When did you graduate from BHS? Does that seem like a long time ago?
I graduated from Bluffton High School in 2003. It does not seem like it was that long ago, but time has passed quickly.
What were you involved in during your growing-up years?
During high school, I was involved in show choir, band, choir, musicals, Latin Club, National Honor Society, was an elementary and high school office helper, and took post-secondary classes at Bluffton. I also worked at The Food Store, which was a lot of fun!
After high school, you went to Bluffton University. What convinced you to stay close to home for your undergraduate degree? What was your major?
Growing up in Bluffton, I never thought that I would attend Bluffton University, but after visiting several other universities and not seeing what I was looking for, my mother suggested I visit Bluffton, her alma mater. After visiting Bluffton, I decided that the small class sizes, the campus, and the financial aid package were huge pluses to attending Bluffton. Even though I was close to home, I hardly ever went home. I loved living in the residence halls and being on campus so it was easy to forget that my parents were five minutes away.
At Bluffton, I majored in communication with a minor in business administration. I enjoyed my classes and the liberal arts education I received. This education helped to provide me with the tools and resources I needed to succeed in the working world.
Did you ever consider following your dad into farming?
I enjoyed growing up on a farm, but I knew from an early age that I would not be following my father's or family's footsteps in farming. My father, brother, and my other relatives have been blessed with patience, the desire to be out in nature, and the ability to fix machinery. I unfortunately never had these qualities, although I am working on patience.
What did you do after college -- before graduate school beckoned? Why Miami for grad school?
After graduating from college, I worked at Open Arms Domestic Violence and Rape Crisis Service in Findlay as their Communications Coordinator. I handled the agency's communication, events, and any other community outreach for them. I learned about flexibility, time management, and working with people. Beth Meeks, the former executive director, was a great teacher and I learned a lot from her.
I enjoyed my time at Open Arms, but eventually decided I wanted to attend graduate school to pursue a a masters in Student Affairs in Higher Education. Miami University has one of the top higher education programs in the nation and I knew that I would be challenged academically. In addition to taking classes, I received an assistantship in the Office of Annual Giving where I would manage 85 student callers who asked alumni, parents, and friends for financial support. These two areas helped me decide that Miami would be a good school for me.
Is it difficult being a fundraiser? What kind of special skills does a good fundraiser require? What was the most important thing you learned in your work and studies at Miami?
I would say that being a fundraiser is one of the best jobs because you get to meet new people and listen to their stories. It can be challenging when I think about monetary goals not being met and children going to bed hungry, victims of domestic violence not having a place to go, or students not receiving the opportunity to receive a quality education. That is hard.
Anyone can learn be a fundraiser, but there are some skills that contribute to how well you will do. Three skills I see as important are: listening, engaging in conversations, and being genuine by building positive relationships. People share all sorts of information, but you need to listen to what they say in order to understand what they enjoy or like. By listening you can then connect their interests with your organization. In addition to listening, you need to be willing to introduce or engage in conversations with people that you may not know. You will never get to know anyone if you do not introduce yourself. Also, in all of your conversations with others, it is very important to be geniune. Individuals will give because they support the organizations, but you will retain them by being yourself and building a relationship with them because "people give to people."
After completing my graduate degree at Miami, I worked for Miami in the Office of Annual Giving on their Student and Young Alumni Initiatives. Miami is a great university and I was fortunate to work with an outstanding team of dedicated fundraisers. These professionals taught me many things, but the most important being that each person has his or her story and by listening to those story you can connect a person's passion to the organization's mission.
Thinking back to your childhood...what did you want to be when you grew up? Did communications and fundraising for non-profits ever appear on the horizon?
As a child, I remember thinking that I would be either a jockey or a news anchor. Obviously, I became too tall to be a jockey and instead of being a news anchor, I decided to major in communications. I never had a clear career path of what I wanted to do, but I knew that I wanted to work with people and not be at a desk all day doing the same thing each day. I did know that I wanted to work with people. After having several internships with different non-profits from the Cincinnati Art Museum to Crime Victim Services of Allen and Putnam Counties, I decided to pursue a career where I could make a difference in the life of others. The non-profit sector has been a good fit and I have been in it ever since.
How did you end up in Grand Rapids, MI? Tell me about your new job there. What is the mission of Kids' Food Basket?
I enjoyed my time at Miami, but was looking for an opportunity to move closer to my fiance, Cara, and to work for a non-profit that assisted people in meeting basic needs. The Fund Development and Communications Coordinator position at Kids' Food Basket was posted; I applied, and I accepted the position. Kids' Food Basket (KFB) is a non-profit that attacks childhood hunger in greater Grand Rapids and its mission is to ensure that children in our community do not go to bed hungry. We serve children, ages 5 to 12, in schools where 80% or more of the students are living at or below the poverty level. The children already receive free or reduced breakfast and lunch at school, but they lack dinner. KFB provides the 1,000 calorie supper of a sandwich, a 100% fruit juice box, a serving of a fresh fruit and vegetable, and two healthy snacks (i.e., yogurt, trail mix, cheese stick) in order for proper brain development. Currently, KFB is serving over 4,460 Sack Suppers each weekday at 32 sites. We have over 170 volunteers make sandwiches, pack Sack Suppers, and deliver the dinners to the sites. The dinners are then distributed by teachers and other school administrators. An interesting thing to note about KFB is that it receives no federal, state or local government funding. The Grand Rapids community really supports KFB.
I am enjoying working at KFB, where I get to work on a variety of projects from interacting with community members on KFB events, to helping them meet fundraising goals. I'm grateful to again have the opportunity work with a hard-working and dedicated staff, and I appreciate being a part of a team that makes an immediate positive impact on the community.
What do you enjoy about living in Michigan? What is Grand Rapids known for?
I am enjoying living in a city and at the same time being close to a variety of outdoor extra-curricular activities. I like that I can attend professional musical performances while at the same time being able to go to the lake in a day. Michigan also has one of the best biking/running trails, so I am enjoying the trails.
Grand Rapids is known for many things from their large scale ArtPrize event that draws thousands of artists and visitors from across the United States each September, to being the headquarters of Amway Corporation, Meijer, and Zondervan. Grand Rapids was also home to Gerald R. Ford so the Gerald R. Ford Library and Presidential Museum is another attraction. The Grand Rapids metropolitan area has a population around 800,000 and while it is the second largest city in Michigan it still has the small hometown feel. It is not uncommon to walk around Grand Rapids and see someone you know.
I hear you recently became engaged. Congratulations! Tell me about your fiance? Where did you meet? When and where will the wedding be?
Cara Hahn, my fiance, was born and raised in West Michigan and loves Grand Rapids. She is smart, caring, funny, and a really good baker. She attended Hope College and graduated with a business degree. After college she went to work for Amway Corporation, where she is currently a Research Analyst in their Consumer & Market Insights group. She is an avid tennis and golf player, and while I have not taken to these activities we do enjoy the outdoors (although the cold weather and wedding planning is currently getting the better of us.) We are getting married on June 2, 2012. We will have a small family wedding at Hope College in Holland, Michigan, with the reception in Grand Rapids at a country club.
You have always struck me as such a friendly, optimistic guy. Where do you think those personality traits come from?
I would say from my parents. I think that growing up in a farming family makes me view life more optimistically. My parents never know when they are going to be able to plant or harvest, but they have always taken it in stride and trusted God with it. My parents have been good role models in my life and because of it I like to look for the positive in each situation. Life is too short to get caught up in the negative aspects of life, so I enjoy it more looking for positive outcomes.
How often do you get back to Bluffton? What do you miss about your hometown?
Recently, I have been back to Bluffton every other month for a family function or another event. Bluffton is a good place, but it is the people that make Bluffton great! I enjoyed growing up in Bluffton because of the friendly people and the chance to always engage in a conversation with someone around town. Blufftonites are some of the most compassionate and caring people and I always enjoy connecting with people when home.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
While I do not know what I will be doing in 10 years, I can say that I will be doing something that I am passionate about while being a light in the world.
