NE North Dakota News

Dave St. Peter, the president and CEO of the Minnesota Twins, shared his insights on leadership as part of the University of North Dakota's (UND) 18:83 Speaker Series. The series offers the UND community an opportunity to learn from campus and community leaders, with each presentation lasting approximately 18 minutes and 83 seconds.

St. Peter addressed listeners via Zoom from his office at the Twins headquarters in Minneapolis. This marked the first virtual presentation since the series began in 2023. Attendees gathered at Memorial Union’s Social Stair to watch.

Reflecting on his time at UND, St. Peter spoke about his arrival as a young high-school graduate from Bismarck in 1985. Initially considering accounting due to family influence, he discovered a passion for communication through a mass communication class during his freshman year. He eventually declared a major in public relations within the School of Communications.

His experience as a sportswriter for the Dakota Student and classes with professors like Bill Holden provided him with invaluable education, which he credits for his career success. "There’s no question in my mind that those days at the University of North Dakota led me to success," St. Peter stated.

After graduating from UND in 1989, St. Peter briefly worked for the Minnesota North Stars before joining the Minnesota Twins organization, starting in their pro shop. His journey exemplifies belief in oneself and dedication to building relationships.

In recent months, St. Peter announced plans to step down as president and CEO to assume a new role as strategic advisor within the organization. Reflecting on his career, he identified nine traits crucial for professional success: work ethic, work-life balance, humility, urgency, integrity, accountability, transparency, empathy, and not taking things too seriously.

He emphasized that ego can be detrimental: “By far the No. 1 thing that I have seen trip up leaders in baseball... is ego – and ego is a dangerous thing.” Urgency was also highlighted: “I’m not suggesting that you be in a hurry, but I am suggesting that you demonstrate a level of urgency.”

St. Peter underscored integrity by stating that while mistakes are human, focusing on being a high-character individual can lead to positive outcomes. On accountability: “We have to be accountable... think about how accountable you’ve been.”

Empathy was noted as vital for leadership success: “Listen more than you talk... Celebrate others.” Lastly, he reminded everyone not to take things too seriously: “We are a major league baseball team... This isn’t rocket science.”