His speech today was spot-on for building a winning culture, but what made the difference was his warmth and personal presence that exuded with each and every person he met. Ben took his time to answer questions from the audience and made sure everyone got an autograph and photo. He was incredibly humble and made sure our guests were well entertained and got what they needed from him before leaving. We are so grateful and proud of Ben's efforts today
Ben Utecht
World-Class Organizational Culture Expert, Global Keynote Speaker, Chief Culture Officer, Author, Super Bowl Champion Tight End, and Tony Dungy Uncommon Award winner.
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Ben Utecht
Biography
If You Want A Commanding Corporate Presence To Inspire, Teach, And Coach How To Build World Championship Organizational Culture Look No Further Than 6 Foot 7 Inch, 260 Pound NFL Super Bowl Champion Tight End And Chief Culture Officer Ben Utecht.
Ben is the recipient of the prestigious NFL Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy’s “Uncommon Leader Award“ for his leadership performance both on and off the NFL football field. After retiring, Utecht began building a significant career across multiple talents. His speaking career launched him into the Fortune 500 community as a subject matter expert, focusing on the strategy for building high-performing culture. Utecht’s passion for people and culture then entered into a corporate leadership position as the Chief Culture Officer for True North Private Equity, a family of companies whose portfolio currently includes 28 companies across 5 industries. He is a franchisor in the top US Ninja Fitness/Entertainment Franchise, Conquer Ninja Gyms, where he oversees all culture systems that impact every location. Also, he is the culture and brand ambassador for Realty Group. To complete his pursuit of practicing a winning culture, Utecht became a partner in Behavioral Essentials, a technology company paving the way for talent acquisition and leadership development through customized behavioral assessment results and benchmarking.
Utecht believes that “you will always have a culture by design or default, so why not design it?” and that’s what he does.
Ben has become a leader in empowering companies to decide, design, deploy, and direct culture strategies that will improve the bottom line, but more importantly, inspire and develop the human condition at work and in life.
His philanthropic interests focus on concussions, which ended his NFL career. Utecht wrote his first book Counting The Days While My Mind Slips Away with Simon and Schuster and Howard Books detailing his brain injury story and the radical connection between memory and relevance. Utecht became the spokesperson on concussion for the American Academy of Neurology and was awarded their Public Leadership In Neurology Award, which has been given to some of the most influential celebrities and leaders in the world.
Lastly, Utecht’s hidden talent is an award nominated singer. He has produced 6 albums, sung for two presidents, performed with nationally renowned maestros and symphonies, and even serenaded Muhammad Ali on his birthday. His song “You Will Always Be My Girls” went viral on YouTube as it details his concussion story and love for his family. Utecht truly is a modern day renaissance man.
Finally, and most importantly, Utecht loves sharing his life with his wife and four daughters.
Achievements
• 2025 The Champion’s Creed Book launch – Wiley Publishing
• 2019 Tony Dungy “Uncommon Leader” Award Winner
• 2014 Public Leadership in Neurology Award (American Academy of Neurology)
• 2013 Minnesota Brain Injury Alliance Ambassador Award
• 2012 Dove Award Nominee
• 2007 Super Bowl XLI Champion – Indianapolis Colts
• 2003 First Team All Big Ten Tight End
• 2003 Team Captain – University of Minnesota
Ben Utecht
Featured Keynote Program
The Champions Creed – The gameplan for building and practicing winning Culture!
Do You Believe Culture Can Transform Your Organization?
Ben Utecht will walk your audience through inspirational, transformational, and operational principles that are foundational in both life and business during the Champion’s Creed keynote program.
“I believe, as a speaker, that vulnerability equals connectivity. This is why I approach my keynote presentations with a mission of bringing you on an emotional journey through my life, into a hall-of-fame huddle, and onto a field of high-impact lessons. All our lives tell a story, and this is how I tell mine!”
Ben Utecht
Super Bowl XLI Champion, Chief Culture Officer,
Tony Dungy Uncommon Award Recipient
Program Highlights
Culture Is The Leader’s Choice, So Chose To Lead With Culture!
• Hear Ben’s miraculous journey from debilitating injury to NFL glory and how his life was transformed by Tony Dungy’s chosen culture
• Ben Utecht brings you inside the NFL Huddle to discover the steps to practicing championship listening.
• Gain understanding of the learning system of a Super Bowl contender and discover the keys of practicing championship learning.
• Experience the most intricate offense and audible system in NFL history to discover the facets of practicing championship communication.
• Join the team and discover how practicing a championship culture of purpose, value, and respect can propel you to new heights of success.
• Learn insights and wisdom from how a Chief Culture Officer and Superbowl Champion designs and practices a culture system from the locker room to the board room.
“On February 7, 2007, I stepped onto the Super Bowl field and into a Hall of Fame huddle with my teammates, including Peyton Manning and our head coach Tony Dungy. We became a world-class offense by creating a culture of champion leadership and dynamic communication. This culture was fueled by four foundational principles that together allowed each player to reach his greatest potential for the benefit of the team in a highly stressful and competitive environment.
After football, I began to realize these elite principles were foundational in both life and business. The culture produced out of practicing our belief system earned us the greatest reward, a Super Bowl championship. It’s time for your organization to win.
Believe in culture!”
Ben Utecht
Super Bowl XLI Champion, Chief Culture Officer,
Tony Dungy Uncommon Award Recipient
Ben Utecht
Featured Book
The Champion's Creed: Transform Your Culture Through the Power of Belief
by Ben Utecht
Visionary strategies from former NFL star to infuse your company's Culture with purpose and direction
In The Champion's Creed, NFL star and Chief Culture Officer Ben Utecht unveils the blueprint for forging unbeatable teams in any arena. Central to Utecht's methodology is the creation of a “Culture Creed”―a dynamic manifesto that transcends typical mission statements. This powerful tool becomes the compass guiding every decision, action, and interaction within an organization. Readers will learn how to craft and implement their own Culture Creed, infusing their company's Culture with purpose and direction. Drawing from his unique journey from Super Bowl victor to leading corporate strategist, Utecht melds gridiron wisdom with executive acumen, presenting a transformative approach to culture, leadership, and team building that promises to show readers how to:
- Synchronize fundamental beliefs with business objectives
- Nurture an atmosphere that naturally boosts productivity
- Master the “Four L's” of exemplary guidance: Listening, Learning, Language, and Love
- Develop a potent “Ethos Declaration” to steer every facet of operations
Whether you're helming a startup or steering a Fortune 500 behemoth, The Champion's Creed not only provides an essential resource for visionaries aiming to leave an indelible mark on their industry but also gives us the secrets to building a legacy of success, inspiring peak performance, and creating an organizational culture that stands the test of time.
Ben Utecht
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