Building a City, Building a Legacy

In this special 150th anniversary episode of Womble Perspectives, Vice Chair Ken Van Winkle reflects on his tenure as Chair of Greater Phoenix Leadership and what it means to lead with purpose in a growing community. He shares how trust, consensus-building, and a shared vision can align diverse leaders around complex regional challenges.

Ken also offers practical insights on balancing professional responsibilities with community service, why authenticity—not visibility—should drive involvement, and how civic leadership strengthens both relationships and business development. 

Looking ahead, he discusses Phoenix’s evolution into a vibrant, self-sustaining city and issues a clear call to action: start now, engage where you’re passionate, and help shape the next generation of leaders.

Womble at 150: Legacy Made, Future Focused

Transcript

PODCAST INTRO 

Welcome to Womble Perspectives, where we explore a wide range of topics, from the latest legal updates to industry trends to the business of law. Our team of lawyers, professionals and occasional outside guests will take you through the most pressing issues facing businesses today and provide practical and actionable advice to help you navigate the ever changing legal landscape. With a focus on innovation, collaboration and client service, we are committed to delivering exceptional value to our clients and to the communities we serve. And now our latest episode.

HOST 

Welcome to another episode of Womble Perspectives. This year marks the firm's one hundred fiftieth anniversary, and in commemoration, we're periodically sitting down with some of our attorneys whose impact in law and in their communities helped make Womble what it is today, and who are also helping carry the firm's legacy into the future. 

Today, we’re speaking with Womble Bond Dickinson Vice Chair Ken Van Winkle. Ken, thank you again for your time today. We're delighted to talk with you as you finish your term as chair of Greater Phoenix Leadership and what that experience was like for you, as well as your thoughts on community leadership and community service as a whole. 

So, with that, let's dive right in. As we celebrate Womble's one hundred fifty years, one of the strongest through lines in the firm's history is service and community leadership. And when you reflect on your time as chair of Greater Phoenix Leadership, what has serving in this role meant to you, both professionally and personally?

KEN VAN WINKLE 

So, I think the biggest thing of being asked to take on this role was the recognition by the community of my years of service and my accomplishments in that regard. Being designated as the chair by the CEOs from the largest companies and organizations, probably both in the greater Phoenix area and Arizona, was really meaningful to me. 

I think it also recognized that I'm the type of person that rolls up my sleeves and gets the things done that he says he's going to do and that when I commit to doing something, I show up. And having that recognized by my peers in this community meant a lot to me, both professionally and personally.

HOST 

Greater Phoenix Leadership is known for bringing together leaders across sectors to tackle major regional issues. And during the course of working with them, what did you learn about building alignment and trust in a room where priorities can differ?

KVW 

From the very beginning, Greater Phoenix Leadership was put together to help better our community to make the greater Phoenix area and Arizona a great place for people to live, for businesses to thrive, and everyone to have great opportunities to advance themselves professionally, personally, economically in our community. 

And that's the ultimate goal, which all leaders of organizations, particularly businesses, can buy into. And the way you bring them about and align them is to come up with different paths to achieve that goal. And Greater Phoenix Leadership does that by allowing people to work on areas within our organization that they have passion for, that really are essential elements to a community. 

You need infrastructure upon which to build your businesses and grow your community, so we have task force and standing committees around infrastructure. You need education. Education of a community and educating its people is extremely important. People have passion, drive, and desire in that regard. 

Culture and arts are very important There are people that really believe that having that in place makes for a mature, vibrant community. So, all those areas lead towards the one goal, which is a better place for the people of Arizona, not only for those that live here, but to attract more people here to help grow our place from what I've often said, when I came here, was a town that ultimately became a suburb, and now we're growing it into a city.

And so getting everybody to focus on the ultimate goal, but allowing people to help us achieve that goal in areas that they are passionate about and areas that they would like to work in, is ultimately how you a group that has different perspectives, different ways of going about things together for one common goal.

HOST 

Can you share one moment or initiative specifically that best illustrates the organization's impact in Phoenix during your tenure, maybe something you're particularly proud of?

KVW  

One of the things that we did during my tenure is we stood up an organization known as Rio Reimagined. The Salt River runs across the valley, goes through seven jurisdictions and two different nations. 

Right now, it is a dry riverbed that sits to the south of the city, actually dividing kind of the northern half of the city with the southern of the city, but it runs through Mesa, Tempe, Buckeye Maricopa County, couple of Indian reservations. And the goal is to take that riverbed and turn it into an area for cultural activities, recreational activities, business activities, community activities. But take that 70-plus miles and turn it into a place that people will drive to, people will go to for business, arts and culture, recreation retail, whatever might go along that way. And take what we've previously done just in the city of Tempe back in the day, and to run it the entire stretch. What makes us proud of it is we’re bringing together all these different stakeholders and all these different communities to come together to better the community and grow as a vibrant community going forward.

HOST 

That's exciting and just a great example. When you look back on your tenure as chair and maybe for others serving in similar leadership roles, how did serving as chair shape your view of what influence really is, especially when you're not, quote, "in charge of outcomes," but you are expected to deliver and achieve results?

KVW 

Being the chair of Greater Phoenix Leadership was kind of like being a managing partner of a law firm and now a vice chair of a law firm. You are one among equals, much like being a senator. And your influence comes from your ability to build consensus, to listen, to understand and appreciate people's perspectives, appreciate where they're coming from, understand what's important to them and what's important to others, and creating a solution or creating a path that can bring all that together and move in one direction that everybody can get on board with. 

It's not to say, "we're going to do this," but it's to listen to everybody, get their input, get their thoughts, and devise a path or an objective or an initiative that uses what they all gave you to move the organization forward. 

So, consensus building at the end of the day is really your goal and objective.

HOST 

And how did you balance the responsibilities of being a managing partner and a vice chair through a combination, as well as the responsibilities of this role with Greater Phoenix Leadership?

KVW 

Some might argue when they look at me that I'm never in balance. But what I've always done, especially when it comes to community service, is engage in activities and organizations where I can satisfy my passion. And, if I do that, the time it takes, the commitment it takes is relatively easy because you really don't look at it as an obligation. You look at it as something that you want to do, something that you're going to find the time to and, you make the effort and you put the time and energy into it. If you didn't really want to do it and you weren't passionate about it, yeah, it might be something that’s difficult to find the time. 

You know, I came out here 39 years ago. The idea that we can really build something unique, a new community, some place for the future, and being a part of that and being able to help lead that for a couple years, is something I would be passionate about. 

So, finding the balance or finding the time really was never an issue.

HOST 

Obviously, your leadership in this organization, both when you were with Lewis Roca and now Womble, has an impact on the firms. And so, how do you feel like your leadership role strengthened Womble's and before that, legacy Lewis Roca's visibility in the Phoenix market, and why has that mattered?

KVW 

Well, from a Womble perspective, I don't think it could have happened at a better time. The brand here in Arizona and in the Southwest was Lewis Roca. We obviously decided the brand going forward would be Womble. So, this gave me a platform and an opportunity to introduce Womble to the business community and all that it stands for and all that it does, which when I conveyed it, was consistent with what saw in Lewis Roca, that that was going to continue under a new name. 

So was an opportunity to get Womble in front of the business community and have it recognized in the same way that Lewis Roca was. And from a Lewis Roca and a Womble perspective, giving back to the community, engaging in our community to better our community is something that is culturally intrinsic to our organization. 

So, continuing that and demonstrating to our community that when the community has needs, the lawyers at now Womble and then Lewis Roca are always willing to step up and put in the time, energy, and effort it takes. The lawyers and other people at Womble are there.

HOST 

It certainly does make a difference. 

When you think about a role like this, what are two or three practical takeaways about business development and relationship building that community leadership accelerates? Maybe things that are hard to replicate through traditional networking? 

KVW (09:02) 

I think the first thing that I have to say from not only just my role as chair of GPL, but over the years, my roles in various organizations, first and foremost, I've said a few times, you have to do it because you like to do it, not because you're going out there with the idea that you're going to get visibility, you're going to make the connections to develop business. You need to go and engage with the organization, be involved in the organization at the level and with the activity that the organization expects you to bring.

It's from there that people will see you perform, they'll see your commitment, your abilities, and from that, if they believe that those are consistent with what their organization does, they may make a phone call to ask you to help out their organization with their business. 

So, the takeaway I have when it comes to community leadership or community involvement is go do what you're passionate about. Do it for the right reason, which means doing it for the organization that you're engaged with. And if you're so lucky, and if you do it well, it's likely that you develop a reputation not only as being a community leader, but as a really solid, trustworthy person that then the clients will reach to seek to do work with you. But don't go into it with the idea of, "I'm just going to go do it to get my name out there and to develop business." People see through that and recognize that you're there for that reason and not for the reason of being part of the community.

HOST 

That's excellent. You've touched on this a little bit, Ken, but maybe to dive a little deeper, many lawyers do want to contribute meaningfully but they struggle with the how, given the demanding schedule of a legal practice or other professional practice in the community. How did you decide which community roles, this or others were the right fit for your time and your values?

KVW 

Again, and I've probably said this multiple times because they overlap, is you should pursue getting involved in different organizations in your community where you believe in the cause, in the organization's direction, and what goals and objectives they're trying to achieve. If you do that, it just becomes part of your life and becomes something that you as part of your day. 

Over the years, I've been involved Banner Health Foundation, Ballet Arizona, Downtown Phoenix Inc., GPL now Visit Phoenix. So, it's all were things that I was interested in, wanted to be engaged in, and as a result, it just becomes part of your life and you fit it in. It's not something you have to go to, or it's something taking away from something else. 

I would also encourage people to involve their families, involve their significant others in what you're doing so that you can use that as a platform to strengthen your relationships and demonstrate maybe to your children what giving back looks like. And also help introduce your significant others in the community that they can engage with and get connected to. 

So, make it part of your life. Don't make it something that is a burden or an obligation. Make something that you want to do and that you can engage others with.

HOST 

That's an excellent insight. Womble emphasizes service, obviously showing up in moments that matter including service and values-driven leadership. What are your thoughts about the responsibility and opportunity for lawyers to lead in civic spaces?

KVW 

You know, we are given a license by the states in which we practice and that license is a, is a privilege. And I think that we have received an education, we have achieved a status, that it is imperative upon the lawyers to give back to their community. 

We have an obligation no matter where you look at doing it. It could be pro bono legal service. It could be philanthropic causes. It can be serving lunches at soup kitchen. But I do believe that given the license that we have, given the opportunities that we've been given that we have an obligation to give back to our communities. And I think every lawyer ought to look at that and consider it and do it in the areas in which they believe they can be most successful. 

What does service look like when it's well done? It looks like you're going there to do the tasks and the job of the organization that you're getting involved with, that you're going there and you're immersing yourself in it because you believe in it and want to support it and want to help achieve its goals. 

I also encourage that if you're going to do that you do it with the idea that you're going grow with the organization, you're going to try to advance in the organization, and you're really going to become integral part of the organization. I think that's what looks like service well done.

HOST 

That's right. Earlier, you alluded to the different complex challenges like infrastructure or transportation that are really high stakes for a region. And looking back on your tenure with Greater Phoenix Leadership what would you tell other leaders about being effective with those types of complex challenges and in those environments?

KVW 

I would say take a position, stick with it, do what it takes to bring what your objective is to fruition. 

Come up with the causes that you think are most important, that you can get the most support for, that you can have the most impact on. And as an organization, make that a priority and go for it, and continuously and diligently pursue it until the goals are achieved. 

You know, education is a very important cause here in the state of Arizona, and we're trying to improve our education. We are supporting the reupping of Proposition 123, and it looks like that is coming to fruition. But we as an organization for the last couple of years have said it's a priority getting that back, continuing it, and supporting our education here in the state of Arizona, and we're going to make sure and see that that happens. It didn't get done during my tenure, but Simer Mayo, who has taken over now, has picked up the baton and is carrying it forward. 

So organizationally, pick a cause, figure out how you're going to pursue that, and doggedly go after it until it's accomplished.

HOST 

That's great. And so you mentioned this earlier, looking ahead, you've now been invited to join the Visit Phoenix board of directors for a three-year term beginning in early July. This board oversees tourism and conventions, a major economic sector for the greater Phoenix community. What excites you about this next chapter of service, and what are your goals for the appointment?

KVW 

What excites me is that I have seen Phoenix move from being a town to a suburb and now moving into a city. 

I think we've got a great story to tell. And when people come out here and see Phoenix, experience Phoenix, get to know what Phoenix is, that we're a vibrant business community with a strong economy that has arts and culture and sports and great career opportunities for people, that we have an opportunity to really achieve that goal of becoming a city. 

So, working with Visit Phoenix to help attract the convention, help attract the visitors, help attract the tourists that may come here and see Phoenix and the greater Phoenix area and say, "That's a place that I'd like to relocate my business. That's a place that I would like to move my family," is really something I'm excited about. And continuing the growth trajectory of our community that will also help support, grow, and expand the opportunities for those that are already here. 

So that is what excites me about it. That's why I agreed to join it and be part of it, to help move it forward, which is something I've always done whenever I've joined organizations, not only to support the people here today, but also help it be a better community for the people that are going to be here tomorrow.

HOST 

And lastly, if you were writing an opinion piece for example, based on your Greater Phoenix Leadership experience, what would your core message be to Phoenix leaders about what the region needs next and what role cross-sector leadership plays in getting there?

KVW 

It’s time to make Phoenix a city. It's not time to stop, it's time to move forward. It's time to make it a place to be, It's time to, in my mind, have a vibrant core. It's time to help grow the businesses that are here and help them be successful, not only locally, but regionally, nationally, and internationally. It's time to continue to attract other businesses here that want to grow their platforms so that there are careers and opportunities for the next generation. 

And I think along those lines, my final thought in that regard is: it's time to bring along the next generation. It's time to find the next leaders for this community. It's time find the next group that's going to get involved in the community organizations. That's going to be the future chairs of GPL and the future board members of various organizations, encourage the next generation to get involved and to move the community forward. 

It's time that this become a vibrant self-sustaining city, and I think we can do it, and we're on the cusp of that for, for the future.

HOST 

So, leave the audience with one final thought for those who are thinking about getting more involved in the community, whether it's Phoenix or their local market. What’s one challenge and one call to action to inspire them to take that next step.

KVW 

Start now. A lot of people would suggest that, you know, "I gotta wait till I'm successful. I gotta wait till I have more time. I gotta wait till my life changes." But I would encourage people to start as soon as they can, to get involved in your community at whatever level you can, to create the opportunities to be involved in the things as you move forward that you're passionate about. But start young, stick with it, focus on what you're passionate about and eventually you'll have a very rewarding career in your community outside of your day in, day out business.

HOST 

Thank you, Ken, for your time. This was a great discussion.

OUTRO 

Thank you for listening to Womble Perspectives. If you want to learn more about the topics discussed in this episode, please visit the show notes where you can find links to related resources mentioned today. The show notes also have more information about our attorneys who provided today's insights, including ways to reach out to them. Don't forget to subscribe via your podcast player of choice so that you never miss an episode. Thank you again for listening.