Patric Greer, CFO of Edkey, Top 10 Admired Leaders of 2022

Gene Saunders
Founder & CEO
Project Lifesaver


Patric Greer, CFO of Edkey

Think swiftly, analyze, and act promptly

Project Lifesaver International is the world's leading search-and-rescue initiative for "at-risk" wanderers. Contributing his role as founder and CEO, Gene Saunders expresses that the organization's main goal is to provide quick assistance to save lives and limit damage for wandering adults and children. He said Project Lifesaver's initiative gives tens of thousands of families’ piece of mind by ensuring their missing loved one's safety. The commencement of Project Lifesaver Gene was successful in convincing people of its relevance, especially in terms of its potential to save lives and their sense of fulfillment from participating.

Gene has served his country honorably in multiple armed forces, including the Army National Guard, the Virginia State Guard, and the Civil Air Patrol. In each of these groups, as well as when he worked for the Chesapeake Police and Sheriff's Office, he was in charge of teaching leadership and leading different units. He had a deep admiration for those who were experts in their industries and made it a point to model his own behavior after them. According to him, they exuded an air of self-assurance and confidence at all times.

They maintained their composure in the face of the crisis and did not hesitate to take control when it was required. Some of the military commanders, such as General Patton and General Hal Moore, as well as others that he has met throughout the course of his career, appeared to be a good fit for this image.

Gene takes great pleasure in learning as much as is humanly possible. He implies that we should carry out some research on other people who may have gone before us. It can be as simple as having a conversation about it with knowledgeable members of the team to get their insight and opinions. In situations involving search and rescue as well as law enforcement, making choices quickly is the norm. Therefore, you need to train yourself to think swiftly, analyze your options, and act promptly.

Gene loathed being forced to deal with anything pertaining to employees the most. There is a widespread misunderstanding that the work is glamorous, despite the fact that it is demanding, time-consuming, and carries a significant amount of responsibility. Gene finds many things challenging as a founder and CEO. When it comes to taking care of employees, direct interaction is the most productive method, leaving room for both questions and opinions to be asked. On the other hand, this is not always feasible. He believes in face-to-face interaction, and to makes sure that his workforce is aware of the mission and expectations. He suggests communicating with them via email, newsletters, Zoom calls, clear conversations, and meetings. He anticipates that they will engage in activities such as ideation, questioning, and the accomplishment of organization-wide goals and aims.

During their time in command of the search and rescue team of the Chesapeake, Virginia, Sheriff's Office, they came across a large number of Alzheimer's patients who were wandering aimlessly and getting themselves lost. Gene sought a method to quickly discover them with fewer resources and fewer people. Gene describes the process by which public safety groups are trained to identify missing noncognitive people using radio tracking equipment as part of Project Lifesaver. Many people believed he was insane, and they were skeptical that the program would be successful. In later years, for-profit businesses attempted to seize control of the program via a variety of different tactics.

Centered on this, Gene wants to share few of his suggestions to people who are new to business. In his view, they should learn from the experiences of great leaders and how they got where they wanted to go. He recommends taking leadership programs or classes that put them in a leadership position. Expertise in their field is crucial. In addition, they can probe into people's daily lives and their reasons for doing things.

In recent times, the only piece of software that they make use of is a portal that all of the members can log into with a password in order to access the information and statistics that pertain to them. They are looking into the possibility of using newer technology to improve what they already have.

The organization's greatest strength is its capacity to collaborate with its members to find solutions to any challenges that may be encountered. As things stand, Gene has no plans to make any changes, but he will keep working toward making improvements. Gene is hopeful that their company will keep growing because they are investing in new technology and training methods. IE


Company

Project Lifesaver

Management

Gene Saunders
Founder & CEO
Project Lifesaver

Description

Project Lifesaver is a 501 (C)(3) community based, public safety, non-profit organization that provides law enforcement, fire/rescue, and caregivers with a program designed to protect, and when necessary, quickly locate individuals with cognitive disorders who are prone to the life threatening behavior of wandering. The organization was founded in 1999 in Chesapeake, Virginia. The necessity of this program was determined through the correlation between cognitive conditions and the act of wandering. With the dramatic increase of cognitive conditions since the inception of the organization, the program has grown from a localized program to a program recognized internationally as a proven and effective method of “bringing loved ones home.”


Admired Leaders Magazine