Todd Bankofier is the newly minted CEO and executive director of Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West. Recently, the museum received the prestigious honor of being named the “No. 1 Western Museum” by True West magazine. Learn about Todd Bankofier…
Hometown: Reno, NV
First job: Working on our family ranch in Nevada as a youth. It definitely shaped a significant part of who I am.
Favorite ways to spend your free time in AZ: Hiking the beautiful mountains of Arizona, enjoying the many different landscapes and topographies we are blessed with here in Arizona and, of course golf, tennis and pickleball.
Your biggest accomplishment and why: My family. My wife, Kimberley, and our three amazing children, Kylee, Scooter and Bailey, who are grown up and inspiring us every day.
The biggest obstacle you overcame: Losing my two grandfathers, my father and my brother between the ages of 11 and 18. It has shaped my life in many meaningful and productive ways.
Someone who inspires you and why: Barbara Barrett is a big inspiration to me. She is a former U.S. Ambassador and U.S. Secretary along with being a CEO businesswoman of numerous organizations both private and public. She is the president of Thunderbird School of Global Management, an attorney, an instrument-rated pilot, and a cattle and bison rancher. Most importantly, she’s humble and kind and loves Arizona.
Advice to someone pursuing a career path in what you do: Being a servant leader is about prioritizing the thoughts and well-being of the people you lead, and actively seeking ways to make them successful rather than focusing on yourself and how circumstances impact you.
Favorite quote: “Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.” –John Wooden
Something someone would be surprised to learn about you: I was a competitive ski jumper and cross-country skier in my youth.
What makes someone fabulous: A person who makes it a commitment to love thy neighbor and carries through on it.