Success is about more than accomplishment—it’s about the people on the journey with you.

From Start to Finish is more than a memoir—it’s a legacy...

Joe F. Alexander
Joe F. Alexander

Dr. Joe F. Alexander is a long-time advocate for managing by facts but with a heart for people. He spent over forty years working in higher education, splitting time between classroom and leadership roles. Joe earned a reputation for improving organizational performance through consensus-building leadership and strong collaboration with key internal and external partners. 

In 2004, Joe led a team of faculty, staff, student leaders, and university/community stakeholders at the University of Northern Colorado’s Monfort College of Business to earning the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award from the President of the United States. Monfort remains the only business school to ever earn that distinction. 

A Six Sigma Black Belt and Fulbright Fellow (Japan), Joe is past-president of the nine-state AACSB Midwest Business Deans Association and has served as board chair for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Foundation, HCA’s Centennial Medical Center, the Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence (TNCPE), and Rochester Christian University. He also served as a shepherd on a team of individuals that helped plant Journey Christian Church in Greeley, Colorado. 

Alexander earned a B.B.A from Harding University and an M.B.A. and Doctorate (in marketing) from the University of Memphis. He is a firm believer in the practice and pursuit of “kaizen”—continuous improvement toward personal, professional, and spiritual growth. 

He was also the 2014 recipient of the Ned McWherter Leadership Award by TNCPE. Named after Tennessee’s former governor, the annual award recognizes one individual in the State who exemplifies outstanding leadership in the pursuit of organizational performance excellence and who has worked to further performance improvement beyond the boundaries of his or her own organization. 

Most importantly, Joe is a Christian husband, father, and now grandfather. At sixty-five years old, he remains very much a student at heart. 

Other Writing

SPECIAL READER EXCERPT:  LESSON 14 in From Start to Finish Here's Lesson 14

Here's Lesson 14 from Chapter 7 in From Start to Finish. As shared in a previous post, there are sixty-five of these integrated throughout the book. In this lesson, I discuss situations where are preparing to interview for a job we are interested in. But even though we weren't aware it was happening at the time, our interview for the desired position actually began several weeks or even months earlier. We just weren't aware it was happening at the time.

I share a story of my daughter's first...

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SPECIAL READER EXCERPT:  LESSON 7 in From Start to Finish All of us can

All of us can reflect back on our many years as students with varying emotions. Some teachers we enjoyed when going through their classes, while others, well, not so much.

A few teachers even came off as rockstars from the very first day they walked into the classroom. And that continued through the entire class experience. Others, though, were more like a fine wine that required a bit of aging--for the student, not the teacher.

I've found that for many of the best teachers we won't fully...

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SPECIAL READER EXCERPT:  LESSON 3 in From Start to Finish Funny things,

Funny things, memories. As individuals, we're constantly taking in all sorts of new information as we work our way forward on life's highway. Some things make enough of an impression on us that we intentionally put them into our "long-term memory" bank. Most things, though, seem to simply fade into the rearview mirror as we travel forward. The farther we travel, the more of those things simply disappear into oblivion, right? We simply forget. Or do we?

Here's Lesson #3 from Chapter 1 in From...

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Praise

Through sixty-five insightful life lessons—both personal and professional—Joe Alexander explores faith, family, love, community, education, career, work ethic, decision-making, and more. As I read about the broader arc of his life, I didn’t expect it to inspire me to examine my own—but it did. I urge you to read this book and do the same. As you do, you may discover patterns of growth and wisdom you haven't fully appreciated. This process has led to a profound realization, captured in one of my favorite quotes by Colette: ‘What a wonderful life I’ve had! I only wish I’d realized it sooner.’ Thank you, Joe, for helping me uncover the lessons within my own story.

– Dr. Denny McCorkle

I loved the lessons learned and the author’s emphasis on family, faith, and gratitude to the Father for it all—seeing His hand in all circumstances. It was an engaging read where I smiled often, at times laughed out loud, and also shed a few tears.

– Cindy Payne

Well written and entertaining, Joe Alexander does a wonderful job of sharing many important lessons from a life well-lived, and reminds us of the role God plays in forming and directing the events in each of our lives. Refreshing and insightful throughout, this book is a gem for readers of all age groups to enjoy and benefit from.

– Jim Duensing

Latest Updates

From Start to Finish to Release February 21, 2025 From Start to Finish:

From Start to Finish: It's Not Just Business, It's Personal, by Joe F. Alexander, is set for public release via Amazon February 21, 2025. A Fountain Creek Press release, the...

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Contact

I really enjoy learning how readers are using the ideas within From Start to Finish to improve aspects of their lives. To restate author Rick Warren's line from A Purpose Driven Life, "It's Not About You" - or me in this case. Helping each other grow throughout our respective journeys is a major goal of my writing.

Looking forward to hearing from you.  All best, Joe