The Stalwart Way
Exuding An Ownership Mentality
Organizations, like people, are constantly in a state of becoming. Recognizing that we occasionally fall short of
the ideals articulated herein, we are nevertheless undaunted in our striving to embody the Stalwart Way.
Who We Are
We Are Stalwart
We measure up to our great name. ‘Stalwart’ (pronounced ‘stôlwərt’) means “sturdy, robust, steadfast, loyal,
reliable, and hardworking.” It conveys strength of character and carries with it synonyms like resolute, valiant
and heroic. We are stalwart.
We Are Resolute
We self-motivate to be and do more. We adapt, improvise and overcome until and unless Providence stops us.
We never quit because can’t never could. We target perfection, for in the pursuit of it we achieve excellence.
We learn from the past, but are always moving forward. We are resolute.
We Are Valiant
We prize honor and prudence. We are a thriving band of gracious, lionhearted men and women who serve our
stakeholders – our clients, our partners, our employees and our shareholders – with excellence and integrity in
all we undertake. We are valiant.
We Are Heroic
We enter the arenas of our work with enthusiasm and devotion, pouring ourselves into the pursuit of high
achievement for our stakeholders. We often triumph, but if we fail, we do so while daring greatly so that our
place shall never be with dispassionate, fearful critics who know neither victory nor defeat. We are heroic.
Why We Exist
To Engineer Quality
We embrace the timeless wisdom given a 16th century cobbler who wondered how to glorify God in his work –
“make a good shoe and sell it for a fair price.” Whatever our individual religious convictions, we affirm the
venerated duty of mankind to work productively. We engineer precision and quality into everything we do.
To Create Value
We invest in our success by maximizing the value we add for all our stakeholders (not just our shareholders).
We provide premium service to our clients and charge fairly for it. We champion our partners with alacrity. We
applaud capitalism and are not ashamed of profit. Where there is no margin, there is no mission.
To Build People
We promote excellence by hiring great people and equipping them to do great things for our clients and
partners. We lead by serving and provide opportunities for meaningful professional and personal growth. We do
not pander to entitlement attitudes because they destroy people and their organizations.
The Stalwart Way
Exuding An Ownership Mentality
How We Work
As Stewards
We crown our stakeholders with our best efforts to manage our time, our gifts and abilities, and the assets
entrusted to us. We take ownership of every opportunity for improvement. We respect our various jurisdictions,
responsibilities and authorities. We inspect what we expect.
As Partners
We value relationships above short-term gain and treat personal commitments as sacred. We understand great
work wins business and great relationships keep it. We never leave our colleagues in a lurch. We speak up when
things go wrong. We build loyalty in the forge of trust.
As Craftsmen
We think and plan. We learn and hone. We show up prepared and focused. We start on time, stick to an agenda
and follow through until completion. We find ways to delight our stakeholders by giving them more than they
asked for. We nail budgets and beat deadlines. We rise to any occasion.
How We Win
We Ride For The Brand
Everybody wins because we “ride for the brand,” an expression from cattle ranching days of old. Our brand
represents pride of ownership, duty and purpose. It inspires loyalty, dedication and camaraderie. We are
concerned for the good of the whole. None of us is better than all of us. We ride for the brand.
Riding For The Brand
By Paul Harwitz The dismounted young cowboy asked the old hand,
"What does it mean when they say 'Ride for the brand'?"
The grizzled old-timer's age seemed to drop years,
And he sat straight up in the saddle as he surveyed the steers.
"It means a lot of different things, son.
It has a lot to do with what's lost and what's won.
I ain't talking about gambling, but earning a living,
Hard work, trust, respect, taking, and giving.
"It means you don't never foul up the land,
And you don't take unfair advantage or rob.
You work hard, even when the work's rough as a cob.
That's part of what it means to ride for the brand.
"It means you help your neighbors and your friends,
And you help even strangers just passing through.
It means you hire on a hungry saddle-tramp
Who needs a place to winter past the cold and damp.
"It means you don't let the poor folks go hungry
Just 'cause they're down and short on grub and luck.
And it means that you don't work just for a buck,
But 'cause you need work like water's needed by a tree.
"It means you can be trusted, and that you trust each pard,
To do the chores that are needed, no matter how hard,
'Cause you're all riding for the same outfit,
And you're all striving together to benefit it.
"It means you keep searching for that one last stray,
Even though it's the end of the day,
Even though you'd rather stop and go to town.
It means you don't lay your responsibility down."
"It means you give an honest day's work for an honest day's wage,
Whether you're in the corral or out riding the range.
Every job's important, and there ain't none that ain't.
It's not the cowboy way to quit though it'd be easier to say 'I cain't.'
"It means you'll not complain when you help dig a well,
Nor even have to be asked to spell a tired cowpoke who's stove-up.
It means you'll work with others as well as you'll work alone,
And that even when you're tired to the bone, you'll cowboy-up.
"That's what it means, that, and a whole lot more.
It means that you've got pride in yourself, your job, and the land.
So saddle-up. Toughen-up. Cowboy-up. Be a man.
Ride for the brand."