Featured Leader: Randy Eberts
Founded 76 years ago by the man considered Kalamazoo's First Citizen, the W. E. Upjohn Unemployment Trustee Corporation has established itself internationally as an important think tank. Locally, it's increasingly looking like a Do Tank, thanks to Dr. Randy Eberts, who has had the reins for the past 15 years. Eberts, a Ph.D. economist who came to Kalamazoo by way of Northwestern and the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, arrived with a resume dedicated to labor markets, regional economic development, productivity, public finance, job training, income distribution, infrastructure and, significantly, education.
As the Kalamazoo Promise made education something of "first among equals" in the Southwestern Michigan regional economic development mix, Eberts hardly galloped to the fore to take charge of initiatives linking education with economic development. Rather, he became a reluctant hero of sorts, leveraging knowledge and relationships to allow other leaders to focus on the big picture.
In a region in which there are no shortages of good causes and agendas, Eberts most persuasively proclaimed that "we need to be the education community," and the notion is beginning to stick.
Eberts not only has a supportive Board of Trustees made up of people with strong ties to education, but also has key staff who focus on education, notably Senior Economist Tim Bartik, who lives his economic theories on the Kalamazoo Board of Education. Bartik, with Senior Economist Susan Houseman, wrote "A Future of Good Jobs?", and their lessons dovetail nicely with the ongoing, clarifying work of Senior Economist George Erickcek, who's something of a rock star on the local business scene because he brings data to life. Behind the scenes on the education front, Sarah Klerk and Bridget Timmeney have made Eberts more than a one-man band, as they were instrumental in organizing PromiseNet, the national conference on Promise-like programs recently. Similarly, Michelle Miller-Adams, writing exclusively about the Kalamazoo Promise and doing research on its effects, has helped the Trustee Corporation, working since 1945 as the W. E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, in its emerging leadership role.
Eberts' facilitative style involves asking two questions for every statement he utters, but increasingly his work is making a statement about the future of the greater Kalamazoo area.
Featured Leader: Ron Kitchens
Because he came to Kalamazoo as something of a 'hired gun' to help pull the community out of the economic development doldrums, Ron Kitchens seemed like an unlikely candidate to call Kalamazoo home.But three years after being lured away from Corpus Christi, TX, Kitchens -- with remnants of an Ozark drawl notwithstanding -- sounds as much like a local as anyone. He's even helped tell stories of Kalamazoo's historical successes, both through the national media and his new book, Community Capitalism: Lessons from Kalamazoo and Beyond. You can buy the book at Amazon.com
People also wondered how Kitchens' easy-going style would fly in the wake of the cloudburst that was Barry Broome. As a member of the National Speakers Association, Kitchens has won over audiences large and small around Kalamazoo while maintaining his focus on targets he's trying to attract from other parts of the country, and more recently abroad.
Kitchens took the Corpus Christi helm in 2000 as its first President and CEO. Prior to that, he served as president of the Moberly/Randolph Economic Development Corporation in Moberly, Missouri. He also helped facilitate the establishment of Moberly as the financial services leasing capital of the United States. He spearheaded the development of three business and industrial parks totaling 480 acres, and he raised $1.2 million in private sector funding. Under Kitchens leadership, the agency earned five major state economic development awards in 1998 and the 1999 Economic Development Marketing Program of the Year Award. Governor Mel Carnahan twice named the organization the Business Retention and Expansion Organization of the Year.
Prior to economic development, Kitchens served as field director for United States Senator John Danforth of Missouri. Kitchens began his public service at the age of 21, when he was elected and served six years as a City Councilman in his home town of Ozark, Missouri.
Featured Leader: Bill Parfet
It didn't escape people's attention that William Upjohn Parfet is the great-grandson of William Erastus Upjohn when news of MPI Research expansion into downtown Kalamazoo was announced.
But few people knew what was on Bill Parfet's mind when he bought the troubled labs in 1995, a company beset with financial and public relations problems, a firm worth arguably $6 million.
Fewer still might have forecast success. But a career manager at Upjohn at the time, where Parfet had risen to President and Vice Chairman -- but where he was told he could go no higher -- predicted the "young" Parfet, son of long-time CEO R.T. Parfet, would make good.
"I've worked for 26 different managers at Upjohn in my career," the manager said in 1995, "and Bill was the most dynamic, most transformational of any, and believe me, there were a lot of good ones."
Parfet is too positive to view a return to the old Upjohn buildings downtown with a full head of steam as revenge for not being tapped for the top job. Additionally, he didn't lament that Kalamazoo was going to hell in a handbasket when big corporations, including Upjohn successor organizations, began their exit.
Instead, he rolled up his sleeves and built something that W.E. Upjohn would have been proud of.
Featured Leader: Bobby Hopewell
Kalamazoo mayors keep high profiles as a matter of duty, but this time of year -- issuing the State of the City address -- they get extra attention.
Hopewell's upbeat message this year -- that we will be remembered for "our coming together and our innovative spirit to creating the possible" -- is part of his plan to accentuate the positive while addressing the well-known challenges of the city.
"I realize I may just have two years, so I'm going to do what's in my heart," he said privately regarding the community role that has taken its toll on an already busy schedule. In addition to responding to citizen requests and attending scores of public events, Hopewell is also reaching out to other private and governmental leaders to see what they expect from the city, and to see what he can do as mayor.
He has shown a particular interest in the neighborhoods and the schools, regardless of their formal association with the city government. "We either rise together, or fall together," he has been saying.
Hopewell is mindful that his predecessors, Hannah McKinney and Robert Jones, were exceptionally positive in their approach to city issues, and accepts the fact that a mayor has an informal leadership role in the larger community.
As he has said to audiences of late: "I believe our will and tanacity gives us every possibility to make this place we call home . . . even better."
Featured Leader: Cliff Moshoginis
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"It's going to happen," he told a business audience this winter of the terminal expansion that will serve passengers for the next quarter century. In fact, with the guidance of the business-based Kalamazoo County Aeronautics Board of Trustees and a supportive Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners, it's back to the drawing board -- literally -- to expand the facility.
"Look for construction in '09, possibly as early as later this year," says Moshoginis, who will spend his share of time in Washington, D.C. making sure the funds keep flowing into this part of the state. Using his 28 years of industry experience, Moshoginis also fights for other Michigan airports as President of the Michigan Association of Airport Executives.
Meanwhile, airlines, too, are demonstrating their confidence in AZO. As it should be in air transportation, things are looking up. American is adding a fifth nonstop flight to Chicago, and Continental is due back in June.
Featured Leader: Maurice Evans
Few people in Portage would know that their City Manager, Maurice Evans, was an elite athlete in college. But they're finding out that this former track star, out of his love of exercise, and belief in it, is helping make the city government a high-performance employer.
Evans asked his benefits manager, Patti Thompson, to author a wellness program that would provide incentives for employees to exercise and eat well. "It was one of the first discussions we had," says Thompson, a 17-year Portage city veteran. Studies over the past year have shown the local government is enjoying the benefits of the creative program that rewards healthy behavior.
He credits Thompson for her work and employees for their acceptance of a program that combats one of the most serious problems in the workforce today -- rising healthcare costs.
Employees are supported in their efforts to get healthier by hitting goals that include receiving training and seeing their doctor. Excellent results include seeing some "high risk" employees reduce their risk of life-threatening illnesses, such as heart disease. Moreover, explains Thompson, "presenteeism" is up. "Healthy employees are known to be better employees," she points out. A veteran of human resources, Thompson studied numerous plans before offering the current one. "We still have some challenges, but we're making progress," she says.
Although he was a self-starter and was self-coached in high school and college, Evans admits it's good to be faced with the goal-setting pressure of the program. Evans took up running on his own in 10th grade and never looked back, earning All-American honors at Lake Superior State College and setting numerous school records, including one which stands today (9:24 in the two-mile). How good was Evans? His 10K times as a collegian, under 31 minutes, would have won most if not all 10K road races in Michigan last year.
Evans' competitive goals today are merely to run the best city government he can. His personal fitness goals are very much like those of his colleagues -- to stay fit, keep the weight off and feel good.
People interested in the City of Portage approach should feel free to contact Thompson at 269-329-4536.
Featured Leader: Judy Moore
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All these things were obvious to those who shared in her work, and who will continue
the work she has begun. Less obvious, perhaps, has been the inner drive that kept
the program fresh and relevant. All too often, organizations languish because no
single individual provides the ongoing will to keep them alive. Moore -- utilizing
self-discipline and high energy -- not only kept things going, but also attracted
people to work with her and leveraged their talents and experience.
All the betting money is that Judy Moore will continue to have a positive impact on the greater Kalamazoo area. But don't let that stop you from thanking her for what's she's done.
Leader: Steve Springsdorf
As a man who has dedicated his career to fitness and health, little wonder that Steve Spingsdorf hit the ground running in Kalamazoo.
The new Executive Director of the Kalamazoo Family YMCA was at the door of the Maple Street facility greeting members before the sun came up his first week and was still working with people at the end of the day at the Lincoln Center. In between, he was scoping out the Portage facility.
Staff and members at those facilities shouldn't be surprised. Springsdorf's high-energy, positive style earned him glowing recommendations from people in Saginaw, where he spent 25 of his 30 career years with the Y organization. Most recently, Springsdorf had statewide responsibilities, but he accepted the Kalamazoo-Portage job to "make this the best Y in Michigan."
"We feel he can do it," says YMCA Board President Jamie Kneen, who chaired the search committee. "He's a team builder and a team player," says Kneen.
Springsdorf and his wife, Judy, were familiar enough with Kalamazoo "that we knew this would be a fun place to work, and to live." In addition to familiarizing themselves with the Y, they also got out early, after arriving in mid-January, to meet other community leaders, including people from the Greater Kalamazoo United Way, of which the YMCA is a member.
"Obviously, the greater Kalamazoo has a lot going for it," said Springsdorf. "To be successful, we need to be a healthy community. Look for our organization to be an important part of our community development."
Girl Scouts Transforming Lives
So, you thought being a Girl Scout was meeting in the church basement to plot the next cookie sale?
Well, meet Jan Barker, who as CEO for the past 12 years, has listened to the hopes and dreams of thousands of young girls and helped build the
Glowing Embers Council into an organization that has transformed young girls' lives.
Working with hundreds of committed volunteers, Barker today oversees scores of programs and a locally developed curriculum to address the issues facing rural, suburban and urban girls in dynamic and unique ways.
Community leaders and a dedicated staff helped Barker go into the community and raise $7.8 million to rebuild Camp Merrie Woode and build an architectural delight, the new Program and Training Center in Kalamazoo. This urban campground at Maple and Crosstown is becoming a national showcase for how to advance scouting. The building process only strengthened an organization that today serves 6,000 girls in five counties.
How important were the ideas of the girls in the building process? "They even helped us pick the architect," says Barker, walking through the 28,000-square-foot building which is ready for weekend camp outings beginning in February.
The new building and Camp Merrie Wood are a tribute to the organization's growth and success, but it's the programs and education that drive Girl Scouting, says Barker.
The secret to this organization's success? "The organization is incredibly complex," says Barker, "but the very simple care and concern for these
girls -- that's what makes it work."
Want to learn more about the Girl Scouts, or tour the building? visit www.gagec.org
or call 343-1516.
Still time to sign up for a Girl Development Summit on January 26.
Find out more here: http://www.gsgec.org/girl_dev/girl_development.htm
Jan Barker at Girl Scouts new training center.