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UNCOMN CHAMPIONS AMBASSADORS

Ben Utecht

Ben Utecht is a Minnesota native and former NFL player who earned a Super Bowl ring with the Indianapolis Colts. Utecht has since established himself as an elite Fortune 500 speaker. His speaking program, Believe in Culture™, stems from lessons he learned in the locker room with Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy and in the huddle with future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning.

Marcus Sherels

Marcus Sherels is a Minnesota native, former Gopher, and free agent who played in the NFL for the Vikings, Saints, and Dolphins. He is currently a co-owner of The Bin Cleaners, a contract sanitation service in Rochester, Minnesota, and ETS Performance, a sports performance facility in Rochester.

BEN UTECHT

Minnesota's own Golden Gopher and Super Bowl Champion, Ben Utecht, was the 2019 recipient of Hall of Fame Coach Tony Dungy's Uncommon Leader Award. Utecht is passionate about bringing this concept to Saint Paul and building a team of UNCOMN Champions who are committed to advocating for those in our community who are under-resourced.

Tony Dungy Ben Utecht

Pictured: Tony Dungy and Ben Utecht

BEN UTECHT

Minnesota's own Golden Gopher and Super Bowl Champion, Ben Utecht, was the 2019 recipient of Hall of Fame Coach Tony Dungy's Uncommon Leader Award. Utecht is passionate about bringing this concept to Saint Paul and building a team of UNCOMN Champions who are committed to advocating for those in our community who are under-resourced.

Tony Dungy Ben Utecht

Pictured: Tony Dungy and Ben Utecht

BRINGING IT HOME TO SAINT PAUL

BRINGING IT HOME TO SAINT PAUL

FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS TO SUPER BOWL XLI

Ben Utecht’s football career started just south of Saint Paul, in Hastings, Minnesota. The young Utecht spent hours tossing the ball with his father in the backyard of the congregation where the senior Utecht was a pastor. He went on to play for the Hastings Raiders, became a star captain for the Minnesota Gophers, and eventually earned the title of Super Bowl Champion with the Indianapolis Colts.

Now a highly sought-after leadership and culture expert, Utecht speaks regularly to national audiences, applying lessons learned in Hall of Famer Tony Dungy’s locker room and on-field huddles with Peyton Manning. “It changed me and the way I look at leadership. It went beyond being just a game, but a way to improve the human condition,” explains Utecht.

With the Indianapolis Colts, under Dungy’s leadership, the focus was on building better men, who in turn became better football players. Utecht adds, “For me, this philosophy has permeated into all aspects of my work. Every person I come into contact with is a human being. And each person has a profound, intrinsic value that cannot, and should not, be overlooked.”

“When we start to look at people’s lives through that lens, it changes how we treat each other. It changes how we lead. It promotes a leadership platform of love over fear. It fosters creativity over negativity and promotes trust, loyalty, high performance, and sustainability.”

FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS TO SUPER BOWL XLI

Ben Utecht’s football career started just south of Saint Paul, in Hastings, Minnesota. The young Utecht spent hours tossing the ball with his father in the backyard of the congregation where the senior Utecht was a pastor. He went on to play for the Hastings Raiders, became a star captain for the Minnesota Gophers, and eventually earned the title of Super Bowl Champion with the Indianapolis Colts.

Now a highly sought-after leadership and culture expert, Utecht speaks regularly to national audiences, applying lessons learned in Hall of Famer Tony Dungy’s locker room and on-field huddles with Peyton Manning. “It changed me and the way I look at leadership. It went beyond being just a game, but a way to improve the human condition,” explains Utecht.

With the Indianapolis Colts, under Dungy’s leadership, the focus was on building better men, who in turn became better football players. Utecht adds, “For me, this philosophy has permeated into all aspects of my work. Every person I come into contact with is a human being. And each person has a profound, intrinsic value that cannot, and should not, be overlooked.”

“When we start to look at people’s lives through that lens, it changes how we treat each other. It changes how we lead. It promotes a leadership platform of love over fear. It fosters creativity over negativity and promotes trust, loyalty, high performance, and sustainability.”