Entrepreneurial Spirit: Dennis & Lynn Sessions

Dennis & Lynn Sessions, MBA ’71 & Elementary Education ’69, spent their careers as entrepreneurs. Dennis began in Teton Valley, ID, where he owned a Best Western motel and later an ACE hardware store. He and Lynn started both businesses from the ground up and built them into highly successful and profitable operations. In addition to running the business, they most enjoyed attending semi-annual Hardware Merchandise Shows to see and buy the new products coming into market.

Dennis fondly remembers his time at the Huntsman School: “One thing I remember about my years in the school of business was the guest speaker, J. R. Simplot, who was at that time the wealthiest man in Idaho. He talked about starting and growing a business and being self-employed. I think that helped inspire me to be an entrepreneur.” Dennis and Lynn are strong supporters of the university, having traveled on many USU Alumni trips, including Australia, Tahiti, Europe, England, and Scotland. They have also raised their family as proud Aggies, with two grandchildren starting at USU this fall. Dennis was elected USU Alumni President and also served on the USU Board of Trustees for two years. They have been inducted into the USU Hall of Honor and are members of the Old Main Society.

Other honors include an appointment to the Idaho Travel Council and the Idaho Centennial Commission (Dennis) and the Platinum Dealer Award from ACE Hardware (Dennis & Lynn).

Dennis and Lynn encourage current students to consider a career in entrepreneurship. “We always enjoyed being self-employed and could reap the rewards of our success and hard work.” They advise, “Take your college experience seriously and gain all the knowledge you can. Don’t waste your time and money.”