A Hall of Fame Journey with Lessons Beyond the Field

At the 2025 IDEATE Student Presentation, nearly 350 students gathered to learn from the journey of a uniquely talented business leader: entrepreneur, philanthropist, and NFL legend, Steve Young.

Young is the 2025 International Distinguished Entrepreneur Award (IDEA) recipient, the highest honour bestowed by The Associates of the Asper School of Business.

Each year, the IDEA recipient visits Winnipeg to accept the IDEA medallion and connect with the business community at the IDEA Gala. At the 2025 IDEATE Student Presentation, event sponsored by Princess Auto, Young shared lessons from his career journey and insights from his entrepreneurial trajectory with Asper School and UM students, high school groups, and members of the UM community. Framing his message around accountability, resilience, and personal growth, Young offered students both a challenge and an encouragement.

Steve Young’s Message to Students

Steve Young spoke passionately about the power of community, the value of relationships, and the significance of purpose. While he fully recognizes the realities of business—the need for clear objectives, strategic execution, and financial performance—he’s never let those priorities overshadow what truly matters: building meaningful connections and giving back to others.

Following the keynote, students were given the opportunity to participate in a live Q&A session after the speech, where questions covered topics, such as overcoming personal setbacks and building trust in high-performing teams. Young encouraged students to embrace uncertainty, emphasizing that the most valuable growth often happens during difficult times. He highlighted the importance of learning through experience and reflected on how the lessons that shape us are often found along the way, not just at the end of the journey.

He also spoke openly about the challenges of leadership, explaining that real success is not rooted in outcomes alone, but in consistently showing up for others, being dependable, present, and accountable, even when circumstances are tough. Rather than striving solely for results, he stressed the value of leading through example and reliability.

Throughout the event, Young’s message remained clear: embrace the hard-work, stay grounded in the present, and be a source of support for those around you. For many in the room, the talk was more than motivational, it was a meaningful reminder of the responsibility, and opportunity, that comes with becoming a leader.

A Legacy of Leadership and Impact

Young is the Co-Founder, Chairman, and Managing Partner of Huntsman Gay Global Capital (HGGC), a values-driven, partnership investment firm. He is also the Founder and Chair of the Forever Young Foundation.

Young’s journey from record-breaking student athlete and award-winning NFL quarterback to influential philanthropist and entrepreneur comes with numerous accolades and achievements.

Completing a fifteen-year NFL career as the quarterback in 1999 with the San Francisco 49ers, Young is a Super Bowl MVP and NFL Hall of Fame inductee. Today, he plays a leading role at HGGC, which has over $8B under management, and he has raised millions for various philanthropic endeavors including the Forever Young Foundation which he has founded.

The Foundation provides millions of dollars annually, supporting primarily mental health awareness and assistance for children and adolescents. Young is also the broadcast host for the Children’s Miracle Network and director on the boards of the Capital Impact Foundation and the Workday Foundation.

Supporting Student Success Through Experiential Learning

This year, the IDEA MVP auction raised over $100,000 to support experiential learning at the Asper School of Business, a cornerstone of the school’s mission to equip students with practical, real-world experience

Bruno Silvestre, Dean of the Asper School of Business, describes the impact of this incredible contribution and the importance of offering high quality experiential learning opportunities to students.

“At the Asper School of Business, we take pride in giving students many opportunities to learn about business through applied, meaningful experience in real-world business contexts. This generous contribution will allow students to build confidence, sharpen their skills, and make a real impact in local organizations, all while earning credit toward their degree.”

“We are grateful to offer students this opportunity to connect with incredible business leaders like Mr. Young. Thank you to The Associates of the Asper School of Business for their continued support of our mission to provide world-class business education here in Manitoba.”

In many ways, the evening was a full-circle moment, as Steve Young’s message echoed the very principles that experiential learning at Asper embodies taking ownership, learning from setbacks, and showing up with integrity in every setting. Whether in the classroom, the community, or a career, students are challenged to lead with purpose and prepared to do so through experiences that matter

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Thanks to the support of The Associates and funds raised through the IDEA MVP Auction. Learn more about how experiential learning at the Asper School is shaping the next generation of business leaders in Manitoba — and how you can support future opportunities.

Asper Staff