River City Six: Dan Shull
Cox Business (www.cox.com/business) provides voice, data and video services for more than 300,000 small and regional businesses, including healthcare providers, K-12 and higher education, financial institutions and federal, state and local government organizations. Dan Shull is the Cox Business Security Solutions Manager.
Tell us a little about your business. – Cox Business prides itself in offering solutions for every business size. We recently launched Cox Business Security Solutions, which provides Detection and Surveillance services for small/medium-sized businesses within the Cox service footprint. As with our core services, we’ve found one of our key differentiators to be customer service.
How did you get started in the business? – I was hired by a company that was challenging the Bell system to offer competitive long distance services back in 1984. Shortly after that, the breakup of the Bell Company happened and the industry took off. It has been very exciting to be a part of such a large industry’s transformation.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced professionally? – Being able to keep up with all of the industry changes. I cannot begin to imagine what technologies will emerge and evolve within the next 20 years. We definitely live in a digital era with access to more information than ever before.
What has been your most important achievement professionally? – A team I led was recognized by our customer as “Telecom Vendor Team of the Year” 4 years in a row.
Tell us a little about your family. – I’ve been married to Lisa, my high school sweetheart, for 35 years. She has her own photography business. We have 2 kids, Josh and Taylar, and 2 grandkids, Ben and McKenzie.
What do you see as one of the biggest turning points in your life? – Playing college football. My draw to attend college was to be on the football team, but I stuck with the academics and earned my degree.
What is your favorite thing to do on a day off? – Work in my yard and watch Husker games!
What is the most unique or interesting thing about you that most people probably don’t know? – That at the time I was one of the youngest patients to be operated on at Mayo Clinic, as I was 6 weeks old when I had my first of two surgeries to remove narrowed sections of my descending aorta. The second surgery was when I was 11 years old.
What are you the most proud of? – Helping launch Security Solutions at Cox Business. Not only did we build a new sales team but we worked with various boundary partners to test and refine workflows and processes from beginning to end. At times it was overwhelming but the support and teamwork from our market and corporate staff was phenomenal. It’s exciting to be one of the chosen markets for a new product launch, and the response we’ve received from the business community validates we are doing it right.
If you could have a super power, what would it be? – To reverse the divide that is impacting America these days. We need to get back to where “United we stand, divided we fall” is truly what America is all about.
What local non-profit organization(s) are you passionate about or involved with, and are there any special reasons why? – I am a member of the Knights of Columbus and am able to support many local organizations through our fundraising efforts.
What is your favorite local restaurant? – Oscar’s Pizza & Sports Grille.
If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do so? – Via email at daniel.shull@cox.com or find Cox Business online at www.cox.com/business.
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