Sean Dekok
For Sean Dekok, commitment isn’t a buzzword—it’s a way of life. Whether it’s to his country, his neighborhood, or his friends, Sean shows up fully and without fanfare. Through all of life’s ups and downs, Sean's life has consistently followed a clear compass: community, loyalty, and the courage to evolve.
Raised in a small Wisconsin town, Sean grew up watching his father embody those same values. By day, his dad worked at Lands’ End for decades. But in his free time, he led a local barbershop choir—a chorus of mail carriers, attorneys, school principals, and neighbors all finding harmony together. It left an impression: community is something you build, not something you wait for.
At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Sean joined the campus a cappella group, the MadHatters, where he found both a voice and a band of brothers. It wasn’t just about music; it was the kind of friendship that sticks for life. Around that same time, he also began following in the footsteps of his grandfather, great-grandfather, and uncle—enlisting in the Army National Guard’s 32nd Infantry.
Everything changed on September 11, 2001. Watching the second plane hit the tower, Sean knew his service would carry real weight. He married his college sweetheart in 2003, but a year later, he was deployed to Iraq. Trained as a combat medic and graduating at the top of his leadership class, he soon found himself in a warzone, leading ground evacuation teams and working on an advanced trauma team. He returned as a decorated combat veteran, earning the Army Commendation Medal and the Combat Medical Badge for actions taken to support troops and civilians while under heavy fire.
Reentry into civilian life was abrupt: “Thank you for your service. You are free to go.” The transition wasn’t easy, but Sean rooted himself in family and neighborhood, building a life in St. Paul’s Mac-Groveland community. He climbed the corporate ladder, landing executive roles in human resources at major companies—including a VP role at a private equity backed construction firm. But while his leadership skills translated well to career success, something deeper was missing.
“This isn’t who I am,” he realized.
Today, Sean is pivoting once again—not away from leadership, but toward a kind rooted in empathy. He’s earning a master’s degree in counseling and psychological services from St. Mary’s University, with the goal of working directly with veterans. “They need someone who’s lived it. Someone who understands,” he says. That kind of role doesn’t currently exist in the Twin Cities—but Sean is the kind of person who builds what’s needed.
There’s no final chapter yet—just a steady march forward. But what’s clear is that Sean’s next season will be like all the others: built on loyalty, purpose, and a deep belief in the power of showing up for others.