History
The Academy for Excellence in Leadership was developed by Cain Ellsworth & Company, LLP in 2020 after recognizing that many Midwestern community banks were struggling to replace valuable managers, presidents, and CEOs as they approached retirement. As a solution, Cain Ellsworth designed a leadership program to help promising employees gain the skills, confidence, and vision needed to step into important leadership roles. While the program was originally created for community banks, the principles and leadership development approach now support organizations across a variety of industries. AEL operates from offices in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Sheldon, Iowa.
Purpose
The ultimate goal of AEL is to help shape new leaders, create a vibrant, forward-thinking culture, and ensure organizations continue to grow and thrive into the future. While the program was originally designed with community banking in mind, the leadership principles apply across industries where strong leadership and accountability are essential for long-term success. Investing in employees and providing them with leadership and advancement opportunities is vital to retaining and recruiting people—an organization’s most valuable asset.
Team Members
Stacie Dykstra
Partner, Facilitating Connections
Stacie is a leader in business development, marketing, facilitating, and making connections. Her compassion, drive, and energy to guide the success of organizations and their teams is unsurpassable. Her background in many areas of business has provided her with a “big picture” approach that is a valuable tool in her mission to help clients grow, prosper, and succeed.
Matthew Heemstra
Managing Partner, Director of Growth & Profit Solutions
Matthew utilizes his real-world experience as a CPA, auditor, and consultant to help organizations implement meaningful change. Matt is a recognized leader in change management and has authored a book, The Change Advantage. His dynamic leadership style has helped organizations and their teams evolve and develop through accountability, focus, and a proven management process.
Shane Jager
Partner, Facilitating Connections
Shane has deep experience in understanding the complexities of day-to-day operations through his leadership of Cain Ellsworth’s bank and tax team. His primary focus is partnering with organizations to provide the tools and information they need to make informed decisions and drive operations. Shane’s guidance and expertise help clients maximize their potential for success.
Julie Noble
Human Resources, Organizational Solutions
Julie has a passion for people and talent development. She works with teams to help enhance and maximize each person’s unique gifts and strengths. Julie understands how important each team member is to an organization and strives to help each person reach his or her fullest potential.
A Midwest Advantage
The Academy for Excellence in Leadership is a program developed by Cain Ellsworth & Company, LLP in 2020 after recognizing that many Midwestern community banks were struggling to replace valuable managers, presidents, and CEOs upon retirement. As a solution, Cain Ellsworth designed a leadership program to help give promising employees the skills, confidence, and vision to step into important leadership roles. While the program was originally created to support community banks, its leadership principles and development approach now benefit organizations across a variety of industries. AEL offices are located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Sheldon, Iowa.
