Zen and the Art of Culture By Design
On a new podcast called “The Zenquest of Leaders”, host Jess Ollenburg talks with movers, shakers, top business owners, community leaders, wellness experts and ridiculously “type A” good people. Jess and her guests explore hard-earned nuggets of wisdom, great storytelling, humor, inspiration, accomplishment, overcoming challenge and answers to the question: “How do YOU zen?” Jess brings 3+ decades of evidenced practices, leadership case studies of success and today’s most timely topics. The goal of every episode is to collaboratively deliver at least one strong lightbulb moment…and hopefully three!
Executive Vice President of The Starr Group, Mary Starr was the featured guest closing out Season 1 with Episode 8 released June 20. A few topics included: Culture by Design not Default, The Culture of Mattering, Surveys Done Right, Healthy Partnerships, Laughable Moments, and of course Zen to help employees bring their A-games in productivity, well-being and work-life balance.
Directing The Starr Group since 1985, Mary graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in sociology & social work and a minor in Spanish. She went on to earn graduate credits toward her master’s degree in social work at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and graduate credits toward her master’s in business administration at Keller Graduate School.
In 2010 Mary became a Certified Wellness Coach and in 2016 earned her Certified Corporate Wellness Specialist designation.
Mary has served on numerous boards past and present, including: American Heart Association Board of Directors; Wellness Council of Wisconsin’s Executive Board of Directors; Board of Directors for the Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare | Ascension Foundation; Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare Diabetes Awareness Advisory Board; Well City Milwaukee Advisory Board of Directors; MarshBerry and Associates Advisory Council, Milwaukee’s Best and Brightest Companies to Work For Board, The South Suburban Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and more.
Mary has been at the helm of creating The Starr Group’s current award-winning wellness program, Fit4Life, which has received numerous accolades including National Healthiest 100 Workplaces, inducted into Hall of Fame 2022; Well Workplace Award, Wellness Council of America, since 2011; American Heart Association Workplace Health Solutions Gold Award, and many more.
