Money in politics, in other words, makes it impossible to turn away millionaires and billionaires who want to help a city like Kalamazoo. School of Medicine. From our inception over a century ago, we have been built and guided by Members that seek out the best- from championship grade golf to the finest . Five persons linked to this address. Complimentary to her organizational role is her innovative thought leadership and community advocacy. MWZiNjBhYTNhNzE4Y2M0OTM5ZjMzMjg4OTdkNjU3MjE1YzVlM2M2ODkyYzY2 William D Johnston. I dont see anybody else gaining other than our children, our neighborhoods, the folks that need jobs, our businesses that we were able to help get through COVID, Hopewell says. 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. Every year, the foundation gives a grant to the city; this year it gave $25.78 million. Cant wait for further details and the chance to play the redesigned course! They wonder why property owners are getting tax breaks from the Foundation while low-income neighborhoods still struggle. 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. The medical technology company he founded now sells $9 billion worth of joint replacements, medical devices and software. Im very hopeful it works out for Kalamazoo, but honestly, in the generic sense, its really not a direction anyone should be going toward, says Milcarek. The lines dividing that entity and the city are blurry. Have You Heard the News About Kalamazoo CC, Part 2? NDA0MGI1Yzk2NTQ0ZThkOGJkNDNjZWU5YjkyNGM4YjZjMGZjNWJiMWY5NzI2 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. It will boast a series of tees that will accommodate varied handicaps. "I say this humbly: we are able to be innovative, and it's kind of a scary word.". Kalamazoo, MI 49007 USA. But maybe they can tame them. Founded in 1995 by Ronda Stryker and Bill Johnston, we partner with organizations and initiatives working to strengthen and build thriving, equitable communities. Yolonda earned her undergraduate degree in Sociology with a focus in Nonprofit Leadership and a Masters in Public Administration from Western Michigan University. In addition to his membership on the WMU Board of Trustees, he is past chair of Southwest Michigan First, an area economic development agency, and he has served on a variety of other boards, such as those of the Bronson Healthcare Group, Donald and Genevieve Gilmore Foundation, Special-Lite Corp., Softech Inc., HUMANeX and the WMU Foundation. In the meantime, if you see any KCC members be sure to congratulate them for winning the lottery! If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Trustee 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. Religion is already a protected class in the civil rights act, but they felt if sexual orientation and gender identity were included, the law wouldnt go far enough to protect those who may act on religious beliefs. Theres an outside unelected entity that holds the purse strings.. 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. '70, M.A. NWVhNWIxZjhiNThkMzc5N2RlOWMyMzFiYjIxYmY3ZTFhZjhlNzM4NTA0MGJm As simple as that sounds, it is ultimately nonsense.. Members receive unlimited access to our archived and upcoming digital content. Here in Kalamazoo, it is synonymous with community commitment. She has a master's degree from Western Michigan University and was a trustee at Kalamazoo College. A 2022 Michigan Supreme Court decision interpreted the law as prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation under the category of sex. Moss said his bill would clear up the law while providing additional resources for LGBTQ community members facing discrimination. By the end of 2020, the foundation had $95.7 million in assets, far short of the $500 million goal. Same with Imagine Kalamazoo 2025. But to sort of promote a governmental finance system that relies on billionaires being benevolent is really a dangerous model to replicate.. School of Medicine is the ideal name for a school that is being developed around the principle of medical innovation that serves the needs of patients.. ODFhMWRiMTUzMzQ1YWE4OWY0MGI5ZTUwY2Q0NWQ1YTZiYWQ2MTA0YWNlMzMw Johnston and Parfet pledged to raise enough money to keep the foundation going in perpetuity, but if those funds dont materialize, the city risks insolvency. 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. This disproportionately benefits white people, because they are the majority of Kalamazoos homeowners, and their homes are worth more than those of Black homeowners. 7145 Moorsbridge Road, Portage, MI 49024 | Phone: (269) 323-5800 | Fax: (269) 323-5890 As the chairman of Southwest Michigan First, Economic Development Corp., Johnston is a passionate supporter of the Kalamazoo region. Bill Walsh, 8-time Kalamazoo Mens All-City Champion was my uncle. 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. We take a look at her health struggles. The biggest chunk goes toward reimbursing Kalamazoo for reducing property taxes$13 million in fiscal year 2021. "There's an outside unelected entity that holds the purse strings.". After a series of panels examined ways for the city to turn itself around, the commission concluded in 2016 that it would have to ask voters to pass an income tax. Phone Number: (772) 475-ODTP +5 phones. William Johnston , 78. The Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. Hopewell says it was initially his idea to ask philanthropists for this money, because he didnt want the income tax to create a financial burden on people who were already struggling. William D. Johnston. William U. My biggest fear around this is that you can now buy influence in a city, says Shannon Sykes-Nehring, who was a city commissioner when the Foundation for Excellence was approved and who has remained a vocal skeptic. ), short course, practice rangeto be moved to the southwest. Western Michigan UniversityKalamazoo MI 49008-5200 USA(269) 387-1000Contact WMU, WMU Notice of Non-DiscriminationLand Acknowledgement Statement, Masters degree in political science, WMU, 1974, Favorite book: Good to great, by Jim Collins. So far, his achievements include cutting red-tape . No one had a cell phone until it was created, he says. 1. NmRhZmU3NTBjYzY1ODRiMThjOGIxYzZhMDg0YWFkYTJhMjIzMWY1ZDk1ZDIx However, KCC will be here first for the community, said one of my sources. They have also lived in Murphysboro, IL and Mendon, MI. On the other hand, it also creates some slack, or capital, to work with to free up resources at the level of individual pocketbooks. Jennifer brings experience in grant writing and creating organizational processes. He also serves on the board of directors of Southwest Michigan First Economic Development . Read more: What Life is Like for Millions of Americans Facing Financial Ruin Because of the Pandemic. Persons With the Same Name. Interesting, yesand maybe a little hair-raising. 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. William D. Johnston, B.S. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. We invest in and collaborate with others in impactful and creative initiatives to change the cycle of generational poverty and its systemic issues. She earned a Bachelor of Science, summa cum laude, in Community and International Development from the University of Vermont. It has never rejected the foundations suggestions. CHICAGO Michael Johnston, co-founder of record label Audiotree and the son of Kalamazoo billionaires William Johnston and Ronda Stryker, pleaded guilty after being accused of using hidden . YWI5NGI3NDQ3NjcwMTJiZjZhYTkwYmQxYjkxYzdkN2UwY2IxMGU3OGFiNzM5 Other cities in Michigan with financial troubles have filed for bankruptcy or been taken over by an emergency manageran unelected person who takes power from elected officials in order to implement unpopular budget cuts. MjYzMjUwNWFjNzE2ZGI1NDI3NzA2OTVkMTk4YjZkZDkzMjQ2OTczZTU3NzFi And if we had made that harder, he says, it would have gone probably catastrophic.. Become a member of Nonprofit Quarterly. N2E5YTU2M2YyZGJmZmQ1YWI3ZTc3MzE3ZmUwNmUxZTczZmRlYmRiMzk4NWUz Reputation Score: 2.13 - 3.76. The donors are concerned with the long-term viability of the City of Kalamazoo and its ability to meet not only the basic needs of its residents but also its inability to invest in efforts to help create a dynamic and growing city, Parfet and Johnston wrote in a Statement of Donor Intent last month. Exactly how those aspirational projects are chosen is a little unclear. Some People Say They Made It Worse. We are thrilled to be strong foundational partners in the creation of this new innovative school of medicine.. When they created the foundation, Parfet and Johnston required the city to scrap a proposed income tax and to decrease property taxes. Supporters of the foundation say the setup is democratic because the city commission, which is elected by voters, has to approve each years grant from the Foundation for Excellence. Johnston, who was wearing glasses with bright blue frames when we talked on Zoom, now runs an asset management company whose real estate arm owns and manages 2.5 million square feet of property across the region, including the Radisson Plaza Hotel, a centerpiece of downtown Kalamazoo. William is related to Grant Grant Johnston and Bette J Johnston as well as 2 additional people. This inequity isnt a problem that bothers just Smith and Williams. The two will provide $70 million in seed money for the Kalamazoo Foundation for Excellence over the next three years. While Parfet - whose quick wit disguises his passion for his community and his deep understanding of the forces that lurk behind business and community success, is a compelling speaker and a statewide leader. YzIyZGRmZDJjOWNkN2IxM2ZjNTc4YjBiYTE1ODNjMDRmMTA5NWViNmE3ZDU5 William James Johnston, 89. Y2VhMDZlOTQxMjczNmQ3OWQxM2MyMDk4YmFjMmViYTU5NDFmMDg1M2E3Yzkw He is the son of Rhonda Stryker, whose family owns the Stryker medical technology company in Kalamazoo, and William Johnston, a Western Michigan University board member and chair of the Greenleaf . The city of Kalamazoo recently received a $500 million donation from local businessmen William Parfet and William Johnston. OGRmOWI5MjFlNDRjOTQ3N2JjMTMwODI3MDg0NjcyYzg3NDM2MDIyNDUwZDBk Michigans first openly gay senator, Jeremy Moss, D-Southfield, has spearheaded the legislative work. RONDA E STRYKER & WILLIAM D JOHNSTON FOUNDATION KALAMAZOO, MI 49007-4713 | Tax-exempt since April 1995 Full text of "Full Filing" for fiscal year ending Dec. 2018. 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. The eldest of four children to Martha G. Parfet (nee Gilmore) and Ray Theodore Parfet, Parfet attended Lawrenceville High School in New Jersey. "I don't see anybody else gaining other than our children, our neighborhoods, the folks that need jobs, our businesses that we were able to help get through COVID.". Johnston majored in political science as an undergraduate and played . Make sure to check Kalamazoo county records. Jennifer earned her degree from Western Michigan University in Sociology and Race and Ethnic Relations. They worry that the foundation is inherently undemocratic because only three of its 15 board members are elected officials. Many followers of the . Once a year, Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, FL, hosts a weekend dedicated to vintage automobiles, planes, and yachts . NDQ2NDRmMjljYzVhY2Y0YjNkOTZjYmM0ZmUzZTA4ZWZhOTkzMTY4MWQ0NzI2 MGEyOWRkZWNiODZlZDQ3ZTc3NWU1ZmQ0NGE0ZjZmY2JmNDQyYzdkZDZlM2Y5 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. The school is a collaboration involving WMU and Kalamazoos two teaching hospitals, Borgess Health and Bronson Healthcare. It will be housed at the W.E. 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. 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. Every conversation was about cut, cut, cut, she says of city budget discussions at the time. University Advancement | Western Michigan University | 1903 W Michigan Ave, Kalamazoo, MI 49008-5403, University Advancement | Western Michigan University1903 W Michigan Ave, Kalamazoo, MI 49008-5403. Also known as Doug Johnston. 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. I say this humbly: we are able to be innovative, and its kind of a scary word, Steve Brown, the manager of the Foundation for Excellence, says as we drive from project to project, baking in 95-degree heat. As for asking philanthropists to fund a city, Hopewell says it might be an unusual approach, but that doesnt mean its bad. Yolonda Lavender Grant Program & Partnerships Director. The bold and civic-minded thinking behind KCC is of a similar ilk. The truth is, the people who want to donate to fund a city are the people who want to buy a city government, she says. 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. 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. He remembers being invited to a white friends house and being asked about his vision for the city. 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. Upjohn M.D. 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. Previous Addresses Home address, vacation, business, rental and apartment property addresses for William. Leatrice says, I proudly reside at the intersection of several different marginalized groups; my race, my disability, and my gender. She has made it her goal to positivly represent and advocate for these communities in all that she does. This Week - 40 Total. The rest include the city manager, former mayor Bobby Hopewell, and applicants from various stakeholder groups like arts and business who are hand-picked by the Kalamazoo Community Foundation, a separate philanthropic organization that has a Parfet and an Upjohn on its board. Sources tell me that well over $100 million will be invested into the project through the largesse of the clubs recent owner, a Limited Liability Corp. led by Bill Johnston. The biggest chunk goes toward reimbursing Kalamazoo for reducing property taxes$13 million in fiscal year 2021. 23 Visits to Public Profile. Communities need to be reinventing themselves these days in a lot of ways. A member of the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame and founder of the West Mich. But those deals can set a dangerous precedent. He put sticky notes with his ideas up on a wall, only to learn that the days activity had been part of Imagine Kalamazoo 2025. You have reached your limit of free articles. Reimagining philanthropy has been a focus for Yolonda educationally and professionally. There were roughly 745 U.S. billionaires by October 2021, about 11 times the number that existed in 1990. which collectively employ more than 900 people. OGU1OTQ2Yjk3MWZjNTczMGUyYWRmZWI3MmIyYzYwNDA4MzFlOGQzNzJlNDE0 The bill will now go to the House for further consideration. Johnston and Stryker, both long time club members, could be seen positioning their clubs future as another tangent of the Kalamazoo Promise, the nationally acclaimed post-secondary 100% scholarship program for each Kalamazoo Public Schools resident graduate. Its pretty interesting to watch.. Theres been some talk of adding a national membership category given the profile of the course and facilities. (Bill) Parfet, is an American businessman and philanthropist. Horton's Haberdashery at KCC has been recognized numerous times on a national level as one of the best golf shops in America. This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Ronda Stryker, who was said to be out of the country, said in a statement that she feels strongly that this is the right time for the medical school to be launched, and she knows her grandfather would be thrilled that the opportunity for medical education is being enhanced in his community. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. 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. Retakes arrive at 10am. Contact info for Bill Johnston in Kalamazoo, Battle Creek, Michigan: Phone number, address lookup, email address, and social networking profiles on Spokeo, your people search engine for contact info & public records. The second best result is Peggy Ann Johnston age 70s in Fort Collins, CO. RIP. With more people at home this spring, SEMCO has experienced an increase in line hits caused by people digging before calling MISS DIG. I learned the game under the tutelage of Walt Biber. YzdjMGEyYWFmYjkzNTJiN2RlM2ZiNGJmZWIwMjlkZjBlMGZmNTVlNWViMzI3 ZDg2YTJjMTQ0ZjZmYmUxZTgzNmJiZDY4ZWY2NDU4YWQyM2U4MzU5MTY5ZjU2 Her background includes forty-five years of experience in nonprofits, primarily in organizations that mix grassroots community work with policy change. 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, . All rights reserved. Our strength comes from our impressive membership of community members that value excellence, both personally and professionally. All rights reserved (About Us). After years of revitalization efforts, restaurants were opening and new people were starting to move to Kalamazoo. Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings. The Southwest Michigan First Board of Directors is comprised of C-level executives, a high standard that we have continued to maintain since our foundation. Information 269-337-7000 Admission 800-253-3602 . William D Johnston, 42. Class Location: Johnstone Supply / 1840 Industrial Blvd / Muskegon, MI 49442. How Nov. 2, 2010 Made the Rich So Much Richer, The Secret History of the Shadow Campaign That Saved the 2020 Election. The Foundation for Excellence is much more than an alternative to an income tax. He was 96. KCC member Bill Johnston put the Invitational in perspective. Read more: Behind Americas Widening Wealth Gap. Newport News Thomas, William "Bill" Langeland Family Funeral Homes Aivars, Irma. The state civil rights act protects against discrimination in housing, real estate, public accommodations, public service, education and employment based on religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, height, weight, familial status and marital status. . NPQ is the leading journal in the nonprofit sector written by social change experts. 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. He served as assistant principal at Kalamazoos South Junior High School. William D. JohnstonPartner. Golf Show, Moore serves as a Governor for the Golf Association of Michigan and Chair of the Communication Committee. A rainbow flag was photographed on the campus of Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Mich., Tuesday, June 21, 2016. But it will be a model, he said at a policy conference hosted by Detroits chamber of commerce. A different healthy snack for the golf bag. See the complete profile on LinkedIn and discover Lara's connections and jobs at similar companies. which collectively employ more than 900 people. Plus 17 calling features including voicemail, call forwarding, and caller ID. Million! You cant walk a few blocks without seeing a building with names of prominent philanthropists like Upjohn or Stryker. ); Bill serves as trustee of Western Michigan University as well as the Genevieve and Donald S. Gilmore Foundation. 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. Johnston, whos married to Ronda Stryker, another admired philanthropic force in Kalamazoo, made the purchase presentation to the clubs membership in 2020 and the vote to sell the club was overwhelming passed. They have never asked me for anything when weve been doing work in this community. Although the original money comes with an arms-length vow from the funders, the remainder of the $500 million will be raised from as-yet-unknown donors, including corporations, individuals, and private foundations. We know that Ronda is single at this point. He's also a past co-chair and current member of the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame Committee. But its the foundation staff and board who decide exactly how the money is spent. Like Sykes-Nehring, he now lives outside of Kalamazoo, in a rural area. Ruth is Editor Emerita of the Nonprofit Quarterly. Last spring, as the nations focus turned to racial inequity in the wake of the death of George Floyd, some residents calculated that the money wasnt being distributed in a racially equitable way. The legislative package includes: Senate Bill 76 would require a license or background check for the purchase of firearms. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital As soon as anyone whos antiracist or curious about equity hears the word[s] tax breaks, it is so obvious to us that thats immediately going to be racially inequitable, says Smith, who argues that the foundation could instead use money to try to solve the problems of infant mortality, poverty, homelessness and other issues worsened by the countrys wealth gap. are involved in philanthropic activities with the Ronda E. Stryker and William D. Johnston . LGBTQ people have been prevented from obtaining jobs, denied housing and more because of how they identify, Moss said, which is why passing the legislation is crucial. They have three adult children. eyJtZXNzYWdlIjoiMTZkNzcxMzBjMTdlZTIzNjRhNGQ2ZTE3NWI0NjI5MjQy When the bill passed 23-15, his fellow Democrats gave him a standing ovation. Moss wielded the gavel for the final vote as president pro tempore, but the added significance of his position as a gay man overseeing the proceeding was not lost on those in the chamber. Yzk2NTI4MzI1ZTE4OWE4NzhkNGQ2MTUzMzhiMmJkMzEyMmY5Y2NiNGI5OTM2 Johnson, as well as Sens. CHICAGO A well-known CEO within the Chicago music scene was arrested and accused of setting up hidden cameras to catch his nanny in the nude. MTUzN2M0MDYxMTU1YTEyYTQyMGI1ZTJiMzQ4MWYyZDViYmQxN2NhOGJmNjZl When hearing of the projects huge scope including a new course designed by Andrew Greenone of the hottest golf architects in the country with such recent remodeling work at Inverness CC, Congressional CC and SciotoI thought of Midland CC and its relationship with Dow Chemical. Date of Birth: Enjoy in-person and virtual performances March 3-4, 2023, at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum and Kalamazoo Valley Community College's Anna Whitten Hall in downtown . Other names that Ronda uses includes Re E Stryker, Ronda A Stryker, Stryker Ronda Johnston, Ronda E Stryker and Rhonda E Stryker. The firm includes Greenleaf Trust, Greenleaf Hospitality Group and Catalyst Development, L.L.C. My grandfather always focused on patient outcomes, said Stryker, worth an estimated $3.4 billion. 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. ; Senate Bill 77 would update references to pistols in Michigan's penal code. Campus in downtown Kalamazoo. The city had said there would be no strings attached to the money, but founding documents stipulated there were two things the city had to do in exchange for fundslower property taxes and balance the budgetand one thing it could do if it wanted tothe aspirational projects. Its $400 million for the already pampered, he said. New York, NY. They got about 4,000 points of contactroughly 5% of the populationincluding about 1,200 people who had attended meetings, 1,000 people who had responded to surveys, and 1,000 who commented on a living wallessentially a plywood board in a park that graffiti artists and others could tag with ideas. Bill Johnson was born on 16 December 1951 in Texas, USA. They had an alternative proposal: if the city scrapped the income tax, theyd fund Kalamazoo with money from a new foundation. N2QwNDRkMjM0ZjQwZDIzNTYzYmVlZDg5NTY2MDI5YzU5Zjc4NDAwMTg5ZmRj 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. Hes right that the money is funding a lot of good things. A second bucket goes to stabilizing the city budget; $4.2 million in 2021. Past residents include Michael Johnston, Anne Johnston . NDcxYjc4YWU0OTM3ZWQ1ZjMwZDVjNjQ5ODkyYjRmNjE2NWUwMDJhM2Y4ZmM5 The Kalamazoo Country Club is a Beacon of Tradition in Kalamazoo. William D. Johnston, B.S. MjQwMDlkMjViN2RmMjdlNjgxZjFlY2NmZTBiMjIzYzc4MjgzYWQyODQwN2Nk He rose to vice president of the firm in just six years, but decided to leave and establish Greenleaf Asset Management Inc.the first of the three Greenleaf Companies. Support independent journalism and knowledge creation for civil society. MWVlMTFmYmNiYWEzZWI5YmRmNmUzODYwN2JiMTEwNjZlOWNlYTkyMGU2ODc3 The city agreed to lower property taxes because it was going to lower them anyway if the income tax passed, he says; this would have kept it in compliance with a state law on how much cities may tax residents. She is fueled by her commitment to help create a more just, vibrant world. Johnston is a quiet, large-framed man who sits powerfully behind his desk at Greenleaf Trust in downtown Kalamazoo. Yolonda Lavender is a Kalamazoo native and serves as the Grant Program & Partnerships Director at the Stryker Johnston Foundation. NmQ0MGYwIiwic2lnbmF0dXJlIjoiOGNkYzMwMGNlNTNmZWEwYTMzMjNlZDE2 MTk0ZWM1Y2M3NzZkZTVmNjliYzExYjgyYTU1MDgzYWYzZjJlMzIwYzU5N2Ex The way things are supposed to work in a democracy is that theres one person, one vote; but now the consideration is, How can we keep the city afloat if we upset the people paying our bills?. I think we already have some pretty blurred lines [around] wealthy control over government. M2JlYzkxMTEyOWRmZWNlMzc2OGYyMzA0NzQ0Y2FmNjRlODVhZGYwMTRkMjUx City Commissioner Matt Milcarek, one of two commissioners to oppose the foundations incorporation, has serious concerns about the influence that those subsequent donors might exert over how its spent. I stopped by a pickleball court where a woman in roller skates looked meditative as she sailed over the smooth pavement, and I walked on a newly paved sidewalk near a Northside elementary school. They have also lived in Holdrege, NE and Cortland, NE.