Scott Cooper
“SWA makes the world a better place, both in terms of what we do and also in terms of how the business is structured. With its commitment to employee ownership and its participatory, people-oriented approach, it’s a humanistic organization.”
Scott is Chair of the Board of Directors of SWA. For over two decades, he was COO and CFO of SWA and was involved in everything from business planning, financial management, and project and risk management to marketing, human resources, and retirement plans. Many years ago he transitioned from a career in institutional finance to EMIC, a consultant to SWA. Ultimately he joined SWA in-house where his interests expanded from financial and risk management to strategic business and marketing issues.
Though the traditional purpose of business is to achieve optimal stock value for shareholders, Scott subscribes to an even more fundamental purpose: “To provide a great place for talented people to excel professionally, to benefit our clients and the world, and to see our people make a decent living. Our primary focus is on our craft and our clients. In the end, this kind of professionally focused organization will also be successful financially.”
INSPIRED BY
Peter Drucker, who maintained that the two necessary elements of successful companies are innovation and marketing; Frederick Herzberg, who maintained that “knowledge workers” are highly motivated by the work they do; Douglas McGregor, whose “Theory Y” maintains that professionals want to be treated as responsible adults; William James, who insisted on an open-minded approach to intellectual life, with an eye to determining the pragmatic “cash value” of every idea and issue.
EDUCATION
Master of Business Administration, Finance, San Francisco State University
AFFILIATIONS & REGISTRATIONS
Member, National Center for Employee Ownership
Member, National Audubon Society
Member, Pt. Reyes Seashore Association