Damon Quandt Shares Leadership Insights with Waldorf University Students

Damon Quandt, Vice President and Branch Manager of Reliance State Bank’s Garner office, recently connected with students at Waldorf University through its Pillars group. During his visit, he shared valuable insights on leadership, building meaningful relationships, and professional development.

Quandt co-led the session alongside Dan Schuknecht of Iceberg Coaching, who works with leaders, business owners and professionals through leadership coaching, peer groups and speaking engagements.

The session focused on helping students strengthen their connections with one another, build confidence in developing meaningful relationships and recognize opportunities to lead, even before holding a formal leadership title. Students were also encouraged to look toward their futures with confidence and identify one practical step they could take toward their personal or professional goals.

As a Garner native since the age of nine, Quandt shared his personal and professional journey, from graduating from Garner-Hayfield-Ventura High School to attending the University of Northern Iowa for two years before completing two years at Waldorf University. Today, in addition to his leadership role at Reliance State Bank, Quandt serves on the Garner City Council, providing another opportunity to make a positive impact in his community.

Reflecting on his career and the lessons he has learned along the way, Quandt encouraged students to remain open to new experiences and opportunities. "Be willing, say yes, and never stop learning," Quandt shared.

Another key discussion centered on the importance of building relationships and establishing a positive reputation before entering the workforce.

"People hire people, not resumes," Quandt explained. "I have hired many people with impressive resumes, but the ones who have worked out the best are the ones that I knew prior to that job opening, had good interactions with and knew they were good people."

Quandt also emphasized that a strong reputation is built through everyday actions, including reliability, follow-through, attitude and communication. These qualities, he explained, can create lasting impressions and open doors to future opportunities.

Through conversations like these, students gain valuable perspectives from local professionals who understand the importance of leadership, community involvement and meaningful connections. Quandt's participation reflects a commitment to supporting the next generation of leaders and investing in the communities we serve.