Kurt Strand grew up in Minneapolis, and graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in finance and marketing. He originally was a music major and played drums. However, after two years in college, Strand decided to change majors and enjoys playing drums as a hobby

He spent 35 years at McGraw Hill in numerous roles, including president of science, engineering and math. This position included moving to Dubuque and managing the construction of the McGraw Hill office in the port of Dubuque, which is how he became connected to the Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium as president and CEO.

Strand has been married to LeeAnn for 29 years, and they have two daughters, Madelyn, a school counselor in Chicago; and Klara, who is finishing her graduate degree in marketing at the University of Minnesota.

Tell us about your field and what attracted you to it.

When I graduated from the University of Minnesota, I was interested in pursuing a sales position as a first job. I started out in publishing as a publisher representative, which complemented my passion for education. My job involved traveling to campuses in my five-state territory and visiting with professors about their courses.

During my 35 years in publishing with McGraw Hill Education, I held many management positions and moved to Dubuque as president of McGraw Hill Science, Engineering and Math. While at McGraw Hill, we created a partnership with the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium. This partnership included holding events for authors and/or professors visiting the Dubuque office on the campus of the River Museum. Science, engineering and math authors and educators enjoyed being able to experience the exhibits along with the fish and animals.

When the River Museum contacted me about their open president and CEO position, it excited me, and this felt like the perfect next step. My passion for education, along with being able to contribute to a world class institution that makes a lasting impact for our community, is why I am grateful to be part of this organization.

How has your field changed in the time you’ve worked in it? How have you adapted?

I have been at the river museum for eight years. Museums and aquariums have changed a lot during this time. I’ve seen increased interest in creating interactive exhibits and experiences as well as increased use of technology and media. We have developed a deeper partnership with our public and private school partners, including working together to ensure field trips complement and expand on classroom learning. There is also new research and knowledge pertaining to animal wellbeing and animal care and enrichment. Our living collections team has adopted this new research for the health and well-being of our animals.

We have increased our focus on equity and accessibility. Over the past few years, we have focused on making our campus accessible to all guests. We invited Great Plains ADA, Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Service and Dubuque County Disabilities Council to do a complete accessibility audit of our campus to ensure all visitors can experience our campus equitably when viewing exhibits and habitats. We have added special focused events and campus upgrades for all types of guests including:

• Sensory Mornings that have dimmed lighting, limited extra and ambient sounds and no distracting exhibit motions.
• InSight days for blind and low-vision guests, where we station staff near exhibits and habitats to provide an audio description for our guests.
• A comfort room for nursing mothers and those with sensory needs.

We have KultureCity Certification, which recognizes us as a sensory-inclusive facility.

I am proud of the steps we’ve taken to make our campus a welcoming facility.

Is there a person or people who have had a tremendous impact on you?

Many people have had an impact on my career and life. I believe you can learn from everyone, no matter what they do or where they are in the organization.

• Sometimes you observe a great example of how to manage a situation.
• Sometimes you see a situation handled in a terrific way that is new to you, and you remember that as one technique you can use in the future.
• Sometimes you see a situation with cringeworthy behavior, and you remember to never handle a comparable situation in that way.

When I was a student at the University of Minnesota, I worked at the Brooklyn Center Municipal Liquor Store as a part-time stocker and cashier. Our manager had worked at the store for years and he always engaged with our shoppers and staff.

I noticed that every day I worked, at the end of my shift, Jerry would come up to me and thank me. He never missed a day thanking me. This impacted me. Showing appreciation for those on your team, those in your family and those who you serve is something I have tried to demonstrate.

Do you have any advice for young people and/or new graduates?

• Find the right fit for a job, which includes finding an organization where you are passionate about what they do.
• Work for a direct supervisor from whom you can learn job and non-job skills. A great supportive environment is more important than compensation.
• Listen, ask questions, become an expert in your job and organization.
• Always raise your hand to new opportunities. Use those opportunities to set yourself apart.
• Find a mentor who enables you to ask questions and receive honest feedback.
• Embrace lifelong learning and be curious.
• You might be on the right track, but if you are not moving forward, you will get run over.

Is there a story or an anecdote that illustrates your philosophy either in life or in your chosen field?

Be a positive influence within your organization. Don’t ask your team to do something you will not do yourself, whether it is shoveling some snow, making more coffee if the pot is empty or helping with a task or initiative. Lending a hand is always appreciated, and often noticed, so leading by serving others helps create a positive environment.

One other thing, everyone in the organization knows who the negative people are; if that’s you, you are not fooling anyone. Terry McGraw once said, when negative people complain to others, 80% of the people don’t care. The other 20% are happy you are miserable.

Math vs. creativity. People person vs. introvert. Slow and steady vs. quick and nimble. Where do you fall on those divides? Do you believe there even is a divide?

I do not believe there is a divide between math and creativity. At McGraw Hill we offered an online adaptive learning math platform. When I looked at the results for college algebra to master a concept, all students took a different path — which demonstrates how creativity and math rely on each other. When I look at River Museum staff, I see examples of talented people blending analytical and creative skills.

Thinking about differences in people, I agree with the statement “don’t keep all your eggs in one basket.” I believe you cannot predict success based on personality traits, nor do you want to have a team of people who are all similar. Organizations and teams need a portfolio of talent with different experiences, different skills, different personalities, different approaches to work.

I’ve seen many different types of people succeed, and I don’t believe success is based on a specific trait or traits. The one thing they often have in common is a track record of proven success. They are the ones who you ask to take on a special project because you know they will do it well and on time, they are the ones others ask for help because they always find time, they are the ones who motivate team members and are a positive influence and they asked to take on more responsibility, accept a promotion and lead an initiative.

You cannot predict the future based on being a people person or introverted, or predicting based on other traits, but you can use past excellence to feel more confident in predicting the person’s ability to succeed in the future.

When you think of the future, what kind of changes would you like to see in your field?

It is important for organizations like museums to be used to compliment in-class experiences, reinforcing topics of study. The experience provided by museums, nature centers, aquariums and other organizations that offer engaging experiential and real-world learning has a large impact on learning. I have seen students get excited when viewing a habitat or observing a history exhibit as they are learning while exploring. This can provide the spark of interest that changes their life and leads them to a career that is driven by their passion.

How has your professional life helped you grow as a person?

During the early years of my career, I was exposed to a wide range of people given my large geographic territory. I realized that if I was only able to visit with a professor (customer) twice a year, building trust and a strong relationship was essential. I felt that if they saw me as a salesperson, it would be easy for them to say no. But if they saw me as a friend who was valued and cared about their success, it would be more likely for them to say yes. I worked hard to remember their names, what they taught, and their interests. I made sure they knew that I was an advocate for their success. This experience has made me realize how important personal relationships are with friends and coworkers.

How do you strike a work/life balance?

Even after 40-plus years working, it is still a struggle. When you love your job, it doesn’t feel like work, but you need to remember that careers are a marathon with some sprints scattered in. Creating a balance between work and life is very important for your well-being, for your family, friends, and coworkers. I try to take time during the day to walk around campus and meet guests. I enjoy walking around our campus to chat with staff and volunteers. When I am not working, I enjoy a wide range of activities often involving music or sports and of course spending time with family and friends.