Shark Report - Two Leaders, One Legacy

Two Leaders, One Legacy: What Elmer L. Andersen and Steve Grove Teach Us About Purpose-Driven Community Leadership

In an era of big platforms and fast influence, it’s easy to forget that real change often starts close to home—with people who see leadership not as status, but as stewardship.

Two Minnesotans, born generations apart, remind us of this truth: Elmer L. Andersen, the values-driven governor, entrepreneur, and philanthropist—and Steve Grove, the former tech exec and government leader turned CEO of the Star Tribune.

Their stories offer a compelling blueprint for modern leadership—anchored in place, purpose, and a deep belief in the power of local institutions, including one of the most vital: community journalism. 

 

Anderson always valued community-based newspapers and bought his first newspaper when he was 65.  He was a visionary on many fronts and saw local journalism as a cornerstone of a functioning democracy.  Grove took on the leadership of the Minnesota Star Tribune in hopes of maintaining that local based journalism in the transforming digital age, as a way to maintain the integrity of timely news reporting.

1. Leadership Begins Where You Are

Andersen built a national business (H.B. Fuller) and governed Minnesota with ethics and empathy. But he never drifted from his local roots. He believed in the power of proximity—the idea that real problems get solved when leaders stay close to the people affected.  He wanted his newspapers to maintain an office on Main Street, close to the action.

Grove’s path echoes that belief. After a successful career in Silicon Valley, he came home to Minnesota, led economic development during one of the state’s most turbulent times, and now steers the state’s flagship newspaper, Minnesota Start Tribune. His memoir, How I Found Myself in the Midwest , reflects that returning home isn’t a retreat—it’s a strategic re-centering.  Real impact starts person to person locally.

2. Crises Are a Test of Purpose

Elmer Andersen governed during times of social and political change. He passed civil rights legislation, mandated special education, and fought for fair housing—not because it was easy or popular, but because it was right.

Grove took his appointed public office when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and George Floyd was murder. He helped launch emergency relief, business grants, and career initiatives for youth of color. His leadership reminds us that the moments that break others often reveal real leaders.

3. Invest in Institutions That Hold Us Together

Both men shared a radical belief: institutions matter —but only if we invest in them with fresh energy and ideas.

For Andersen, that meant running business with purpose, enhancing public education, preserving vast lands for parks, and ethical government. He spent his last 30 years building community newspapers.  For Grove, it started with big tech, moved to state government now includes local journalism. His move to lead the Minnesota Star Tribune isn’t about nostalgia—it’s a modern commitment to restoring trust and truth at the local level where the community is.

Their mutual belief: When civic trust erodes, it won’t be rebuilt by national headlines or viral tweets—it will be reborn in local newsrooms, city councils, libraries, and small-town schools.

4. Serve Beyond Your Title

Neither leader viewed leadership as a moment. They saw it as a lifelong commitment.

Elmer Andersen donated 12,000 rare books, served as a university regent, founded a family foundation, and shaped Minnesota long after leaving office. Grove, too, is evolving from public service to journalism—proof that impact isn’t confined to job titles. It flows through values.

5. Believe in the Long Reach of Hope

Elmer’s memoir, A Man’s Reach , is named for his belief that one person’s life, if lived well, can reach far beyond their personal reach, years beyond theirs. Grove’s writing reflects a similar tone: that we are all capable of rebuilding what’s been broken—if we act with humility, honesty, and hometown grit.  Neither sought personal recognition but found joy in the success and opportunities for others.

What This Means for Us

Whether you're leading a business, running for local office, or just mentoring a younger colleague—Andersen and Grove lives offer this shared lesson:

Start where you are.

Lead with values.

Invest in what binds us.

Tell the stories that matter.

In a time when many are burned out on national noise, these two remind us: the local still matters. A lot.

Because when we lead from a place of rootedness and responsibility, we don’t just build organizations—we rebuild trust. And that’s a legacy worth carrying forward.