a good story nonetheless.
Speaker 1:and exactly, it doesn't need to be something that's like a novel. It could just be. Yeah, I, somebody told me to go do this thing and I I gave it a try and like, hey if, even if it didn't work out, that would still be fine, at least you know then, yeah, so what is the hardest part about?
Speaker 2:your job. Yeah, I think the hardest part and really for you know, being on the Chamber of Commerce side is, I mentioned, about going last and doing that, I mean, and having a servant's heart. I mean, do I have trouble saying no to people? I do, newsflash I do sometimes. So I think you know we actually have over 1,200 members, 1200 members, and so you know we actually have members that have a lot of investment into our organization and a lot of employees.
Speaker 2:And then we have, you know, a mom and pop store and sometimes we even have a something where it's a sole proprietor I don't know if it's a mini golf course, but they own, you know, it's just one person, they're working and so with that is just managing to make sure that each member feels like they're getting value and each member feels important. So sometimes the hardest part for me is spreading myself thin more than anything else, and you know me not being able to say no, not just to my members, but also I do a lot throughout the community. I do a lot of emceeing and different events and things like that. So somebody will call me up and say, hey, will you host this event? And of course I always say, let me check my calendar. But the whole time I'm saying, yeah, I'll members to feel like they're being taken care of, and then, on the flip side, I want to make sure that folks in the community feel like you know I'm giving them value as well.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, that's, I mean, incredibly kind of you to emcee a bunch of events. But then what brings you the most joy in your job from?
Speaker 2:that Well, really probably the most joy I have in my job is just seeing our different small businesses succeed. You know we do that through different things we do on the Chamber side. Our Chamber of Commerce actually runs a business incubator as well and so we do a pitch competition. So really seeing a business that you've kind of helped from the infancy grow and be a contributing member to society, and just seeing that it's just a powerful thing.
Speaker 1:and so you get to see all phases of that when you're, you know, when you're working with a member or working with a company, through that and then I asked this question because I know a lot of people are either against this or really, for it is like how do you bring yourself into work? It's like what do you bring your, how do you bring your personality into work? Um, some people are fervently against that. I'm fervently for it, as I think it does bring a level of like individuality and helps build the brand a little bit. So how do you bring yourself to work?
Speaker 2:So I bring my. I mean I do I bring. Everybody knows everything about me. I mean I hold really any secrets. I talk all the time. I'm, you know, all kind of all over the place and so, but that I would never run for mayor. And I said the reason is, when you, you know, run for any political office, you got to choose sides, and not that we don't have to choose sides within our organization or choose sides for different things, but I'm able to reach out to more people because I'm here to make the business community grow and you know, everybody can kind of get behind that. So, and it doesn't matter, you know what kind of business you are. It's kind of funny because we'll do little videos at our different businesses and, like any community, we, you know, have, uh, vape shops and CBD shops and and, and all my staff kind of laughs at me because whenever I do a like, a Facebook live at one of those, they said that's the only time Judd looks uncomfortable.
Speaker 1:I'm like cause I don't know what I'm talking about but.
Speaker 2:But there's still a value, you know, value member within our, within our business community. So I mean I want to treat them with the same respect I would any anybody else. So, um, you know, just, I think you got to bring your whole self to your, you know, to your job and to your members.
Speaker 1:You like being the bridge, so you don't want to be on one side of the bridge. You like being the bridge between two different things, let's say the mayor's office and this other business. You don't want to be, you don't want to be on two different sides, but you want to be the thing that helps bring everyone together, exactly, exactly.
Speaker 2:I mean it's that's how you get things done. Yeah, I mean you've got to have opinions, and I have opinions and I have different thoughts and different beliefs and and things like that, like all of us do, but still, I mean you can still sit down with somebody across the table and try to make the best for what that's going to be for, you know, the actual community at large.
Speaker 1:That's very diplomatic of you. So what tools make your job easier? Is there something that you use that makes your life job, whatever?
Speaker 2:easier, I mean with anything. I mean I was very slow to move a lot more stuff to digital, what I mean by that. I walked into this job with a planner that I actually wrote and had the actual calendar I would write stuff with, and so it took me a little bit to transition to, you know, my Outlook, calendar and things like that. So now I mean I still have a notebook that I write in, but now most everything I mean I don't, I don't have a calendar now, or day planner or things like that, it's all, it's all in my outlook um, through that. And and now I mean it just makes my job easier because it sends alerts and I'm not worried about, you know, the paper never screamed an alert to me, but but tools like that, that kind of help us do what we do. I mean, cause I do so much outside of work as well that I got to actually keep that organized um as well. So I mean the technology is taking me a little bit slower to embrace that.
Speaker 2:You know, and look for me. I'm not on Facebook but I'm on LinkedIn. I mean I'm not a big social media guy but I'm on all of our social media platforms at work as far as you know videos and things like that but as far as personally, the only personal account that I have is on LinkedIn. I still tell people I have MySpace and they just shake their head. I really don't have a MySpace.
Speaker 1:But anyway, I mean, as I am on pretty much everything, it's better for you to avoid it, judd. It might be good for your life that it made your life easier. So for you, what advice do you give? And this doesn't even have to be to younger family members, but it can be just younger people in general what advice do you give to younger people based off of experiences you've had?
Speaker 2:Well, I do this. I mean not that people come to me for advice, but they do. I mean we actually have two new employees that are in our office and one is 28 and the other one is 20, about to be 24, actually a year, I mean a few months younger than my oldest son. And like I tell them is take advantage of every opportunity given to you. Take advantage of every opportunity given to you and just do that.
Speaker 2:I did that when I was a pharmaceutical rep. Something would come open. I said, hey, I'll do that. And the reason that I'm running the chamber here at CDF is because I said, hey, I'll do that, I'll take a chance at that. So whenever an opportunity comes up, take advantage of it. Don't be afraid. I mean you might not succeed, you might not do the best job to your ability, but if you at least just give it a shot and people knew that you were willing to take that shot more people are going to look up to you, more people are going to give you another advantage to do something else. So you know, a lot of times, especially you know, younger folks I mean I'm around a lot of our young professionals here in Tupelo. You know they're just nervous just to even step out and take an advantage of that's actually given to them, and so the more times you do that, the more advantages you know chances you'll have to take advantage of.
Speaker 1:All right, and then what pieces of media relate the most to your life that you've seen? Like what kind of movie, tv, show, book, whatever matches the most to your life that you've seen? Like what kind of movie, tv, show, book, whatever matches the most to your life?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I'm a big, big music guy. You asked earlier what I wanted to be when I was growing up and I said a veterinarian. But it's funny because when I, you know, started getting in the pharmaceutical arena and was doing job interviews, a lot of times I would go to a job interview and they don't ask this question now I think it's probably illegal to um, but not when I was growing up. But one of the questions I remember this this guy asked me. He said if you can get paid anything in the world, you can be the janitor or the CEO of a company or do any job you want to do. Your everybody gets paid the same. I'm thinking it sounds like communism to me, but anyway, I'll answer the question.
Speaker 2:I said if it was me, I would love to be a country music singer. I love music. I mean, I listen to music 24-7. I'll do a couple little Netflix with my wife and we'll watch different shows on Hulu and Netflix and things like that. But music speaks to me more than anything else and so I'll get hooked on either an artist or a song and just dive deep.
Speaker 2:Luckily, I dove really, really deep into John Prine. I'd heard him a little bit in college and kind of, oh, I like that song, I didn't like that song. And then I kind of went back to listening to a lot of John Prine and I mean I was really listening to every album, every song, and then of course he actually died during the pandemic and I was like man, I'm so glad that I listened, you know, and I still do, um, you know, so I mean I actually will learn about an artist, research an artist, um, so I mean I just, I love that, I just love music. I don't, I know nothing about rap, I don't know a lot about me. I know you know a few taylor swift songs.
Speaker 2:so it's not a lot of the modern stuff, it's more the you know kind of older song and I'll just go down youtube rabbit holes watching videos and just it's doing things like that.
Speaker 1:So music kind of inspires me and a lot of times when I mean I'll, I'll quote song lyrics, sometimes when I'm speaking at different places so is that your preferred way to listen to music is just YouTube on your computer, or do you prefer to like listen in your car or go to concerts?
Speaker 2:My kids will call me Boomer a lot and the reason is because I will listen.
Speaker 2:I still download songs to my iPod I guess that's what it's called, you know, on my phone and they're like Dad, you know you can go to Spotify I guess that's what it's called. You know, on my phone and they're like Dad, you know you can go to Spotify. Well, I listen to Pandora, and obviously that makes me old, and I listen to the ads that Pandora will force on me, and a lot of times the ads are for Crestor or you know, do I have problems during urination, and so they obviously know me. But anyway, my kids have zero ads. And I listen to Pand me, but anyway, my kids have zero ads and I listen to Pandora. They said, dad, nobody listens to Pandora. I said, well, obviously they're keeping the app open for me, so that's how I listen to my music.
Speaker 1:Ok, so I've had. I did convert my partner's mother into into Apple Music from Pandora.
Speaker 2:And so, but I added her to my account account, so she's she's a lovely lady I, I, she speaks my language.
Speaker 1:I was like, well, you're not paying anything because you're just gonna be on my account, so I guess it's free for you still, just like pandora was before. But all right, um, I mean, hey, that is the best way. Like, again, I know people who like to listen to music in their car when it's just them by themselves so they can belt it out while on like speeding down the highway. But I, I do appreciate that you at least have a way of doing it that makes sense for you. And hey, through pandora, that's fine. That pandora I consider the same thing. It is the same thing as radio and for a car. And so somebody, like the algorithm, is picking music, someone is picking music. It's fine. Like, if that is the way you do it, people still listen to the radio in their car. So, like, you're just doing the digital version of that. So I consider that at least a bridge between the two. You're still doing it.
Speaker 1:Um, so next up is like what is next? For judd wasn't. What do you want to do next? What is your next goal in life? If it's dinner tonight or if it's just, you know, changing the world, what would you like to do next?
Speaker 2:So for me I got. My kids are sort of at the age where my son graduated college last year, started a job actually at Toyota. We have a plant here outside of Tupelo, so he's actually working inside the plant there and it's not what he, you know, got his degree in, plant there and it's not what he grad, you know, got his degree in. So just, you know, even being a parent to somebody that's becoming an adult, and then my daughters will graduate in December and so she's hoping to get into graduate school and do occupational therapy and things like that.
Speaker 2:So you know, just still being a value to my kids because I mean, when they're young, hey, you're dad, you're still kind of molding the but even in this stage of life, just having that ability, you know, to continue to do that and help direct them, but also being willing to kind of let let them make those decisions. I mean kind of give them advice on that but but but just watching that kind of transition and happen. So you know, that's sort of what I look forward to and look forward to seeing kind of the journey that they go through to start their careers and different things. So that's kind of what it looks like, but I will eat dinner sometime tonight.
Speaker 2:I don't know exactly what it'll be, but we hope you'll have dinner tonight and I'm sure I'll listen to pandora on the way, yeah exactly, hey, perfect, the.
Speaker 1:Uh. The last thing, or one of the last things, is karen threw in this question today during our one and one one-on-one, but she wants to know about the bow ties. Why the bow ties?
Speaker 2:so, um, you're probably too young for this, nathan. But of course a show when I was growing up was Family Ties, and of course Michael J Fox was in that. And so when I was in high school, a lot of my friends called me Alex P Keaton, because I even dressed up Not every day for school, but I would actually wear ties to school sometime, and it was a public school, it's not like it had to have a tie as a uniform. And so I mentioned my. It was a public school, it's not like it had to have a tie as a uniform. And so I mentioned my.
Speaker 2:Dad was a pediatrician, so he wore bow ties, not as much as I did. He had like a small collection because kids wouldn't. It was harder for a kid to grab a bow tie. And so, um, I started wearing them in high school actually, and then in college I would wear them some, and every time I wore one I actually had a few long ties. And so when I would wear, every time I would wear a bow tie. It was a conversation starter or people like, man, I love that bow tie, you know, and so that's how we, you know, I would connect with people.
Speaker 2:So when I moved to Tupelo, mississippi, and became a rep. You know you got to set yourself apart from the other salespeople. So every time I went to an office I always had a bow tie on. And so after a while, I mean I would get to an office and they'd say, hey, come on back. Or and they would tell, hey, the bow tie guy's here and so out of you know, a doctor's office is, saw tons and tons of reps every day. Everybody knew who the bow tie guy was. So now I don't even own a long tie, don't even own one. And so my collection I have 165 bow ties now. Oh, my god, oh yeah, are they.
Speaker 1:So? They all are the ones you tie yourself, do you see? So?
Speaker 2:I, when people ask that question, I say yes, nathan, my mother no longer dresses me, so I have to tie my own tie. I only have two clip-on bow ties and one of them is made from goose, like a loon feathers. So they're actual feathers from a loon. Very beautiful tie. I wear that, you know, like when I wear a tux or something. And then my other non-tying one is actually it's made out of wood. It's hard to tie a wooden bow tie, it's just it's a little different. Yeah so, but but my bow ties I tie, every one of them.
Speaker 1:Okay, wow, okay, I mean, hey, that I think the studio audience couldn't see. But you saw where I just yeah no, I would like to point out, this is an audio medium he uh he fully tied the tie while talking to me while answering that question, um, and he didn't. He didn't even need to stop, like take a break, like there's no water break in between there and then, but he, he tied it while talking so I gotta give him props for that um.
Speaker 1:So, other than tying ties and listening to music through pandora, how do you unwind from work?
Speaker 2:So I tell people, I mean, like what's today? Today I'm telling you know what day it is, it's Wednesday, but like Monday I had I did not get home till 8.30 that night because I hada work event. And then Tuesday night I didn't get home till about nine o'clock because I serve on our local community theater board. So we had a, you know, a theater board meeting. Um, so I just, you know, I will meet my family for dinner, some, and then I really don't unwind until Friday. Um, you know, I go to. I don't go to bed late, but by the time I get, I mean I just, you know, watch the YouTube videos of people singing or whatever else, and then, you know, get up and do the same thing. But I go to bed very early on a Friday night, oh yeah, just because I'm like I'm drained.
Speaker 2:But I have the personality where I'm around people it actually fills my tank more than anything else I know. For an introvert they would be like in the ICU, but you know, for me that's where. I get my energy, so Well Judd that's all the questions I have.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much for doing this. Yes, yes, and that's the show for today. A special thank you to Judd for sharing more about himself. If you have any follow-up questions for Judd, you should definitely register for Southeast Institute this summer. If you're looking to attend but can't quite make Southeast, our Northeast site registration is also open as well. You can find information about everything at instituteuschambercom. If you have any questions, get the fast pass to the top of our inbox, iomuschambercom. This podcast is a production of the US Chamber of Commerce Institute for Organization Management From Karen Raymond Cece Ivy and yours truly. All the best today and for a better tomorrow. Bye everyone.