There are many memorable milestones that happen along the journey of an organization. Each milestone leaving its mark and casting new ripples that expand outward, not only influencing the organization's people but the industry that it serves as a whole.
Chris has been an invaluable member of our organization for over 18 years. During his time here he has not only had a major hand in the intentional molding of how our company operates, but he has been one of the main facilitators of change when it comes to how we take care of our people and our clients.
Fulfilling the role of CEO is no simple or easy task, but we couldn't think of anyone better suited to lead this organization and this industry through this next decade and all the decades to come.
"My first position was Junior Pension Administrator and I started during my last semester of college. My first interview was with Larry (President of ABG Consultants), he interviewed me on the campus of BYU. When we were about halfway through the interview the fire alarm went off in the student commons building, so he and I just looked at each other and followed everyone out of the building and found a bench outside. We finished the interview out in the open air with hundreds of students around us due to the fire alarm. To this day, I think it’s one of the things that set me apart from the other candidates - I was the fire alarm guy."
"It was always a goal of mine to get an MBA. ABG was really flexible with me while I went back to school. They let me change my work schedule so I could go to school and work and still be able to see my family. This was a huge deal. My oldest was in preschool, so being off on Mondays I got to see him and spend time with him. Our middle child was born just as that program was starting. It was a huge deal for me to have the company support me at that time."
"The amount of support and humility that ABG has held throughout its 40 years is something that I am proud to be a part of. To be able to support the goals of my employees and make positive impacts in their lives is a big part of what gets me out of bed in the morning."
"So, I’ve been here for 18 years and the thing I admire most about the company is the family atmosphere and how all the employees are treated like family. Dennis (the founder of ABGRM) really treated me like family and even though he had a lot of children that worked here, he still went out of his way to make sure that I could balance my life and give me opportunities to learn and grow. If I was willing to take on more responsibility, I was always allowed that. ABG became a place where I could determine my goals and set my own trajectory and the company was going to work with me and support me in going as far as I wanted to go."
"This is a big deal for me and I am so excited to take this role on. What I am most excited about and feel that I have the most responsibility in, is making sure that all of our employees have the same opportunities and experience as I did. I want everyone there, outside my office, outside my state, that's on payroll to be able to say "this is what I work for, this is what I want, I can do it, and I know my company will support me." "
"This is something I hope to tell my grandkids about. "Hey! There are still companies out there where if you work hard, stick to it, and get things done, that they will give you those opportunities." "
"The organization itself is going through its best period in the last 3 or 4 years as far as the business metrics go; we’ve got more clients, more revenue, and all of the metrics are all in the right direction. It’s my challenge now to keep moving those forward and increase the curve from a business perspective. This is going to require us to execute in a few areas and for me, my biggest thing is to make sure we are all pointed in the same direction. Making sure we share a common vision, the company’s core values, and having the same targets that we’re shooting for. That our teams are collaborating to have better results for our clients."
"I would say first and foremost; people are always first. We get nowhere in this business without a good team around us. Previously, I’ve been a numbers guy, but I’ve also been the head of HR so I know every single employee. I know their name, how long they’ve been here, the positions they’ve been in and their concerns with their job and those sorts of things. I don’t want to lose that. I think it’s important that we have a connection with our team so my door is always open for people to come in and talk to me, give me a buzz I am always going to be available for all of that."
"Second, I’m not going to shy away from telling people what they need to hear. Especially if it’s the only way they are going to grow. I care enough about them to just tell them, look you’re not picking up the phone enough, I need you to pick up the phone more or your writing isn’t good. If people don’t hear those things, then they are not going to change and grow."
"And third, I want them all to be challenged. Having managers delegating projects and giving people opportunities to bite off something new and chew on it and work on it and get mentorship and prove themselves. Because nothing gives you an opportunity to prove yourself like a bear of a project (backed by support)."
"I’m definitely passionate about my family. Every free minute that I get, I’m trying to just be with them. The reason I work is to provide for them, all of it is for them. I’ve got three boys: 17, 14 and 10 being a Dad is my jam. I’m super involved at church and that gives me a grounding, and set’s my compass for interacting with problems that arise."
"My uncle had polio as a young boy and my grandfather built a lake house so that he could be in the water, and that lake house is still in the family. We go every summer for 2 weeks and it’s the thing I look forward to the most for the other 52 weeks of the year that I’m not there."
"It is my happy place, being on the water. I’m a fish, I love to swim, I could swim for hours. I love everything about the water. There’s nothing like the sounds of the wind in the sails on the sailboat and the serenity of being the only kayak out on the lake. I love teaching my children how to waterski and kneeboard. You get these three generations of Mautz men, my dad driving the boat, I’m holding the ski tips for my youngest son as he’s learning how to water ski. The feel of calm water under a ski, it’s awesome and it’s singular in its feeling. As soon as I leave, I look forward to it again."
