The Alumni Association has selected Steve Zahm ’82 as the recipient of this year’s Day Family Award for Contributions to Stevenson. Named after Willametta Keck Day and her sons Robert ’61, Matthew ’63, and T. J. ’66, whose generosity was instrumental in Stevenson’s growth, this award was established by the Alumni Association in 2004 to recognize alumni whose contributions to the school have been both exemplary and continuing.

Steve entered RLS as a junior day student in 1980 when his family moved to the area from the East Coast. Despite his short tenure as a Pirate student, his involvement in the Stevenson community has been significant and long-lasting.

After graduating from RLS, Steve attended college at Stanford and business school at UC Berkeley. After business school, Steve achieved quick success by founding an early internet-based education company called Digital Think, which went public in 2000. He joined his current company, Procore (which was founded by the father of a student in his son’s preschool class) in 2004—which he explains, was essentially a “bad idea” because it sold cloud-based construction software, and at that time no one in the construction industry had the ability to access the cloud or tech devices at construction sites.

Despite its slow growth, however, Steve’s commitment to Procore was prescient, since the company and its software took off with the invention and proliferation of smartphones over the following decade. Today, Procore has grown from having two employees in one office to a team of 3500 employees across 21 offices around the world. The company’s product is far and away the most popular cloud-based construction software on the market. They went public in May 2021.

The trajectory of Steve’s involvement in Procore was shaped by his experience at Stevenson. While at first, he served as the organization’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), overseeing its daily operations, he eventually chose to switch roles into a somewhat unique position at a company—but one he deems potentially even more than COO: the Chief Culture Officer (CCO).

As the CCO, he focuses on building a positive employee culture throughout the company, and he believes that this work is crucial to building a strong team of loyal employees. Steve believes that a great organizational culture not only makes Procore an enjoyable place to work, it also gives the company a business advantage because it results in a team that is dedicated and loyal, and also composed of employees who work hard because they stand for the mission of the company they work for.

Similarly, Steve feels that Stevenson instills in its students a strong belief in the central principles upon which the school was founded, which helps to create a strong school community, where students and graduates have lasting ties, even after departing campus. The central values that remain with Steve from his time at Stevenson include: helping students become the best versions of themselves and teaching them to learn how to shape a joyful life. These made a strong impression on Steve despite the fact he only spent two years on campus, and they fostered a sense of loyalty in him that has led him to remain connected to the school for the four decades since his graduation.

Steve became more involved with Stevenson in 2005 when he became more active with the alumni association. In 2006, he was named alumni association president and joined the board of trustees. Since then, he has served two terms on the board for a total of 15 years.

He became a Stevenson parent when he sent his son, Caden ‘19, there as a student. Inspired by Caden’s experiences on the Sophomore Wilderness Expedition and his own outdoor adventures, Steve has become a generous advocate of Stevenson’s outdoor programs. This support also extends to how he will celebrate his 40th reunion this year. Several members of his class will take a whitewater rafting trip with their families, to reminisce about Stevenson and celebrate how far their lives have come since leaving the School.

When Steve reflects back on his time at Stevenson he remembers not only how special it felt to learn in such a beautiful natural setting, but also the feeling of joy and constant laughter that pervaded his days. He remarked that the optimism and happiness he associates with Stevenson both kindled in him a strong love and devotion to the school—and simultaneously, a desire to create a workplace at his companies that is similarly encouraging, enjoyable, and uplifting. He knows that uniting groups around positive, inspiring goals works to create strong, thriving communities and it fosters cohesion and success.

When he learned that he was selected for the Day Family Award this year, Steve said it was an honor to know that he has meant something to the school that has meant so much to him throughout his life. He also hopes to encourage current Pirates who will someday be alums to appreciate the beauty of the school, but also to focus on friendship and community accessible at the school. He says, “I’ll never forget the challenging nature of the academics at Stevenson, but also the wonderful friends I found there and the great times we had together. There was such joy in being part of a wonderful community that felt supportive in all of the ways you needed, and when you needed. While you’re at Stevenson, concentrate on your studies, but try to focus on and appreciate the people you get to know there, too. Because they will become your lifelong friends and a support system, even after you leave campus. That is something for which you will be forever grateful.”