NW Valley Times

George Henry, a native of Maxbass, North Dakota, is set to graduate from Grand Canyon University's Colangelo College of Business with a degree in business management. Having grown up on his family's farm, Henry sought to gain a new perspective by studying business in an urban setting.

"I didn't know what to expect," Henry remarked. "The whole reason I came here is because I grew up in agriculture and grew up completely surrounded by it. I wanted to come here just to learn business from a totally different perspective."

Tim Kelley, chair of entrepreneurship at GCU, praised Henry as "a supremely hard worker" with evident organizational skills.

During his time at GCU, Henry became director of Canyon Angels, an angel investment group that has facilitated over $7 million in funding across 74 ventures. He also competed as a finalist in the Canyon Challenge competition with his Summit Ag Commodities business.

Balancing academic and professional commitments, Henry purchased a farm during his sophomore year and maintained close ties to North Dakota by participating in seasonal harvests. Additionally, he prepared to take over an insurance brokerage company introduced to him by neighbor Dennie Stratton.

"It is a challenge," Henry admitted regarding learning about the insurance industry. However, he found that understanding agricultural equipment and infrastructure aided him significantly on the insurance side.

Henry was influenced by his brother Max's positive experience at GCU. Max noted George's fearless approach: "One of the things I admire most about George is his ability to jump into things without having to know every detail first."

Reflecting on his leadership role at Canyon Angels, George appreciated the knowledge gained from colleagues and mentors like Tim Kelley: "There's so many people surrounding that organization that know so much more than I do."

Though his Summit Ag Commodities venture did not win the Canyon Challenge, George valued the public speaking experience it provided: "Public speaking is not my forte," he confessed but acknowledged improvement through opportunities at GCU.

Looking ahead, Max expressed confidence in George's ability to manage both farming and insurance responsibilities back home: "If anyone can do it, it's him."

Henry plans to keep tabs on developments at GCU despite being miles away: "I'm excited to watch the business school as it expands and continues to grow."