{"id":70474,"date":"2026-08-06T13:48:55","date_gmt":"2026-08-06T20:48:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/?p=70474"},"modified":"2026-08-06T15:01:13","modified_gmt":"2026-08-06T22:01:13","slug":"maintaining-the-proper-mindset-brings-the-best-out-of-gfc-difference-maker-travis-lemke","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/the-week-in-imaging-twii\/editors-blog\/2026\/08\/maintaining-the-proper-mindset-brings-the-best-out-of-gfc-difference-maker-travis-lemke\/","title":{"rendered":"Maintaining the Proper Mindset Brings the Best Out of GFC Difference Maker Travis Lemke"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"
Travis Lemke<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s a certain \u201cDon\u2019t worry about a thing,\u201d Bob Marley-like quality to the attitude Travis Lemke has embraced throughout his professional career in the world of accounting and finance. While it may not be the most nerve-wracking discipline, numbers-crunching can be intensive and exacting, the source of many a gray hair, particularly when the math doesn\u2019t add up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The philosophy traces back to a prior professional experience at an accounting firm, where a self-deprecating manager made a pithy observation about their line of work. The bon mot: nobody dies doing what we do. That notion resonated with Lemke. Now, as the vice president of leasing, he echoes that wisdom while guiding a team of 21 people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt just helped put things into perspective for me,\u201d said Lemke, a 2026 ENX Magazine<\/em> Difference Maker. \u201cI try to pass that on to my teams. While there are always high-leverage and high-stress situations around us in our day-to-day work, staying grounded about what really matters keeps us in a good place and allows us to help each other in a more calm and productive way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The holder of a BBA and master\u2019s degree in accounting from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Lemke landed at Gordon Flesch Co. (GFC) in 2014 following a four-year stint with a midmarket tax\/consulting services provider. It was during those early years, serving in finance roles at GFC, that he had the opportunity to sit in on monthly sales leadership meetings. That high-level view impressed upon Lemke that he felt aligned with not only management, but also the team members he worked with on a daily basis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The work hard, play hard mentality embraced throughout the organization also made him feel at home professionally. \u201cSeeing month-in and month-out, both the tenacity of the group to grow the business and the expectations being set from the top at an extremely high level, made me feel like this is the place for me,\u201d Lemke noted. \u201cThose expectations flow throughout the company and make it a very high-output organization.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He\u2019s had a hand in shaping the future of GFC\u2019s growth by evaluating acquisition prospects. Lemke has also flashed his innovative side by quarterbacking the dealer\u2019s customer self-service invoicing and payments portal launch in 2024, while more recently guiding his teams through a massive software overhaul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The day-to-day task of collaborating with GFC\u2019s account representatives on new leases\u2014whether it\u2019s pricing, paperwork or devising a unique structure\u2014provides a great deal of satisfaction for Lemke. He relishes being the point person between the customer, account rep and the company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt makes me feel like I\u2019m as close to the action as possible,\u201d Lemke added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He credits current CFO Kelly Dolphin and former CFO Keith Breunig for paving a path at GFC. Dolphin was instrumental in his arrival at the dealership, and he\u2019s long been impressed with their attention to detail. The pair saw great potential in Lemke, and their faith was and is quite meaningful to him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey had a way of connecting the small picture of what I was working on at the time to the bigger picture of the company and what I’m impacting on a larger scale,\u201d Lemke said. \u201cSomehow, the two of them saw something in me that I didn’t even see in myself at the time, and I’m forever thankful to them for their wisdom and leadership.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If Lemke has an Achilles\u2019 heel, it\u2019s always focusing on what comes next. He hopes the feeling of being rushed\u2014a fairly universal obstacle\u2014will, over time, give way to becoming more present and in the moment where he is and in everything he does. Affording himself the time to let all of his tasks sink in will provide more peace of mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His personal life is certainly adventurous. Lemke and his wife of 11 years, Laura, have three daughters: Livia, 7, and 5-year-old twins Molly and Maddie. The brood keeps him on the move between sports and various activities. He\u2019ll slip away for a round of golf when the opportunity presents itself. The Lemkes hope to incorporate travel into the family dynamic as the girls get older.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The high school version of me wanted to be an:<\/strong> Engineer<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interesting fact about you: <\/strong>I grew up as an only child but now have 3 kids, including twins. Somehow, I’ve survived so far.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Celebrities you have met:<\/strong> Desmond Howard, as a fanboy standing outside of a College Gameday broadcast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Favorite book or movie:<\/strong> “Happy Gilmore” brought my 8-year-old self a ton of laughter and joy, and still does to this day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Favorite food:<\/strong> Chinese<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Person you’d most like to meet:<\/strong> Tiger Woods<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dream vacation destination:<\/strong>  Australia<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Guilty pleasure:<\/strong> Chick flicks<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most prized possession:<\/strong> My collection of logo golf balls that I get from every single course I play at.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There\u2019s a certain \u201cDon\u2019t worry about a thing,\u201d Bob Marley-like quality to the attitude Travis Lemke has embraced throughout his professional career in the world of accounting and finance. While it may not be the most nerve-wracking discipline, numbers-crunching can be intensive and exacting, the source of many a gray hair, particularly when the math doesn\u2019t add up. The philosophy traces back to a prior professional experience at an accounting firm, where a self-deprecating manager made a pithy observation about their line of work. The bon mot: nobody dies doing what we do. That notion resonated with Lemke. Now, as the vice president of leasing, he echoes that wisdom while guiding a team of 21 people. \u201cIt just helped put things into perspective for me,\u201d said Lemke, a 2026 ENX Magazine Difference Maker. \u201cI try to pass that on to my teams. While there are always high-leverage and high-stress situations around us in our day-to-day work, staying grounded about what really matters keeps us in a good place and allows us to help each other in a more calm and productive way.\u201d The holder of a BBA and master\u2019s degree in accounting from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Lemke landed at Gordon Flesch Co. (GFC) in 2014 following a four-year stint with a midmarket tax\/consulting services provider. It was during those early years, serving in finance roles at GFC, that he had the opportunity to sit in on monthly sales leadership meetings. That high-level view impressed upon Lemke that he felt aligned with not only management, but also the team members he worked with on a daily basis. The work hard, play hard mentality embraced throughout the organization also made him feel at home professionally. \u201cSeeing month-in and month-out, both the tenacity of the group to grow the business and the expectations being set from the top at an extremely high level, made me feel like this is the place for me,\u201d Lemke noted. \u201cThose expectations flow throughout the company and make it a very high-output organization.\u201d He\u2019s had a hand in shaping the future of GFC\u2019s growth by evaluating acquisition prospects. Lemke has also flashed his innovative side by quarterbacking the dealer\u2019s customer self-service invoicing and payments portal launch in 2024, while more recently guiding his teams through a massive software overhaul. The day-to-day task of collaborating with GFC\u2019s account representatives on new leases\u2014whether it\u2019s pricing, paperwork or devising a unique structure\u2014provides a great deal of satisfaction for Lemke. He relishes being the point person between the customer, account rep and the company. \u201cIt makes me feel like I\u2019m as close to the action as possible,\u201d Lemke added. He credits current CFO Kelly Dolphin and former CFO Keith Breunig for paving a path at GFC. Dolphin was instrumental in his arrival at the dealership, and he\u2019s long been impressed with their attention to detail. The pair saw great potential in Lemke, and their faith was and is quite meaningful to him. \u201cThey had a way of connecting the small picture of what I was working on at the time to the bigger picture of the company and what I’m impacting on a larger scale,\u201d Lemke said. \u201cSomehow, the two of them saw something in me that I didn’t even see in myself at the time, and I’m forever thankful to them for their wisdom and leadership.\u201d If Lemke has an Achilles\u2019 heel, it\u2019s always focusing on what comes next. He hopes the feeling of being rushed\u2014a fairly universal obstacle\u2014will, over time, give way to becoming more present and in the moment where he is and in everything he does. Affording himself the time to let all of his tasks sink in will provide more peace of mind. His personal life is certainly adventurous. Lemke and his wife of 11 years, Laura, have three daughters: Livia, 7, and 5-year-old twins Molly and Maddie. The brood keeps him on the move between sports and various activities. He\u2019ll slip away for a round of golf when the opportunity presents itself. The Lemkes hope to incorporate travel into the family dynamic as the girls get older. The high school version of me wanted to be an: Engineer Interesting fact about you: I grew up as an only child but now have 3 kids, including twins. Somehow, I’ve survived so far. Celebrities you have met: Desmond Howard, as a fanboy standing outside of a College Gameday broadcast. Favorite book or movie: “Happy Gilmore” brought my 8-year-old self a ton of laughter and joy, and still does to this day. Favorite food: Chinese Person you’d most like to meet: Tiger Woods Dream vacation destination:  Australia Guilty pleasure: Chick flicks Most prized possession: My collection of logo golf balls that I get from every single course I play at.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":166,"featured_media":70489,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3626,80,1650,82,84,1638],"tags":[4719],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70474"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/166"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=70474"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70474\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":70490,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70474\/revisions\/70490"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/70489"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=70474"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=70474"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=70474"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}