Former Gopher, NBA player Walter Bond teams up with former mayor

The former mayor of Burr Ridge, Ill., in suburban Chicago, Mickey Straub has made a career, built a business, and achieved the unthinkable—visiting all 50 U.S. capitols in fewer than 50 days—by being a world-class goal-setter.

It was only a matter of time, then, that a partnership would be forged after he developed a friendship with longtime Walter Bond. A standout Minnesota Golden Gopher basketball player who also played in the National Basketball Association in the early 1990s, Bond has gone on to a flourishing career as a globally renowned keynote presenter, author and Hall of Fame speaker.

He was also a longtime Minneapolis resident before moving to Florida in recent years.

Now, he and Straub are teaming up with the launch of SAM Suite, a software custom performance management tool designed to help sales professional achieve their goals. Straub is president and founder of Sales Activity Management (SAM), based in Burr Ridge.

Bond, who played collegiately at the University of Minnesota before suiting up for the Dallas Mavericks, Utah Jazz and Detroit Pistons, has been a frequent keynote speaker at Million Dollar Round Table and GAMA/LAMP Conferences and industry meetings. He also just published his third book: SWIM!

“I am excited to help launch SAM Suite because I am a big believer in Activity Management,” said Bond. “My philosophy, which is reflected in my new book, relates to sharks and having a shark mindset. Sharks never stop moving forward or they die. The same truth applies to business.”

Straub said he is honored to have Bond on the SAM Team and excited about what it can mean for producers and leaders. “Setting goals and keeping score is critical to success in this industry,” Straub noted. “Walter’s background makes him the ideal spokesman.”

“You have to be ready to play ball in this new world,” Bond said. “This is perfect timing for this revolutionary software platform, and it can help producers build a shark-like focus in their practice.”

The SAM Suite will enable professionals to “transform their business into a mathematical equation,” added Bond. “That is how I achieved my dream of playing in the NBA and becoming a Hall of Fame Speaker. Your activity is the key to your success.”

Eight years ago, Straub commanded headlines across the country when he drove a Lincoln Town Car all over the U.S. to fulfill an extraordinary vision: visit all 50 state capitals in 50 days. He achieved the feat in 44 days, including flights to Alaska and Hawaii to visit those capitols.

At each capitol building (except two—one closed for renovation, and one with shorter fall hours), Straub recited aloud the Gettysburg Address on the steps of each capitol building in an effort to bring attention to Abraham Lincoln’s core principles (God, Liberty, Unity and Equality) that he felt could reunite our country.

He later wrote a book, Big Goals…Short Deadlines, that was inspired by the trip. In addition, he maintains a website, 50CapitolsIn50Days.com, that educates people about the trip, his experiences during the continental trek, and the philosophies undergirding it. Starting in 2013, he served for five and a half years as the mayor of Burr Ridge. He is still very involved in the community, including his service as chairman of the Burr Ridge Veterans Memorial Committee.

Sales Activity Management has been the leading provider of custom performance management tools for 25 years. To learn more, visit www.salesactivitymanagement.com or call 1-800-254-4SAM.

Walter Bond is online at www.walterbond.com.