We formally recognize Mr. William D. Johnston and Mrs. Ronda E. Stryker alongside Mr. William U. Parfet and Mrs. Barbara A. Parfet for their leadership in co-chairing the medical school's tenth anniversary gala WMed Live: A First Decade Celebration. NjNhYWNiMTQ3ZTYzYWZmMTBkYjYwNGVhOWZkMjM3OWE5YjdmNWVhMTA5ODBh You cant walk a few blocks without seeing a building with names of prominent philanthropists like Upjohn or Stryker. A different healthy snack for the golf bag. Smith has calculated that the citys four whitest neighborhoods, which are also its wealthiest and which have the highest home values, receive around 41% of the total tax breaks annually, around $4.5 million. William Johnston and Bill Parfet are two billionaires with a mission to stabilize the city of Kalamazoo in southwest Michigan. Kalamazoo has long lived with the contradictions of relying on the generosity of the very rich; multiple people told me that elected officials have long factored how the two Bills would react to policy decisions. Lara has 2 jobs listed on their profile. The program has more than doubled the number of students it helps since getting a grant from the Foundation for Excellence, and it now serves around 350. All Rights Reserved. Its a completely different way of doing government and communityits unheard-of. But none of these will approachin terms of massive changeswhats in store for Kalamazoo Country Club (KCC) over the next four years. Money in politics, in other words, makes it impossible to turn away millionaires and billionaires who want to help a city like Kalamazoo. Johnston Jr., Walter William Kalamazoo Passed away on Saturday, July 22, 2017 at Rose Arbor Hospice Residence in Kalamazoo. William is related to Grant Grant Johnston and Bette J Johnston as well as 2 additional people. Yzk2NTI4MzI1ZTE4OWE4NzhkNGQ2MTUzMzhiMmJkMzEyMmY5Y2NiNGI5OTM2 Now, in an era when billionaires control more wealth than half of the U.S. population combined, Kalamazoo is trying to harness the power of extreme riches to balance its budget. Its a scenario that critics say sets the stage for the super wealthy to control more and more aspects of public life. Once-cash-strapped nonprofits are expanding their missions, helping residents get job training, do their taxes and adjust to life after prison. NzdmMTgzY2JjZjRmY2Y5ODUzZWNhYjZlMjdmOWVlMTI1ZWEzMTUwMzg1Mzcx Once a year, Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, FL, hosts a weekend dedicated to vintage automobiles, planes, and yachts . Our strength comes from our impressive membership of community members that value excellence, both personally and professionally. His previous and ongoing experience as a practicing attorney . The most recent tenant is William Johnston. Parfet, a political conservative who has donated heavily to state and national Republican campaign committees and to the campaign of Donald J. Trump, is an investor who spent decades as an executive and board member at big companies like Stryker and Monsanto. Theres a long history in the U.S. of the rich stepping in to fund cultural amenities like museums, but lately theyve started stepping in to fund projectsin Kalamazoo and elsewherethat have long been perceived as the governments responsibility. Cant wait for further details and the chance to play the redesigned course! He disputes the idea that the Bills dictated anything to the city. ; Senate Bill 77 would update references to pistols in Michigan's penal code. If you believe Wordfence should be allowing you access to this site, please let them know using the steps below so they can investigate why this is happening. Once they find out that this Foundation for Excellence transforms the community [and] reduces poverty, philanthropists in other communities may look and say, Build an arena, or put money into the city budget? Were kind of a laboratory for some extreme generosity approaches to urban governance. Hes given to both Republican and Democratic candidates in Michigan, including Govs. Ruth is Editor Emerita of the Nonprofit Quarterly. Residents have long complained about odors and pollution from the factory and oppose a tax abatement recently approved by the city commission. He served his country in the United States Army Air Corps during World War II. Hundreds of children have been able to attend free summer camp and go online thanks to routers and Internet service paid for by the Foundation. LGBTQ activists and legislative Democrats have pushed to expand the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to include sexual orientation and gender identity for years. LaRoy, James 6/22/1946 - 2/20/2023 Zephyrhills Zephyrhills - James P LaRoy, 76, born June 22, 1946 passed away on February 20, 2023. ODFmMWNjMjQ3ZTU0ZGM4ODRjMDYzMmNlN2ZlOWUxMjhmYWIzZGY2ZWM0NTEw The program has enabled 109 people, including Williams, to stay in their homes who otherwise would have been evicted, the foundation says. Contact List Directories In 2016, the city launched a project called Imagine Kalamazoo 2025, holding open houses, community picnics, and online surveys that asked residents what they wanted to see in their city. Construction at the Kalamazoo Farmers Market, where a renovation is being partially funded by the Foundation for Excellence. Kalamazoo based support of economic development; and enhancement support for Kalamazoo area . But maybe they can tame them. Magazines, Or create a free account to access more articles, Two Rich Men Decided to Fund a Failing City. Kalamazoo College 1200 Academy Street Kalamazoo, Michigan 49006-3295 USA. If it works in Kalamazoo, its going to work because of the benevolence of our particular donors. However one feels about the foundation, Kalamazoo is a case study of the power of the super rich at a time of growing wealth inequality. He has been a Minister for the McGowan Labor Government since March 2017, and has previously been Minister for Commerce, Electoral Affairs, and Asian Engagement. William 'Billy' Johnston age 31 was fulfilling a life long dream as a New York City firefighter on the tragic day of September 11 2001. M2JlYzkxMTEyOWRmZWNlMzc2OGYyMzA0NzQ0Y2FmNjRlODVhZGYwMTRkMjUx OGRmOWI5MjFlNDRjOTQ3N2JjMTMwODI3MDg0NjcyYzg3NDM2MDIyNDUwZDBk As for asking philanthropists to fund a city, Hopewell says it might be an unusual approach, but that doesnt mean its bad. I think we already have some pretty blurred lines [around] wealthy control over government. MTgyMWIwMzA1MzcxY2MzYjJiOGQ1NGQ5YjA0NzQxMjVlOWIwYzI3ZGMxZGIy And some of the foundations most vocal critics have moved on. The bill will now go to the House for further consideration. What better name for a medical school that is a true community collaboration.. It was also a win for two of Kalamazoos richest men, philanthropists William Parfet and William Johnston, who created the foundation that received the money and that will determine how most of it is spent. But its the foundation staff and board who decide exactly how the money is spent. This is a chance to work together on both sides to protect individual rights and religious conscience all at the same time, Runestad said. Its long been suspected that the wealthy Stryker family, whose grandfather founded the medical device company, Stryker Corp., had something to do with an anonymous $100 million donation three years ago that allowed Western Michigan University to create a new medical school in Kalamazoo. YmVhNDU3ODhhYTc2N2JiNGQwNzU1NmY1OTIwZDQzMzBkMDcyNGFiNWMxZDNl RIP. Michigan Law requires that if you plan to dig or excavate you must notify MISS DIG . Some People Say They Made It Worse. . Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Its $400 million for the already pampered, he said. Hundred! Ronda and Johnston are having three children. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. 1995. I think we need to be innovative and creative and try something., Michelle Miller-Adams from the Kalamazoo-based W.E. Four! These emergency managers have contributed to long-standing infrastructure problems, including Flints drinking-water crisis. The new KCC clubhouse will be located to the SW portion of the property. Theres never been a phone call to me to say, vote this way. . Because of the pandemic, meetings that were supposed to be held with public comment are still held on Zoom, and the public can only comment by calling in before the meeting and leaving a voicemail. William D Johnston. It has never rejected the foundations suggestions. NTllMGE4MzQ1Y2NiYzRhNDNlZjk5NjVhYzZjYTkyMzVhNDk5MmYxYjJjMGRh "Ronda Stryker and Bill Johnston have given our city, state and nation a wonderful gift that honors Homer Stryker in the most appropriate way possible," says WMU President John M. Dunn. After he organized a counterprotest to a Proud Boys rally in Kalamazoo last year, the city denied him reappointment to the Citizens Safety Committee, saying he wouldnt be able to perform his duties without bias.. Throughout the year, Board members meet regularly to weigh in on the organizations strategic direction; provide oversight on the work of the team; act as a resource for attraction, expansion and retention projects; and help move community and public policy initiatives forward. I write about industrial innovation and the global auto industry. Past residents include Michael Johnston, Anne Johnston . School of Medicine. YTlkNzUyNDQxNmEwZmMyMTAxNDBkMWNmMzBhMDQwMTM2MzU4ODIxMDUyNGVl No one had a cell phone until it was created, he says. He is an actor and composer, known for The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986), D.O.A. On this point, Kalamazoo City Attorney Clyde Robinson urges the foundations 15-member boardwhich has yet to be appointedto address the issue of restricted fund donations, a scary consideration that could eventually draw the city off course. Johnson, as well as Sens. Her husband, Bill Johnston, is the chairman of Greenleaf Companies, which include Greenleaf Trust, Greenleaf Hospitality Group and Catalyst Development LLC. make sense of changing conditions and improve infra-structure in their organizations. Since the Two Bills, as theyre known to locals, launched the Foundation for Excellence in 2017 to close budget gaps in their cash-strapped cityreportedly pledging $70 million of their own money to do sothe nonprofit has distributed around $26 million a year to close budget holes, lower property taxes and fund a wish list of projects. Johnston majored in political science as an undergraduate and played . ), short course, practice rangeto be moved to the southwest. Contact him at terry50moore@gmail.com. The legislative package includes: Senate Bill 76 would require a license or background check for the purchase of firearms. Members and others close to the project say the course will be world class, with tentative plans for a par-70, 7000 + yard layout. Anonymous donors had just given what is thought to be the largest-ever gift to support a municipality, and for city officials, it felt like winning the lottery. Megan earned a Master of Public Administration from New York Universitys Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. . Johnston resides with his wife, Ronda E. Stryker, who earned her masters from WMU in 1982, in the Kalamazoo area. A network of great golf and travel writing. Johnston peacefull passed away in Idaho on April 23, 2021. Like Sykes-Nehring, he now lives outside of Kalamazoo, in a rural area. I do think the taxing structures that exist today are making it really hard for cities, counties and others to really be the community they want to be. Smith is outspoken about the racial inequities he says are fueled by the foundation: Its widening the wealth gap.. It has more than 25,000 employees globally. CHICAGO IL (WKZO AM/FM) - The son of two prominent Kalamazoo citizens has been charged with illegally using a hidden camera to record the nannies working in his home. Retakes arrive at 10am. They are worth $5 trillion, two-thirds more than the total wealth held by the bottom 50% of Americans. The Hon. Rick Snyder and Jennifer Granholm. NmVkOTlhMjY5ZDdmMDc2ZTI3MWE0MmRlZDYyNDI2NWE1YTEwYzBiMmY0NTRi Every conversation was about cut, cut, cut, she says of city budget discussions at the time. NzYzY2M1YmY3MGNmNjgxOTY1MzhlY2Y5NTMzNzc0YzZhNGUyZjE0MzllNmVk He remembers being invited to a white friends house and being asked about his vision for the city. The property tax may benefit white people more, but there are more white people than Black people in Kalamazoo, he says. As Chairman, Bill focuses on culture, vision, mission and high-level strategies for Greenleaf Trust. The youngest child is Annie Stryker who was born in 1991 and completed her graduation from the . Baeuerle, Virginia L. Bhuyan, Janet . UNLOCK PROFILE. I walked around the citys Northside neighborhood, and many of the people I asked about the Foundation for Excellence had never heard of it. Ronda Stryker and Bill Johnston have given our city, state and nation a wonderful gift that honors Homer Stryker in the most appropriate way possible, says WMU President John M. Dunn. A century-old private dining club perches by the front steps of City Hall, where a crowd of mostly white patrons dined at white tablecloths on a summer evening. Local product displayKalamazoo Valley Museum, Philanthropy Must Move from Charity to Solidarity, Eliminating Biphobia Through Breath, Brotherhood, and the Arts, Using a Data-Driven Strategy to Advance Racial Equity in Grantmaking, Protecting Nonprofits That Protect Us During Crisesand Beyond, Reimagining Philanthropy to Build a Culture of Repair. Hes right that the money is funding a lot of good things. It said the foundation would be transparent, but when Rev. Stephanie Williams, a former Kalamazoo city commissioner and a community activist, stands outside the Graphic Packaging International paper mill in Kalamazoo, Mich.., which some residents say has benefited from big tax breaks while polluting surrounding areas. MTUzN2M0MDYxMTU1YTEyYTQyMGI1ZTJiMzQ4MWYyZDViYmQxN2NhOGJmNjZl OGZhNTJkZTE2ZjZhYjQwNjE3YTNlYzJlZDRjY2VhZDJjYTc5ZTEwYTRlODg1 Meanwhile, since the tax cuts of the 1980s, local governments have faced mounting budget problems that are expected to grow as they struggle to pay pensions and fulfill other obligations, says David Callahan, the editor of Inside Philanthropy and the author of The Givers: Wealth, Power, and Philanthropy in a New Gilded Age. Million! When the bill passed 23-15, his fellow Democrats gave him a standing ovation. Western Michigan University Kalamazoo MI 49008-5200 USA (269) 387-1000 Contact WMU. The Kalamazoo Country Club is a Beacon of Tradition in Kalamazoo. A graduate of Kalamazoo College and the American Bankers Association Graduate Trust School, Kevin is a Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor. The name of William Johnston has been listed in the property assessment records for five real estate properties: 16 Barracuda Ln B-1, Ocean Reef, 33037 Fl, parcel #0659 41 00081660000503 . Subscribe today and get a full year of NPQ for just $59. The bold and civic-minded thinking behind KCC is of a similar ilk. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again. We have money; we can serve more students.. By signing up, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of use, and to receive messages from NPQ and our partners. OTY2NTU0MWVmZGZkMGYxODY4YmJmN2MzMzdiOTU0YWNlMTVmOTYwMjFhODQ2 $79.00 - $139.00. MGEyOWRkZWNiODZlZDQ3ZTc3NWU1ZmQ0NGE0ZjZmY2JmNDQyYzdkZDZlM2Y5 The Northside neighborhood, which is 91% people of color, receives 3.9% of the tax breaks, and the Eastside, which is 80% people of color, receives 2.4%, Smith says. . A phone number associated with this person is (202) 249-0260, and we have 5 other possible phone numbers in the same local area codes 202 and 206. NWVhNWIxZjhiNThkMzc5N2RlOWMyMzFiYjIxYmY3ZTFhZjhlNzM4NTA0MGJm Originally constructed by phil. Nathan Dannison, one of the foundations first board members, asked for more information about where the city was investing its endowment, he says he was stonewalled. Companies led by the directors of Southwest Michigan First are responsible for 34,553 regional workers, employ a global workforce of 367,898 and generate over an estimated $4.62 billion in annual local salaries earned in the seven counties of Southwest Michigan. House sends $1.3B spending bill to Whitmer; $630M going to Ford battery plant, Conservancy seeks helpers to battle invasive species at rare prairie fen preserve, Michigan lawmakers restart bipartisan effort to enact National Popular Vote, Red flag, safe storage bills get first hearing in Michigan House, $180 checks bounced from Michigan tax plan now headed to Whitmers desk. TOPICS: Courses and Travel, Golf Tags: Bill Johnston, Congressionnal CC, golf architect Andrew Green, Inverness CC, Kalamazoo Country Club, Kalamazoo Promise, Michigan, Ronda Stryker, Terry Moore and golf, A member of the Golf Writers Association of America, Terry Moore was the founding editor of Michigan Golfer for 18 years and is now a regular columnist and travel writer for it and several other golf websites. Age 51. . There is a public stance by the city that citizens have input; I have not seen any instance where the public has significant input, says David Benac, who lost to David Anderson in the 2019 mayoral race and who has become a vocal opponent of the foundation. The two will provide $70 million in seed money for the Kalamazoo Foundation for Excellence over the next three years. Sen. Ruth Johnson, R-Holly, and Sen. Jim Runestad, R-White Lake, put forward substitutions focused on protecting religious expression prior to the vote. Bill Walsh, 8-time Kalamazoo Men's All-City Champion was my uncle. If the only future for this country is Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg on Mount Rushmore, and titans of capital have this never-ending gilded age, then the municipal endowments at least is a way to have some kind of local autonomy, says Dannison. Please contact the SJF team at info@strykerjohnstonfoundation.org or 269-488-8484. Before taking this role in 2017, Megan spent over a decade working in nonprofit and public policy spaces with organizations in the United States and abroad. Johnston, who's married to Ronda Stryker, another admired philanthropic force in Kalamazoo, made the purchase presentation to the club's membership in 2020 and the vote to sell the club was overwhelming passed. Many Northside residents are more concerned about Graphic Packaging International, a paper factory that announced a $600 million expansion on a lot adjacent to its current property on Kalamazoos Northside. All documents about the foundation live on the citys websitethe Foundation for Excellence does not have a separate website. Date of Birth: 2023 Southwest Michigan First All Rights Reserved.Web Design by Blue Fire MediaSitemap | Login, Senior Vice President, Commercial Real Estate Lending, Senior Vice President & Global General Counsel, Goodwill Industries of Southwestern Michigan, WMU Homer Stryker M.D. The Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. Responding Democrats made it clear that they are simply accomplishing a long overdue goal for many Michiganders. William Johnston , 78. In October, the city cleared Kalamazoos homeless camps, including the one where Haywood was living, enraging many residents. We're here to help (800) 896-5587 (Mon-Fri, 7am-6pm MDT) I walked in your memory. Ronda Stryker and her husband, William Johnston, live in Portage and have been busily involved in communities across the state through their dedication to the Western Michigan University Medical School and their wealth management firm, . She is fueled by her commitment to help create a more just, vibrant world. In addition, he is Chairman of Greenleaf Companies (inclusive of . OTQ4YzA1ODJiZDJjYjNkZGVmOTRkNTMwZDlmYzUzMWNmNGRmNjE5YzZlNmI3 . For years and yearscenturies to comewe can improve, grow, invest, create, aspire differently than weve ever been able to do before, Bobby Hopewell, Kalamazoos longest-serving mayor, who stepped down in 2019, told me recently. YjllODQ2ZjQxZDQ1NzRlYjY5MzdlYTYyMTcyZTBlMjZkYTA4ZTVmYzk2Zjg3 William D. Johnston, B.S. Rental Properties, businesses, apartments, condos and/or other real estate associated with William Johnston in Kalamazoo, MI. But it will be a model, he said at a policy conference hosted by Detroits chamber of commerce. 8:00am registration & refreshments. Johnston and Stryker are longtime philanthropists with deep roots in Kalamazoo. NjRjMTc0ODA3ZTJlYzZiMjMyYmE2MGQxZTYyODA3Y2QzYTY1OWI4NzI0YzBk Trustee Johnston is the chairman of Greenleaf Companies, which include Greenleaf Trust, Greenleaf Hospitality Group and Catalyst Development LLC. "For years and yearscenturies to comewe can improve, grow, invest, create, aspire differently than we've ever been able to do before.". Anson, Anne 10/4/1936 - 2/18/2023 Kalamazoo Anne M. Anson 86 of Kalamazoo passed away peacefully on Saturday February 18, 2023 at Park Place Assisted Living. Lindsey reminds us that people who are closest to the pain, should be closest to the power., Leatrice FullertonResource & Relationship Partner. New affordable housing under construction in the Northside neighborhood of Kalamazoo, a project receiving funding from the Foundation for Excellence. All rights reserved (About Us). I got stuck in traffic near the Kalamazoo farmers market, which is being expanded with grants from the foundation, and talked to Ricky Thrash, who recently set up a food truck in the parking lot of his hair salon with help from a $25,000 grant. Phone: Cell/Mobile/Wireless and/or landline telephone numbers for Norma Johnston in Kalamazoo, MI. More than a decade ago and with the financial support of Dow and Dow Corning, Midland was also transformed with a new 92,000 square foot clubhouse, remodeled golf course and a new Aquatic Center. An income tax would perhaps be a form of a death knell to this little bit of momentum we were having, Parfet told me. I visited a dusty lot across the Kalamazoo River, where hundreds of people were living in tents as part of a growing homeless encampment. Despite this wealth, Kalamazoo has been struggling. Copyright 2022 Stryker Johnston Foundation. ODFhMWRiMTUzMzQ1YWE4OWY0MGI5ZTUwY2Q0NWQ1YTZiYWQ2MTA0YWNlMzMw While he wouldnt care that the school was named after him, it is without doubt a fitting and lasting recognition to his contribution to medicine, medical research, innovative products and service to patient healthcare outcomes. I brought some of these concerns to Bobby Hopewell, who was Kalamazoos mayor for 12 years and who is the founding director emeritus of the Foundation for Excellence. On the other hand, it also creates some slack, or capital, to work with to free up resources at the level of individual pocketbooks. Its going to allow people to live a fulfilling, true, authentic life here in the state of Michigan., Related: Preventing LGBTQ discrimination in Michigan just moved a step closer to reality. Since the city planned to lower property taxes to offset the creation of the income tax, some residents would actually pay less in taxes than before, Sykes-Nehring says. It helped people like Ebube Okpechukwu, 20, learn how to build her rsum and explore the medical field by setting her up in a position that let her work alongside physical therapists. In the meantime, if you see any KCC members be sure to congratulate them for winning the lottery! Megan's goal is to reimagine and build a philanthropic sector that is rooted deeply in shared power, trust, authentic relationships, and abundance., Jennifer DouglasResource & Relationship Partner. It was a historic moment Wednesday, March 1, in the state Senate when legislation to ban discrimination against LGBTQ people in Michigan passed the chamber in a bipartisan vote. Her background includes forty-five years of experience in nonprofits, primarily in organizations that mix grassroots community work with policy change. The commission also has a say in who is on the Foundation for Excellence Board, which includes stakeholders from different neighborhoods and groups like health care, the arts and education. Public school enrollment has been on an upswing since donors launched the Kalamazoo Promise. Not only does the diversity of the Southwest Michigan Firsts Board composition allow for high-level thinking, dreaming, and conversation among our leadership, but it shows existing companies, potential companies, and our partners at all levels that this community is serious about creating jobs. The guiding principle was two shalls and a may, Dannison says. OTA4ZTI5MzQwZmYyMWEyNmYwNDg0Nzk0OGU4Yjg1ZjUzMGVmYjRjNWNkNzRm In a roughly 30-minute filibuster speech, Sen. Ed McBroom, R-Vulcan, spoke about the history of Christian ideals and the demonization of those who stand in opposition to approved politics., The idea is, if you live your truth, Ill live mine, McBroom said. His next Masters will be his 37th as a credentialed golf writer. Michael Stryker is the elder son born in 1984 who is working in Chicago. William Johnston. The forthcoming redevelopment plans for the club are beyond exciting and anything any former member could ever have imagined. We were already in a hard spot. WMU Notice of Non . Class Location: Johnstone Supply / 1840 Industrial Blvd / Muskegon, MI 49442. Ronda Stryker is on the board of directors of Stryker Corporation, and is also is a trustee of Kalamazoo and Spellman colleges and a longtime trustee of the Kalamazoo Community Foundation. After succeeding in his quest for a bank charter from the state of Michigan, he founded Greenleaf Trust in 1998 and merged the asset management company and bank together one year later. But those deals can set a dangerous precedent. Upon graduation, he accepted a teaching and coaching position at Kalamazoo Central High School and began a 14-year career in public education while also earning a masters degree. Complimentary to her organizational role is her innovative thought leadership and community advocacy. This is going to save lives, Moss said. I do think this is unique, innovative and in some ways a test, said Carrie Pickett-Erway, president and CEO of the Kalamazoo Community Foundation. 2. 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