“The apple doesn’t fall very far from the tree,” is certainly true in the life of our most recent Forum Chair feature, Steve Gandara. Raised in Texas and Oklahoma by a dad who was both a Lombardi-era high school football coach and auto dealership owner, Steve was primed from an early age to grasp the fundamentals of high-performing leaders, shakers and movers. And entrepreneurship was in his DNA.  An intense focus on goal achievement identified a crisis in his spiritual life in his late twenties which led to a powerful encounter between Jesus and Steve in an office over his garage in Oklahoma. He gave his life to Christ that day, and Steve was forever changed.

Married to Denise for 45 years, Steve’s calling into the world of corporate transformation which began in 1977 carried them to Seattle in 1984. Since then, he has spent the last several decades looking corporate leaders in the eyes and developing instruments and processes that catalyze impactful organizational cultures and profound ROI. His company, Excellent Cultures, was born out of his admitted spiritual calling as a Holy Spirit sent “ambassador of unity.” Steve acknowledges that the only reason for his vast success over the years is his obedience to his calling and a deep love for his clients born of the Lord – in short, the favor of God preceding and following him.

When he’s not busy shedding God’s love abroad in the corporate sphere, Steve and Denise spend time with their 11 children – 2 biological and 9 adopted – another calling that clearly required both the will of God and His accompanying grace. Steve also enjoys watching sports and an occasional round of golf here and there when he can squeeze it in.

Steve resonates deeply with C3 Leaders because “C3 to me is a ministry that promotes unity. We are an organization of brothers and sisters – business believers – who are unified around, as Paul says, ‘Jesus Christ and Him crucified,’ and that’s all that really matters.”

Excellent Cultures is a generous supporter of our Just Business Roundtables and Tournament Sponsor for our Annual Golf Tournament and Dinner Auction. To learn more about Excellent Cultures or to reach Steve, visit his website.