By Shannon Daiber
Public Relations, senior

The Cassara family recognizes the value of communication in the business world, due to the advice the patriarch gives to his clients daily.

Lou Cassara, nationally recognized speaker and founder of The Cassara Clinic, started his company to challenge people to become a "first rate version of themselves." His business emphasis on communication also sparked the interest of two of his three children to obtain communication degrees from Purdue.

"I believe the lessons and experiences that we have received from our father have influenced us in a very positive way," said Stefanie Cassara, the eldest daughter and Purdue alumna.

In 1985, Cassara saw the need for a new type of communication model that equipped professionals with skills necessary to accent their best qualities. From this need, Cassara decided to start his own business consulting company.

"I wanted to build another model where people would want to talk rather than just talk," said Cassara.

The success of The Cassara Clinic's values grabbed Stefanie Cassara enough that she chose to work for her father full time after her graduation in 2005.

"I knew that to stay in the family business was important to me, but I honestly did not feel as though I had the requirements to work with such a successful and established agent," said Stefanie Cassara.

Being the Director of Client Services at the clinic, Stefanie Cassara believes her communication knowledge and skills gained at Purdue bolstered her confidence in the professional business environment. She especially applies the knowledge she gained in her advanced public speaking course to her job daily.

Cassara's son, Anthony, also chose to pursue a degree in communication at Purdue to complement his career choice of television news broadcasting. One of Anthony Cassara's first clients was his father when he created an introductory video that is now played before every keynote speech Lou Cassara gives.

Even though Anthony Cassara did not choose to start his career in the family business, he still recognizes the value of communication in the business world because of his father's influence.

"He knows how to make people clear, confident and capable in their lives and work," said Anthony Cassara. "That is also what he has taught me."