Diana R. Sieger is the president of the Grand Rapids Commmunity Foundation. For more information, visit Diana's President's pages or view her biography.

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President's Point of View: Here's to the Battle Creek Community Foundation!

October 30, 2007

When I attended my first national community foundation conference in 1987, it was like a breath of fresh air. Where I had traversed previously, the national culture was predicated on the amount of money each community raised and value was placed directly on the size of the fund raising effort. So when I came into the world of community foundations, I was surrounded by organizations and people who cared deeply about how they were making a real difference in their area.

I became increasingly frustrated when our field became obsessed with the value of their foundations being measured by the growing assets! Fund development is key and I admit to being caught up in comparisons to dollars raised BUT I am also very, very interested in measuring the impact of what we fund and how we are about the business of transforming our community not just transactional work.

Which (finally) leads me to my good friend and colleague Brenda Hunt the CEO/President of the Battle Creek Community Foundation. She and her team of accomplished staff and great board members have been honored as the 2007 Business of the Year as bestowed by Scene Magazine in Battle Creek. Scene Magazine is Battle Creek’s city magazine established in 1977. I just have to say - WOW!

The entire issue is devoted to the many accomplishments of this dynamic community foundation. The publisher, Rick DeRuiter, starts off by stating that “The Battle Creek Community Foundation has provided stability to thousands of people by showing them that there is a family of loving people that care enough about them to help them reach their potential.” Then the Chamber CEO, Kathleen Mechem, wrote about the partnership they have enjoyed with the Community Foundation and how the foundation has helped in following through on the mission of “creating and sustaining a vibrant, healthy and viable community”.

The magazine is full of stories and commentary about how the Battle Creek Community Foundation has made and will continue to make a tremendous impact on their community. It is with great appreciation for their work that I commend the Battle Creek Community Foundation as the 2007 Business of the Year in a great community in southwest Michigan. Congratulations Brenda!