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Reflections on My Time as Wendt’s Leader
As I look back on my years at Wendt, twenty-two of them as CEO, I’m filled with a mix of gratitude, pride, and awe at the
May 6, 2026
To raise awareness of impaired driving and motivate change within the Blackfeet community, we worked with tribal leaders and MDT’s Safe on All Roads program to create a moving video titled “Impaired Driving: A Blackfeet Crisis.” By weaving together poignant personal stories and highlighting tribal pride, we told a story that both informed and empowered the community to take a stand against impaired driving. After careful outreach and recruiting, we spoke with several individuals who shared their personal stories. From a young man whose bright future was derailed by paralysis after he chose to drink and drive, to a widow who lost her husband due to an impaired driver, to a grandmother whose daughter’s death left her responsible for caring for her grandchildren, each person offered a candid description of the devastating effects of driving under the influence. The closely knit nature of the Blackfeet Tribe made it plain to see that these deaths do not just hurt individual families, but the overall community. We accentuated Blackfeet traditions to demonstrate the strength of the tribe and build a message of hope.
To ensure that our message was accurate, we needed feedback from the Blackfeet community. Using focus groups, we garnered reassurance that the video told a truthful, painful, important story, and appropriately addressed the tribe’s cultural heritage.
This touching campaign offered an intimate look at the wide-reaching effects of impaired driving. After careful outreach and recruiting, we spoke with several individuals who shared their stories sincerely and openly. From a young man whose bright future was derailed by paralysis after he chose to drink and drive, to a widow who lost her husband because of an impaired driver, to a grandmother whose daughter’s death left her responsible for caring for her grandchildren, each person offered a candid description of the devastating effects of driving under the influence. The closely knit nature of the Blackfeet Tribe, emphasized in the video, made it plain that these deaths do not just hurt individual families, but the overall community. We accentuated Blackfeet traditions to demonstrate the strength of the tribe and build a message of hope.
To ensure that our message was accurate, we needed feedback from the Blackfeet community. Using focus groups and benefit testing, we garnered reassurance that the video told a truthful, painful, important story, and appropriately addressed the tribe’s cultural heritage.
The video aired at program length on two Great Falls broadcast affiliates – ABC and CBS.
The Blackfeet video was included in an MDT newsletter distribution, garnering national attention.
The video was edited to several lengths from 90 seconds to 30 minutes to assist with outreach.
Marketing motivation and Wendt shenanigans worthy of a subscription.
As I look back on my years at Wendt, twenty-two of them as CEO, I’m filled with a mix of gratitude, pride, and awe at the
There are a lot of conversations right now about AI in marketing. Some people are cautiously experimenting, and some have dived all the way in, proudly handing over the keys. So, in the spirit of curiosity, we decided to try something: We tasked AI with creating our marketing strategy for one week. No guardrails. No edits. Just prompts in, outputs out. Here’s what happened and what it taught us.
A strong brand is more than design elements or a clever tagline—it’s the story you tell and the connection you build. Every interaction shapes how your audience sees you, which is why consistency matters…
At Wendt, our team knows that the best recipe for success comes from mixing a little bit of everyone’s unique “flavor” into the work we do.
Marketing motivation and Wendt shenanigans worthy of a subscription.
As I look back on my years at Wendt, twenty-two of them as CEO, I’m filled with a mix of gratitude, pride, and awe at the
There are a lot of conversations right now about AI in marketing. Some people are cautiously experimenting, and some have dived all the way in, proudly handing over the keys. So, in the spirit of curiosity, we decided to try something: We tasked AI with creating our marketing strategy for one week. No guardrails. No edits. Just prompts in, outputs out. Here’s what happened and what it taught us.
A strong brand is more than design elements or a clever tagline—it’s the story you tell and the connection you build. Every interaction shapes how your audience sees you, which is why consistency matters…
At Wendt, our team knows that the best recipe for success comes from mixing a little bit of everyone’s unique “flavor” into the work we do.