Servant Leadership: A Fresh Perspective

23.02.23

Meet Bill Bunzel.

VP of Property, Auto & Liability Claims at Society Insurance.

A longtime member of the Fond du Lac and Sophia community, Bill Bunzel highlights the importance of servant leadership in the workplace.

Learn more through this exclusive interview:

Q: As a nonprofit, why is Sophia’s work important?

A: When Sophia is involved with training managers, it gives them the type of management training that is hard to find anywhere else – the employee first leadership. It fills a need in the community.

Q: Why should someone invest in Sophia?

A: Sophia allows an opportunity for young and experienced managers to get together with others in the community, no matter their position, and learn from each other. These are networking opportunities that will pay dividends long-term if we invest in Sophia.

Q: Why is the work that Sophia does important to you?

A: The Community of Practice sessions keeps my knowledge fresh. Christa Williams introduces fresh ideas for management style and leadership. This is pertinent and helpful information for servant leadership philosophy.

New Office Coordinator at Sophia Partners

Meet Christy Warner

Sophia’s NEW Office Coordinator.

Starting this fall, Christy joins the Sophia Partners team as the newest addition, serving as Office Coordinator and working alongside Executive Director, Christa Williams.

“I’m excited for this next chapter in my professional journey to work alongside an amazing group of people, both internally and externally through Sophia Partners and the community,” Christy shared.

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Small Reminder in Servant Leadership: Sometimes It’s Just a Yellow Tomato

A short seasonal reflection on the small things that help great cultures thrive

As summer is in full swing, I’ve been thinking about how easily we can jump to conclusions when people don’t respond, communicate, or behave the way we expect.

Sometimes the most helpful thing we can do as servant-leaders is slow down, become curious, and make sure we truly understand what we’re seeing before we react.

An experience on our balcony garden reminded me of this lesson in a humorous and memorable way.

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Remembering the Roots: Honoring Servant Leadership’s Origins

Every year, organizations recognize leaders for accomplishments like revenue growth, innovation, market share, or operational excellence.

But the Ann McGee-Cooper Spirit of Servant-Leadership Award celebrates something different. It asks a question that goes beyond results: “Who did this person help become their best self?”

Presented by Sophia Partners to Dr. Richard Kyte at Viterbo University’s Conference on Servant Leadership on June 25, 2026, in La Crosse, Wisconsin, the award reminds us that the greatest measure of leadership isn’t found in a title or a résumé.

It’s found in the lives we’ve influenced, the people we’ve empowered, and the communities we’ve helped strengthen.

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