Grand Rapids Community Foundation

Wise Men

January 7^th, 2009

This past Monday, I was honored and fortunate to be invited to lunch with some gentlemen who call their group "The Improvement Association." It is rare the female who gets an invitation and the Association is widely known in leadership circles in Grand Rapids. One of my hosts told me that they figured it out and found that the average age of the group is 88 years old! He then quickly added pointing to the man who invited me, "That one, at age 98 years old, brings up the average!" Well in truth the "young man" who noted that is young in name and young in energy and spirit and frankly is not old by the standards of the group but would be considered elderly by other standards. But it is to his advantage and to all of the members of the group as they have the wisdom and ability to lead that eludes many people who term themselves "community and national leaders." Better for all of us to learn from these wise ones!

Frankly this post may have more appeal to a Grand Rapids audience with the exception of the message. The Improvement Association has been in existence since 1940 and some years after that, they started to meet in the "Gold Room" at the now defunct Peninsular Club every Monday for lunch. I was told they met at the Pen Club for 60 years. In fact, when the Pen Club folded in 2008, the group did adapt and changed venues over to the University Club atop the Fifth Third Building where they are treated royally! Their robust spirit didn't seem dampened one bit by the change of location.

There are pictures and stories that are framed and hung on the in the dining room wall where the men hold their lunches. I saw faces of many of my mentors who have since passed with a sense of sadness yet glad that I was lucky enough to have been in their company particularly in their time of reflection and wisdom. Susan Lovell, a writer and great chronicler in our community of all human sagas that are important to recount, has been commissioned by the group to write their history. That is a history that will definitely be worth the read.

One of the long time members of the Improvement Association introduced me to his poem describing the group about 18 or so years ago after we had lunch at the Pen Club. Jack Chaille, who passed away a few years ago, had a tremendous influence on me and in fact this Community Foundation. He was a "networker extraordinaire" with a quiet demeanor - certainly not silent - with a sense of fun and humor that provided zest to every encounter that anyone ever had with him. We honored him more than a decade ago with an award that we now give out annually for a person or family who has had a positive and meaningful impact on the GRCF. That award bears his name and is synonymous with leadership and community service.

Jack showed me a picture of the gentlemen who at the time comprised the Improvement Association with his poem printed with the photo which hung on the wall of the Gold Room for years. It reads as follows:

The Improvement Association

Words of great wisdom
and extraordinary humor
fairly describes our meetings.
Our objectives are vague,
Our accomplishments frail;
Since we aim at nothing,
We can hardly fail.

Bill Martindill, the aforementioned 98 year old, gave me a copy of the poem on Monday and I was grateful for his kindness. And that is the message. I was in the company of a group of very wise men. Men who are now "retired" but who in their working days were known by their identifiers of CEOs of major companies in West Michigan, bank presidents, university presidents, internationally known physicians, entrepreneurs, and civic leaders paving the way for the "watch out world here we are" spirit that our community is known for today.

I spoke a bit about the Foundation, my view of the community but mostly was intrigued by their reactions and questions. What distinguishes these leaders from others is their ability to actively listen. These men listen and they nod knowingly with respect. I can tell because having been in the company of many leaders in my time, when someone is patronizing, you can smell it a mile away.

Their ability to lead is evident and their ability to understand the human condition is remarkable. Why is the latter important? That is the other distinction of these leaders as they do care about the human condition which is critical to the success of a healthy community, a productive organization, and paving the way for a strong future of all people in our area, state, nation and the world! It would be better if many of our leaders understood that. The men of the Improvement Association listen and they do understand the critical importance of relationships.

And yes - it doesn't escape me that these are all men and likely the Improvement Association will remain that way for decades to come. I have gotten over that. As a member passes away, another person is invited to join their luncheons and learn their rituals which include coin games to determine who pays for lunch. But that's another story for another time and one that is better told by Susan Lovell.

Thank you gentlemen for the invitation, for the lunch and for realizing your strengths and the gifts you give back to our community!