Lindsay Dick

Lindsay DickAge: 31

Occupation: Director of Sales, GreatAmerica Financial Services

What do you consider your greatest professional accomplishments: Being named to 40 Under 40, participating in and graduating from the Cedar Rapids Economic Allianceโ€™s Leadership for Five Seasons program, and being recognized by my peers as a GreatAmerica Outstanding Achiever.

Who are your local mentors: Anne King, a business professor at Mount Mercy University; Vernon Squires, an attorney at Bradley & Riley PC; and David Pohlman, chief operating officer at GreatAmerica Financial Services.

What would most people be surprised to learn about you: I am an adrenaline junkie! Iโ€™ve been skydiving, I love rollercoasters โ€“ basically anything that goes fast or you have to go high. My friends laugh at me because I have a fairly calm demeanor, but I like to climb mountains and jump off things.

What do you know now that you wish you had known earlier in your career: Regardless of your job or rank, making time to develop and help others is just as important as your personal development. When you start out, right out of school, youโ€™re all about yourself and how you can get ahead, but I realized that the more I could boost other people up, the more I learned. Strengthening my team helps us be even more successful, rather than just one person being the superstar.

How do you ensure a balance between work and your personal life: Each day I try to get up early for personal time and a good workout, thank God for three things, make time for planning and reflection, and have fun.

If you had $1 million to give, what causes would you support: I am a huge advocate for access to nutritious food because it is a basic human need, so I would support programs like Feed Iowa First that are dedicated to expanding access to good, quality food and advocating for sustainable food production.