Inside: - UW-Milwaukee

Great Journeys: An Inspirational Series
Dennis Kuester Tells Students:
“The Golden Rule is the Gold Standard”
Dennis J. Kuester (’66), Chairman
of Marshall & Ilsley Corporation, addressed
Lubar business students last fall in Great
Journeys: An Inspirational Series about a
topic that he described as “critical to our
company and to me personally” —
business ethics.
Marshall & Ilsley Corporation is a
diversifi ed fi nancial services company
headquartered in Milwaukee with $56.2
billion in assets. Founded in 1847, M&I
Marshall & Ilsley Bank is the largest
Wisconsin-based bank. It also owns
Metavante Corporation, which provides
a full array of technology projects and
services for the fi nancial services industry.
Kuester was proud to note that Marshall
& Ilsley won the Better Business Bureau’s
2006 Torch Award, which recognizes
business that demonstrate ethical business
practices and help foster ethics within
their industry and community.
“Over the company’s 160 year history, we
have remained consistent with some very
basic principles regarding customers,
employees, shareholders, and the
community,” Kuester told students.
“Most importantly, each decision that we
make is guided by The Golden Rule.”
Indeed, the company asserts that clearly
in its mission statement.
The Golden Rule — “do unto others as
you would have them do unto you” — is
not religion-specifi c, he noted. In fact,
the concept manifests itself in all major
religions of the world. “It is a universal
idea. It transcends laws.”
Put into practice, following The Golden
Rule means doing the “right thing,”
10 OUTLOOK
Dennis J. Kuester
possessing an “others fi rst” mindset,
making character decisions, sacrifi cing
fi nances for family, and basing your worth
on your values.
Looked at another way, he said, “it means
developing a relationship with your
activities — not a rationale for them.”
Kuester also advised students not to confuse
high moral standards with weakness.
“99.9% of the companies we deal with insist
on high ethical standards,” he stated. “The
Enrons of the world are the exception.”
And when facing ethical dilemmas, Kuester
reminded students that they have a free
will to pursue their convictions — whether
that be attempting to win others over to
your opinion, stepping away from the
situation, or contacting authorities, if the
situation warrants.
A Milwaukee native who came from a
modest background, Dennis Kuester
graduated from the School of Business in
1966. After ten years with IBM, he joined
Marshall & Ilsley as Vice President of M&I
Data Services — now known as Metavante
Corporation. He rose through the
corporate ranks to become president of
Marshall & Ilsley Corporation in 1987,
CEO in 2002, and Chairman and CEO in
2005. He stepped down as CEO of the
company this April, but continues in his
role as Chairman of both Marshall & Ilsley
and Metavante.
Great Journeys: An Inspirational Series
helps shape students’ understanding of
ethics, integrity, and leadership. It
features exceptional “role model” business
leaders who share the guiding values,
transforming infl uences, successes, and
challenges in their lives, and inspire the
next generation to embark on their own
“great journeys.” The Series is sponsored
by the School’s M&I Marshall & Ilsley
Center for Business Ethics.