Leadership & OD SIG: “Servant Leadership: Why It’s Critical to any Organization’s Success”

Servant Leadership is a term often used but not necessarily understood. It is a leadership style and philosophy where leaders interact with others – either in a management or fellow employee capacity – to achieve outcomes through engagement and influence rather than through power and control.

Servant leaders seek to address the needs of others and to share power. This leadership style requires individuals to demonstrate characteristics such as empathy, listening, stewardship and commitment to the personal growth of others. Servant leaders turn the organizational structure upside down with the leader at the bottom and the customers and employees at the top.

Please join us as we hear from 3 CEOs who understand and practice servant leadership:

Along with the CEO will be their VP of HR, who will participate in the Q&A portion of this program. The moderator will be Mark Spool.

Note: this program will be a hybrid event … in-person for 35 members or virtual for members and non-members.

Agenda: 5:30 – 8:00 pm

5:30 – 6:15 pm: Registration / Meal / Networking
6:15 – 6:30 pm: Announcements (virtual attendees are to connect via Zoom link)
6:30 – 8:00 pm: Program

This event is sponsored by Judge Learning Solutions

Speaker Bio:

Ed Herr | CEO of Herr Foods

Ed Herr grew up working in his family’s snack food business.  The son of the Company’s founders – the late James S. and Miriam (Hershey) Herr – Ed learned the importance of hard work and valuing people at a very early age.  As Chairman and CEO of Herr Foods Incorporated, Ed is focusing his time on strategy, vision casting, and culture, and is committed to upholding the Herr Family tradition of offering customers the very best products and service in the industry.  

The Herr’s culture is one that cultivates a spirit of collaboration and appreciation for every individual.  With over 1,500 employees throughout the mid-Atlantic region, Ed seeks to steadily grow the family business, while remaining true to the Company’s founding principles of honoring God and promoting service to others. An active supporter of his local community and beyond, Ed is passionate about giving back to people through service and philanthropy. 

Vikram (Vik) H. Dewan | President and CEO of Philadelphia Zoo

Vikram (Vik) H. Dewan joined Philadelphia Zoo in July 2006; he is the 14^th President to lead the area’s most-visited ticketed cultural attraction. Along with being America's first zoo, Philadelphia Zoo is one of the region's foremost conservation organizations, and is home to nearly 1,700 animals, many rare and endangered.

As President and CEO, Vik is responsible for institutional leadership and strategic direction for all programs, services, operations, and fundraising. During his tenure, the Zoo has opened several one-of-a-kind animal exhibits, launched new groundbreaking initiatives and instituted a comprehensive 10-year transformative site master plan. That plan includes the development of an extensive animal exploration and trail system, Zoo360, that invites animals to travel throughout the Zoo’s 42-acre campus, creating exciting and enriching experiences for the animals and guests alike.

Prior to joining Philadelphia Zoo, Vik served as President of Wachovia Bank’s Philadelphia and Delaware region, operating nearly 100 branches with more than 1,000 employees.  He serves on the Board of Trustees for Vanguard Charitable. Vik holds an undergraduate from Cornell University and an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania.

Justin Rosenberg | CEO and Founder of Honeygrow

Justin Rosenberg is Founder and CEO of honeygrow, a fast-casual stir-fry and salad concept founded in Philadelphia in 2012. With a mission to create a unique, spirited brand focused on simple, wholesome foods, Rosenberg has led the company's creation and growth, which currently has 26 units and growing. 

After seven years in the finance and real estate industry, Rosenberg decided it was time to pursue his true passions of entrepreneurialism, cooking and creative brand-building. Influenced by his recent adoption of a plant-based diet and his love for design and music, he drew inspiration for a concept set to differentiate itself from the rest. To prepare himself for this new venture, Justin staged at various restaurants from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C. to gain further experience in kitchen operations, cooking, and leadership. 

In 2012, the first honeygrow location opened in the Rittenhouse neighborhood of Philadelphia, and Rosenberg’s vision catapulted to the next level. Since that day, honeygrow would continue to expand its unit count and team, with sights set for becoming an enduring, sustainable organization. The company has expanded into the Boston, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Washington DC and the New York City metro areas. In 2020, Justin received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for the Greater Philadelphia region and in 2021, was distinguished as a member of the Philadelphia Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 class.

Mark Spool | Moderator

Mark Spool is president of Management Development Solutions, a consulting firm specializing in leadership development including executive coaching and 360-degree feedback. Mark has over 40 years’ experience, working both internally and externally.  

Mark’s breadth of consulting experience includes companies in finance, manufacturing, food & beverage, retail, and oil & chemical, as well as family-owned businesses, government agencies, and not-for-profit organizations.  Mark has also held management positions in ARCO Chemical Company, Payless ShoeSource and Marathon Oil Company.

Mark has a Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Michigan State University.  He is the lead judge for the HR Department of the Year and the CEO of the Year Awards, is a Baldrige certified examiner for the Delaware Quality Award, and has been an instructor at Penn State, Immaculata and Villanova Universities.  He was recently nominated for HR Consultant of the Year.