Pawlek keeps that positive outlook through all aspects of managing the 800-employee operation. One secret to keeping a positive morale: lots of dad jokes.

He’s sometimes crunching numbers in Excel, sometimes lugging sacks of potatoes and sometimes feeding hay to his cows. These are all wildly different tasks, but they’re all united by the same principle — giving.

His trick for handling this responsibility? It starts with a coop full of chickens.

Despite turning 78 this year, Pleau still heads to the office every day to rally the troops, monitor customer satisfaction, and follow his North Star: “My real focus is on expansion,” says Pleau. “I’m not done.”

The drivers of divisiveness were decades in the making. From the 1950s to 1980s, the “Big Three” networks of ABC, NBC and CBS created a sort of monoculture — a shared set of TV shows, water cooler talk and facts that society could agree on. Today, the news media is fractured, and we can’t even agree on the facts.

Under Director Harjinder K. Shergill-Chima’s watch, the lottery (which is self-funded) has an “unheard of” administrative budget that’s just 4 percent of revenue.

Michael J. Facenda oversees 1,600 employees, 14 food outlets, 82 table games and 2,100 slot machines — and don’t forget the pastry shop. 

On paper it’s a dream job of nonstop travel, but the reality is that most days she’s stuck in her office until 7 p.m. Thankfully she has a secret weapon: white space.

Thien Ho oversees 180 attorneys and a budget of $129 million with a purview of prosecuting all misdemeanors and felonies in the county. He starts his day with lots of water. 

His days are wildly different, depending on the sport and the season. So we’ll unpack his favorite and his busiest: Fridays covering high school football. 

His trick for listening to all those voices? He starts every day in the middle of the night.

Pacini-Hauch’s secret? “I answer the phone,” she says, adding that clients are routinely surprised that she always picks up or calls them back immediately, no matter when.

The roughly 900-employee, 106-bed hospital has gotten really good thanks in large part to Hausmann’s tireless work ethic, something she calls the “protected hour,” and a box of cookies.

Being the CEO of UC Davis Health isn’t easy. But that’s only half of Dr. David Lubarsky’s job as he is also the school’s vice chancellor of human health sciences. Here’s how he makes it all work. 

Will it rain this weekend? For over 30 years, the man Sacramento trusts for that answer is Mark Finan, chief meteorologist at KCRA. 

Dr. John Jackson grew up as a pastor’s kid, but he didn’t see that as his calling. “I told God in my own way, ‘I’ll do anything you want, except I’ll never be a missionary, and I’ll never be a pastor,’” says Jackson. So of course he became a pastor.

It’s a job just like any other job, except with responsibility for the safety of an entire city. No pressure. When Kathy Lester was sworn in as chief of the Sacramento Police Department in December 2021, she joined a new executive team with fresh eyes, and they surveyed the many challenges.

The pandemic, the rise of Gen Z and new cultural norms have all contributed to a shift in the values we expect from modern leaders. Understanding these trends — and the strategies required to keep up — is crucial for any leader who wants to retain employees, inspire their best work and even continue their own career.

When you’re the managing partner of a blue chip law firm it’s kind of like being a CEO, but in some ways it’s far more complex. Just ask Melissa Jones, managing partner at Stoel Rives, a firm known for its expertise in renewable energy and natural resources. 

Michael Hargis has always been entrepreneurial; as a fifth-grader he sold condoms to the upperclassmen. He would later produce parties, raves and music events like Sacramento’s 2012 Electronic Dance Festival. Then came food. 

Think CEOs have crazy schedules? Try being a member of Congress. The most carefully planned itinerary can be scrambled — or even scuttled — thanks to a call from the White House, an emergency vote, or urgent negotiations across the aisle. “We have to be flexible, and everyone else has to be flexible. That’s what’s different from being a CEO and running a company,” says Congresswoman Doris Matsui.

Eric Lam didn’t care for college. In 2018, as a freshman at UC Davis studying managerial economics, he decided to drop out. “I knew I wanted to do something in business, and I knew that I could probably learn that off YouTube,” says Lam. A friend suggested real estate.

For over 15 years, Sacramento has turned to Kelly Brothers for making sense of Wall Street and the economy, where he serves as a frequent contributor to KCRA-TV and News Radio KFBK. But that’s only part of his story.

Fire engines, medical calls, protests, academic policy, a $400 million budget, COVID-19 challenges, donor relations — this is all in a day’s work for the president of a 33,000-student and 2,000-faculty university.

Jeanne Reaves works with CEOs on both personal growth and operational improvements. Her secret for pulling it off? She’s been in their shoes.

Stan Van Vleck is head of the 12,000 acre Van Vleck ranch, a family business that dates back to 1856.

Ken Endelman, who began his career as a furniture designer, never expected to become the CEO of the largest Pilates manufacturer in the world. Here’s how he tackles his day. 

Just in time for New Year’s resolutions, local nutritionists and fitness experts share what they’re seeing as the most popular health trends. Some are legitimate and backed by science, some are silly, some are useful, and all of them are very much in vogue. 

Many business leaders say they’re busy “putting out fires.” For Cindy Nichol this is not a metaphor.

Each issue, we dig into the working habits of a top executive in the Capital Region, providing insight into how they get things done.

Each issue, we dig into the working habits of a top executive in the Capital Region, providing insight into how they get things done.

Across the political spectrum, this is perhaps the only thing that everyone can agree on: The nation lacks inspiring leaders. While leadership appears to be lacking on the national stage, quietly — away from the spotlight — local leaders can inspire. 

Each issue, we dig into the working habits of a top executive in the Capital Region, providing insight into how they get things done.

Each issue, we dig into the working habits of a top executive in the Capital Region, providing insight into how they get things done.

Each issue, we dig into the working habits of a top executive in the Capital Region, providing insight into how they get things done.

Mentors can help mentees look for a job, strengthen their portfolios, navigate the rocky waters of freelancing and more.

Each issue, we dig into the working habits of a top executive in the Capital Region, providing insight into how they get things done.

Each issue, we dig into the working habits of a top executive in the Capital Region, providing insight into how they get things done.

Each issue, we dig into the working habits of a top executive in the Capital Region, providing insight into how they get things done.

Over two years into the pandemic and many are beyond burnt out and in need of support. We examine the ways we’ve suffered and how to mediate the psychological effects of pandemic life.

As an extrovert, Dr. Janine Bera thrives on connection to her team and caring for her patients. Here’s how the chief medical officer of WellSpace Health structures her days. 

From deep analysis in the morning to the occasional hike in the evening, here’s how Cassandra Lichnock structures her days as CEO of CalSTRS.

PODCAST: After a once-in-a-century pandemic, what happens next? The Capital Region’s economic experts weigh in.

After a once-in-a-century pandemic, what happens next? The Capital Region’s economic experts weigh in.

From posing in hot yoga class to pitching new business, here’s how Barry Broome structures his days as CEO of the Greater Sacramento Economic Council.

In The Way We Work, we track the routines of local executives. Here’s how Kelley Cowan oversees multiple construction projects.

In The Way We Work, we track the routines of local executives. Here’s how UC Davis Chancellor Gary S. May runs a campus of 39,000 students.

Here are 10 strategies for protecting the mental health of members of your family business.

PODCAST: Social media can grow a business’s audience — but only if it’s done right.

Social media can grow a business’s audience — but only if it’s done right.