Speaker | Author | Consultant | Corporate Culture Transformation Expert | Co-Founder & Managing Director at Excellent Cultures, Inc. | Nearly Half a Century Building the World’s Best Cultures for the World’s Best Companies
With nearly five decades of experience shaping high‑performance leaders, teams, and organizations, Steve Gandara has made a lasting and far‑reaching impact. As Co‑Founder and Managing Director of Excellent Cultures, Inc., he and his team have partnered with global brands—including Toyota, Microsoft, Costco, Caterpillar, and Subway among others—to build leaders and workplace cultures recognized for excellence, unprecedented unity, and industry‑leading performance.
A seasoned leadership coach and veteran U.S. Army Reserve officer, Steve’s structured, data‑driven approach is grounded in both real‑world experience and a strong academic foundation. A BBA from the University of Oklahoma, postgraduate studies in management and leadership at Texas Christian and General Motors Universities, as well as an Honorary Doctorate from Initiators Christian University provide solid foundations for nearly half a century of practical experience. His Proprietary Service‑Over‑Self-Co-Accountability Process has elevated countless leaders and teams to record‑breaking ROI’s and high honors for Best Places to Work, high performance, and organizational excellence.
Beyond the boardroom, his IGNITE YOUNG LEADERS program is inspiring future generations of university students to lead with purpose, values, and lasting impact.
Steve’s legacy includes mentoring youth, championing unity and community service as School Board Member, Licensed Foster Parent, Minority Scholarship Fundraiser, Church Board President, Social Service Charity Board Chair, and College Board of Regents Chair. Additionally, he and his bride of more than five decades, Denise, have co‑raised eleven children—two biological and nine adopted—reflecting a lifelong commitment to faith, family, and service.
Whether speaking in a boardroom, teaching in a classroom, or mentoring emerging leaders, Steve Gandara remains dedicated to building leaders and cultures that ignite excellence, elevate others, and endure for generations. His life and work reflect a deep devotion to service, leadership, and cultivating environments where people, families, teams, and organizations thrive and excel.
“Principles and practices that change your organization for the better. They are truly timeless as I’ve seen them work for over 25 years now.”
David Jaworski, Principal Program Manager, Microsoft Teams, former President of Microsoft University
“Our high 95 percent engagement scores on the Toyota Survey (including hourly workers) are a result of the hard work of our team along with great programs like Excellent Cultures.”
George Christoff, President, Toyota de Puerto Rico
