The finalists for WashingtonExec’s Chief Officer Awards were announced April 8, and we’ll be highlighting some of them until the event takes place live, in-person June 4.
Next is Zach Sampson, chief financial officer at Diné Development Corp., and a finalist in the CFO of the Year (Annual Revenue Greater than $100M and Less than $500M) category. In this spotlight, he offers advice for those following a similar path, shares current priorities, reflects on personal passions and more.
What are your primary focus areas going forward, and why are those so important to the mission?
DDC’s mission is to build sustainable prosperity for the Navajo Nation and its People, and everything we do is rooted in that purpose. Our leadership team remains deeply focused on continuing the strategic, disciplined growth trajectory we began five years ago. We’re not only building growth, but more so building a sustainable enterprise that delivers longterm value to our customers and partners, our employees, and the Navajo Nation.
My primary goal is to lay the operational and financial foundation that enables this growth.
That responsibility spans several critical areas:
- Ensuring that we have the most efficient capital structure to support both organic and inorganic expansion
- Optimizing our shared services to scale effectively while maintaining high performance across all business units
- Implementing enterprise-wide systems and technologies that provide real-time, actionable data for smarter, faster decision-making
These focus areas are essential to DDC’s ability to move with agility, seize opportunities, and continue its growth journey. By aligning our operational backbone with our strategic goals, we are positioning DDC to deliver on its mission for generations to come.
What is your best career advice for those who want to follow in your footsteps?
Be curious, and ask questions. Seek to understand not only your immediate responsibilities, but how your work fits into the bigger picture. The more you learn about other business functions — finance, operations, business development, delivery — the more effective and valuable you become. Developing broad business acumen and the ability to think strategically will set you apart, no matter your role.
At the same time, never stop building your leadership skills, whether or not you’re in a formal leadership position. Leadership shows up in how you communicate, collaborate, and take initiative. And no matter where you are in your career, maintaining a positive mindset, practicing gratitude, and consistently working hard will take you far.
Equally important: take care of your people. Support your coworkers. Recognize their contributions. Invest in relationships and trust. The most successful organizations are built on teams that care about each other and pull in the same direction. When you lift others up, you lift the whole team, and ultimately, the entire organization.
Fun Fact: What is something about you that most people do not know?
In the early 1990s, I had the unique experience of being in a movie and filming on location alongside Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Chris O’Donnell, and Cole Hauser. It was an incredible behind-the-scenes look at Hollywood before many of them became household names. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime memory!
I’m also a licensed pilot and love flying my airplane. Aviation is both a passion and a challenge — it keeps me sharp, focused, and always learning.