
Welcome back to The Sunstone Way.
The Year of the Snake is officially underway, and all indications are that it will be an auspicious one for Sunstone.
We hosted a wonderful Lunar New Year celebration at Sunstone headquarters last week, marking the occasion with our friends and partners. With the actual day on Wednesday, Jan. 29, the party continues.
In Chinese lore, the Wood Snake is known as charming, intelligent and creative. The snake’s ability to shed its skin, thereby renewing itself and becoming something new, is particularly important here at Sunstone.
A New Day
As we celebrate Sunstone’s 10th anniversary, we have plans in place to build on that decade to become something new and innovative. That is the American Dream, after all.
As I was growing up, I had many dreams about what I would become – a famous soccer player, a beloved teacher, a good father, a leader of a fine city. I have been blessed to be in a position to pursue those dreams, and many more.
At each juncture, I would shed my skin and become something new. I was new, but I retained the knowledge of what I had been before – just like a snake shedding its skin retains all its memories.
Adaptation
This ability allows you – whether you are a snake, an individual or a company – to evolve. We adapt to the environment, the situation we find ourselves in.
That’s particularly true of Sunstone. We’ve worked hard over the last decade, learning lessons along the way.
We’ve learned to rely on the power of PPP, the public-private partnership so key to efforts to improve our community. We’ve learned that customer service is vital to success no matter what the business, and that resources spent on that cause are always beneficial.
We’ve learned to take the interests of the broader community to heart before making decisions or choosing directions. That’s why we came up with our clean energy strategy, and why we support steps taken to create a clean energy economy.
All About Timing
One of the many attributes of the Snake is its ability to stay still until just the right time to strike. This patience is key to success, even survival.
I would like to emulate that patience. We want to be prepared, and that takes work.
The idea is to get that work done so we can be ready to take action when the situation arises. I think we are there.
Dispelling Negative Images
It’s no secret that the snake has a negative connotation, particularly in the Western World. A snake is the villain in the Christian creation story, and there are many negative references to the animal that moves by slithering on its belly.
I’m not going to argue that the snake should suddenly be seen as a paragon of virtue. But I will say that, like most of our “villains,” there is good alongside the bad.
This year of the Snake reminds us of the importance of embracing wisdom, transformation and introspection as we live our lives. That way, we can take on the challenges in our lives with grace, foster deeper connections with those around us and effectively grow as people.
That’s the Sunstone Way.
And remember, always be a Sunstone!
John Keisler
CEO & Managing Partner
Sunstone Management, Inc.
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©Sunstone Management, Inc. 2025