Category: How Did I Get Here

Patricia Provot North American Continental Leader at Armstrong International 1978 | Born in Belgium I was the first of four children born to a French-speaking dad and Dutch-speaking mom. My delivery happened while my parents were on vacation for a month in Belgium. My father was a diplomat for the Belgian government, and my parents […]

With Russ McFee, President of GHS Strings. 1959 | BORN IN BATTLE CREEK: My good friend’s grandfather was the doctor who delivered me at the community hospital. I always say he was the first person to see me alive on this earth. 1960s | BEST CHILDHOOD MEMORY: Back in the late ’60s, my parents took […]

Frank Sardone, president and chief executive officer at Bronson Healthcare, walks us through his journey to leadership. 1957 | BORN IN AKRON, OHIO I was born in Akron. I grew up in a family of five children, although before I was born, there were only two—so I came right in the middle. We’d moved from […]

Greg Dobson, Chief Operating Officer and Principal at AVB, tells us about his journey to leadership. 1970 | Born in Quincy, MI  I grew up in a strong family environment. However, my entire family is made up of die-hard Michigan State Spartans. So, when I got a last-moment scholarship to Western Michigan University (WMU) and […]

Mike Roeder, President and CEO of Fabri-Kal Corporation, takes us through his leadership journey. 1963 | Born in Cumberland, Maryland My family moved to Baltimore, Maryland, when I was too young to remember. I had four brothers and sisters, so there was a lot of sharing. We shared toys, cars, bathrooms—you name it. Growing up, […]

Women make up over 50 percent of the regional population in Southwest Michigan. Though workforce participation has skyrocketed, challenges still exist for women in the workplace, such as unequal pay, under-representation in managerial roles, and fewer degrees earned in university subjects such as engineering and computer science. To address these issues head-on, Southwest Michigan First […]

Kit Snyder, President and CEO of Consumers Credit Union, tells us about his journey to leadership. 1956 | Born in Coldwater, MI I have lived my entire life in Michigan. I was raised on a 40-acre farm outside Coldwater. Every evening, my family would sit together at our dining room table, and everything we ate […]

Gary Schultz, President and CEO of Edwards Garmet, gives us a glimpse into his journey to leadership. 1952 | Born in Ann Arbor, MI Pioneer High School, where I went to school, sat kitty-corner from the University of Michigan football stadium; we felt very much a part of what went on at the campus. It […]

Tim Lester, Head Football Coach of Western Michigan University, takes us through the high points of his leadership journey. 1977 | Born in Wheaton, IL I grew up in a very tight-knit, family town. I think it was (a question) on Jeopardy (once) for having more churches per capita than anywhere else in the world. […]

Scott McIntyre Director of Engineering Project Management & Processes / Site Leader Bosch Automotive Aftermarket / Automotive Service Solutions 6400 Technology Avenue Kalamazoo, MI 49009 us.bosch.com Where are you originally from? My wife, Madeline, and I are natives of Carpinteria, California—a beautiful beach community, very close to Santa Barbara. I had been working with a small […]

John Korycki may be Director for Culinary Education at Kalamazoo Valley, but his love for food and cooking goes all over the place. John Korycki Director for Culinary Education, Kalamazoo Valley Community College, June 2015—present Executive Chef, Greenleaf Hospitality Group, August 2004—April 2015 Founding Chef, Zazios Kendall College, Associate of Arts and Sciences, Culinary Arts, […]