Greg Everett’s advice for aspiring business leaders is different from what he told himself early in his professional life.
The two-time Oklahoma State University graduate said he was formerly preoccupied with his own career progression and the technical skills he needed to become a CEO.
Those aspects mattered, but he achieved his goal only when he combined his education and experience with a new perspective.
“The secret is focusing not on yourself, but focusing on others and helping other people realize their dreams, what they want to accomplish and what their goals are,” Everett said.
This collaborative mindset guided Everett as he co-founded Payer Compass, the healthcare reimbursement technology and service company he led as president and CEO for nearly a decade. In his personal life, he was inspired to give back to his beloved alma mater alongside his wife, Shannon.
“OSU was transformational for me,” Everett said. “Paying it back or paying it forward, however you want to describe it, is important for us.”
Everett entered the Spears School of Business Hall of Fame on Oct. 9 in the ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center, four years after his recognition as one of OSU’s College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Alumni.
The first in his family to obtain a four-year college degree, Everett graduated from OSU in 1987 with his bachelor’s in English and a business minor. In 1989, he earned his Spears Business MBA with a marketing emphasis.
Growing up in Tulsa, Everett preferred crimson and cream over orange and black, but he credits a mentor for flipping his Bedlam loyalty. John McGinnis, Everett’s track and field/cross-country coach at Jenks High School, brought his team to OSU to watch collegiate runners in the annual Cowboy Jamboree.
Everett walked on to OSU’s track and cross-country team and lived in Iba Hall. He was a Student Union Activities Board member, a resident assistant at Willham South and Iba Hall, and a student employee in the Business Extension, now known as the Center for the Future of Work.
After choosing his English major with the idea of working in public relations, he gravitated toward business classes as his CEO dreams grew.
“It became imperative that I get the MBA while I was still young,” Everett said. “It carried me forward foundationally.”
Everett spent 20-plus years advancing in corporate roles in the Dallas area, thriving at the intersection of healthcare reimbursement and information technology. He had a lucrative job, but when uncertainty hit after a round of company layoffs, he reevaluated his goals.
Everett didn’t want to just climb the career ladder. He wanted to build a team.
Everything clicked when he met Payer Compass co-founder Roman Gekhter, whose IT skills complemented Everett’s marketing and sales expertise. Everett led Payer Compass through exponential growth, serving thousands of clients until the company’s 2022 sale.
“It was like a rocket ship,” Everett said. “We had the right strategy with the right technology in the market. Roman bet on me, and I bet on him. Now, we’re lifelong friends.”
Everett values personal connections, also evident in the time he enjoys with family. He has a son and a daughter, Hayden and Hallie, and lives in McKinney, Texas, with Shannon.
After years of funding Spears Business scholarships, the Everetts are furthering their commitment to accessible education as members of the National Campaign Committee for The Code Calls campaign at OSU.
It all goes back to Everett’s guiding philosophy.
“What I tell people is, help others get what they want,” Everett said. “As a CEO, you will reap rewards beyond your wildest dreams.”