It’s a big leap from being a nurse. Perhaps. But nursing taught Susan Cordts that making good, informed decisions would lead to beneficial outcomes and make a difference in the lives of others. And that’s all what Adaptive Technologies, Inc. [ATi ] is about.

When she left United Regional Healthcare Systems in Texas where she went from hands-on patient care as a nurse to an administrative position as a nurse executive in 1998, Cordts moved to Phoenix and enrolled in an MBA program in marketing and finance at top ranked, Thunderbird School of Global Management. It was there that she laid the groundwork to become President and CEO of Adaptive Technologies, Inc., a privately held firm that specializes in business intelligence and predictive analytics software.

As brilliant and passionate as she is, Cordts is the first one to mention that getting to the top, or anywhere else in life, has little to do with making huge sums of money and everything to do with the love and support of others. In fact, she’s walked away from large sums of options and shared stocks because she absolutely loves what she does.

“If you were to talk to any of my friends about understanding Susan, they’d say it’s not about me. Understanding others and doing what is best for the greater benefit of all are motivating me. Some people would say ‘Yeah right’, to that, because I’m a CEO of a company, but it’s true. At the end of the day, leaving a better world behind me is so very important. It makes for a richer, more exciting life. And I didn’t get here alone.

“I had a father who always told me I could do and be anything I wanted and I believed him,” she says. “I’ve also surrounded myself with people who also believed in me and gave me that extra push. It’s not something I take for granted. I pay it forward by mentoring my colleagues and inner city kids who are trying to get to a different place in life and work on behalf of human rights to give people a hand up not a hand out.”

“Anyone who thinks they succeeded by themselves is fooling themselves,” she adds.