Ep.20 - Promoting Virtue in Business & Culture with Rob Hays

In this episode, Dr. Johann D'Souza talks with Rob Hays, a business executive and community leader from Dallas. Rob shares insights from his 20 years in the hotel industry and his recent move to help his father sell his company and start new business ventures. They also discuss Rob's passion for hosting a lecture series at home about faith, culture, and family. Key Takeaways: Rob is committed to being an ethical leader through his work with the Business Ethics Forum in Dallas and the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C. He believes that good leadership and making ethical choices are important for building a strong company culture and mission. Rob's lecture series has featured inspiring speakers, such as the Archbishop of San Francisco, who talked about using beauty to spread faith, and Ryan Anderson, who discussed important questions about Christianity and culture today. Rob and Dr. D'Souza talk about the idea of a "new dark age" in today's world, where people are disconnected from classic wisdom and understanding of what it means to be human. They discuss how this disconnect contributes to people in the business world searching for true happiness and meaning in their lives. Rob's journey shows the strong link between personal virtue and company culture.The conversation highlights the important role that faith, culture, and community play in helping people thrive in both business and society as a whole. Rob's thoughts on the challenges facing American leadership and the need to rediscover what it means to be human serve as a call to action for individuals and business leaders. Timestamp: 00:00 - Introduction and Rob Hay’s background in the hotel business and personal projects 02:44 - Impactful lecture examples: Archbishop of San Francisco on evangelization through beauty and Ryan Anderson on historical shifts in understanding the Church and human nature 05:11 - Discussion of the current "new dark age" and forgotten truths about human nature 06:48 - Rob's experience running a public company and observing employees' struggle to find happiness 08:59 - Rob's vision for impacting the world through his professional work and desire to serve others 10:58 - Rob's motivation to create opportunities for people to think about important questions of culture, family, and faith 14:58 - Examples of people Rob admires: Frank Hanna and Jerry Wegener 18:19 - Rob's board involvement and the importance of good governance in shaping organizations 20:54 - Analysis of the current state of the U.S. government and cultivating a virtuous polity 21:24 - The importance of cultural formation and understanding the purpose of government and human nature 24:41 - Discussion of Tucker Carlson interviews and the common theme of the need for God and Christianity 26:47 - The importance of understanding everyone's ultimate orientation and the need for a renewed understanding of faith in the public square Resources and Links: Listen to ⁠this Episode⁠ on Apple Podcast. Watch ⁠⁠this podcast video⁠⁠ on YouTube.