Bethel Church's pastor Bill Johnson's wife and co-pastor, Beni, sadly passed away on July 13, at the age of 67. He also serves on the board of directors of Southwest Michigan First Economic Development . Michael Johnston, 38, owns venues Lincoln Hall . ); Bill serves as trustee of Western Michigan University as well as the Genevieve and Donald S. Gilmore Foundation. ZTc3YWFhOTNmMzE1NWRiZGE2NjdhMjdkMDViN2QwNjU0Nzg1N2NkYWVmN2U1 We invest in and collaborate with others in impactful and creative initiatives to change the cycle of generational poverty and its systemic issues. Ronda E. Stryker & William D. Johnston Foundation . Date of Birth: YWJkNzc0OGU5NDE3MTYyMzM3MmNjMDE3MWFiN2ZiZmM4NDZkMzc5YzZiNTlm NDg1OGVmZGQzNDRiNDdkMGIzNTZjZGM2OGQwY2JlODhmZjI5YmFiMzQ4NGI1 MjYzMjUwNWFjNzE2ZGI1NDI3NzA2OTVkMTk4YjZkZDkzMjQ2OTczZTU3NzFi "For years and yearscenturies to comewe can improve, grow, invest, create, aspire differently than we've ever been able to do before.". Ran Stryker Corp. for 32 years before retiring as . Walter was born in Cincinnati, OH on October 4, 1921, the son of the late Walter William Johnston Sr. and Elsie Bernstein Johnston. The lines dividing that entity and the city are blurry. She has experience in grant writing, organizational design, and youth development. The foundation has no employees, but it pays the salaries of Kalamazoo city employees who have been hired as foundation staff and has spent $1.7 million on personnel since 2017. Megan Johnston. EPISODE 50 | June 21 | K-Wings Owner Bill Johnston- Challenges of navigating through the pandemic- Attending the games as a fan in the stands- Importance of . 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. 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. 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. The Greenleaf Hospitality Group was formed in 2000 with the purchase of the Radisson Plaza Hotel and Suites property in downtown Kalamazoo. Members receive unlimited access to our archived and upcoming digital content. YzMzOGZjMjU4ZWNmOWZhYjhkMGZkNzRjMjgxMzQzODYzZmUxMmNiYWFlMzQz The youngest child is Annie Stryker who was born in 1991 and completed her graduation from the . A second bucket goes to stabilizing the city budget; $4.2 million in 2021. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. It got really ugly, says Sykes-Nehring, who also spoke out against the foundation. The second best result is Peggy Ann Johnston age 70s in Fort Collins, CO. MTgyMWIwMzA1MzcxY2MzYjJiOGQ1NGQ5YjA0NzQxMjVlOWIwYzI3ZGMxZGIy M2JlYzkxMTEyOWRmZWNlMzc2OGYyMzA0NzQ0Y2FmNjRlODVhZGYwMTRkMjUx Ronda and Johnston are having three children. But like this summers cicada emergence, the buzz has been deafening. View Funeral Home Directory. Persons With the Same Name. I write about industrial innovation and the global auto industry. 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. Worldwide, the Stryker name evokes a sense of medical innovation and quality. 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. 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. William D. Johnston Chairman. She completed WMUs signature program in Diversity and Inclusion. ZDg2YTJjMTQ0ZjZmYmUxZTgzNmJiZDY4ZWY2NDU4YWQyM2U4MzU5MTY5ZjU2 But the program ended, and it was left to volunteers to drop off food and bottled water at the encampment, he told me. Magazines, Or create a free account to access more articles, Two Rich Men Decided to Fund a Failing City. . 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. which collectively employ more than 900 people. A sculpture in Bronson Park in downtown Kalamazoo. Explore Life Stories, Offer Condolences & Send Flowers. 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. M2RkNzdjNDA4OGI3MzZjMjljMmNjYmUwMzNmYWU5OTE2NGM2NmYxOTVmOWRj Once-cash-strapped nonprofits are expanding their missions, helping residents get job training, do their taxes and adjust to life after prison. Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings. ZjBhNmRjMjI1MTk2ODdmZDgzZGU2YWJhYTQ1YjA2NzYxYTIyYjA4MzEwZmQ5 ODFhMWRiMTUzMzQ1YWE4OWY0MGI5ZTUwY2Q0NWQ1YTZiYWQ2MTA0YWNlMzMw A sign on the city limits of Kalamazoo, Mich., Oct. 27, 2021. MTUzN2M0MDYxMTU1YTEyYTQyMGI1ZTJiMzQ4MWYyZDViYmQxN2NhOGJmNjZl WMU Notice of Non . The firm includes Greenleaf Trust, Greenleaf Hospitality Group and Catalyst Development, L.L.C. 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. Also known as Doug Johnston. 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. Among Dr. Strykers many patents and most famous innovations were a turning frame to prevent bedsores in bedridden patients and an oscillating saw to remove casts. That infrastructure build-out will take place prior to the new golf course. 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. Ronda Stryker. 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. Trustee Johnston is the chairman of Greenleaf Companies, . Lived In Schoolcraft MI, Kalamazoo MI, Portage MI, Jacksonville IL. LGBTQ activists and legislative Democrats have pushed to expand the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to include sexual orientation and gender identity for years. He said, "This tournament is a part of the fabric of our city. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. I think we need to be innovative and creative and try something., Michelle Miller-Adams from the Kalamazoo-based W.E. 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. If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. Once a year, Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, FL, hosts a weekend dedicated to vintage automobiles, planes, and yachts . 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. There has been some talk of exporting this model to other cities. NDcxYjc4YWU0OTM3ZWQ1ZjMwZDVjNjQ5ODkyYjRmNjE2NWUwMDJhM2Y4ZmM5 They have never asked me for anything when weve been doing work in this community. It will boast a series of tees that will accommodate varied handicaps. Slowly, a handful of other Kalamazoo residents have become more skeptical of the foundation too. Other colleagues stopped telling her when meetings were being held, she says, which meant shed have to inspect the fine print of every piece of paper that came into her office to make sure no meetings had been scheduled. The best result we found for your search is William Douglas Johnston age 70s in Kalamazoo, MI. No one had a cell phone until it was created, he says. William Johnston. View Lara Johnston's profile on LinkedIn, the world's largest professional community. Hes given to both Republican and Democratic candidates in Michigan, including Govs. She began her career in the nonprofit sector, as an anti-racist facilitator and organizer, working with institutions to eliminate systemic racism. Their fundraising goal is to raise $500 million as an asset base at the foundation to help fund the operations of the city, but the initial investment will be sufficient to help cut property taxes and forestall an income tax for the time being. In October, the city cleared Kalamazoos homeless camps, including the one where Haywood was living, enraging many residents. M2VmZTYzMjNjMTAzNmVjN2FlODM1NDQzNWZkYzg0ZDQ0OWI2Yzk3ZWU3ODA5 All documents about the foundation live on the citys websitethe Foundation for Excellence does not have a separate website. After his military service, he earned a medical degree from the University of Michigan in 1925 and later completed a residency in orthopedic surgery at U of M. While still a medical student, he began developing devices to better meet patient needs. The legislative package includes: Senate Bill 76 would require a license or background check for the purchase of firearms. NjNhYWNiMTQ3ZTYzYWZmMTBkYjYwNGVhOWZkMjM3OWE5YjdmNWVhMTA5ODBh Check Facebook. MjNkNzI3ZTQ2NWRmZDZiNjc2ODYxZTI2YzQwZWM3MzUzZGE2MzY2MDJjZDBk 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. 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. In the meantime, if you see any KCC members be sure to congratulate them for winning the lottery! A rainbow flag was photographed on the campus of Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Mich., Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Details. "I say this humbly: we are able to be innovative, and it's kind of a scary word.". 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. Leatrice Fullerton was born and raised in Kalamazoo, MI. They are worth $5 trillion, two-thirds more than the total wealth held by the bottom 50% of Americans. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. All rights reserved (About Us). See reviews, photos, directions, phone numbers and more for Johnston Bill locations in Kalamazoo, MI. Ruling year info. 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. Phone: Cell/Mobile/Wireless and/or landline telephone numbers for Norma Johnston in Kalamazoo, MI. 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. Million! 1. Imagine Kalamazoo 2025 is the vision that guides the funding, says Steve Brown, the foundations manager, in that the foundation uses it to recommend projects as part of its grant to the city. 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. ZTkwNjRhNDkwMTFjZmFmN2NkMGI5MTJkNTAyMGY3YzhjNGIyNDJiZjVlMTRk Kalamazoo is not unique in this; money buys influence in politics, even more so since the 2010 Citizens United Supreme Court case. For Sale: 5 beds, 5 baths 5413 sq. 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. Age 75 (269) 553-6948. The best result we found for your search is Peg Johnston age -- in West Des Moines, IA. Leatrice has spent over a decade serving the Kalamazoo community in the nonprofit sector as a volunteer and an employee. 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. She believes that to eliminate philanthropys inherent power dynamics, we have to name and claim the power in the room. Currently, we invest in and collaborate with organizations and initiatives working towards the elimination of intergenerational poverty in Kalamazoo County, Michigan. Here we are, putting sticky notes about infrastructure and bike lanes, says Smith, who is white, but are you actually engaging low-income folks, Black folks, renters?, Read more: How One Day Made the Rich So Much Richer. She uses the landline number (269) 323-8361 . A member of WMU Board of Trustees, he also serves on the boards for the Bronson Healthcare Group, Donald and Genevieve Gilmore Foundation, Special-Lite and Softech Corp., and WMU Foundation. Read more: Inside the Nations Largest Guaranteed Income Experiment. Class Location: Johnstone Supply / 1840 Industrial Blvd / Muskegon, MI 49442. Johnston, 38, is the co-founder of the record label Audiotree, the owner of music venues Schubas Tavern and Lincoln Hall, and the son of Kalamazoo billionaires William Johnston and Ronda Stryker. which collectively employ more than 900 people. She earned a Bachelor of Science, summa cum laude, in Community and International Development from the University of Vermont. The Foundation for Excellence is much more than an alternative to an income tax. After years of revitalization efforts, restaurants were opening and new people were starting to move to Kalamazoo. Top 3 Results for Peg Johnston. 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. 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. Keep in touch with all those who are important to you. It wont be unattainable or ultra-exclusive.. Democrats made this issue a top priority as the new majority, and this is the first time the legislation successfully made it through either chamber. 6666 E H Ave, Kalamazoo, MI 49048. The Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. 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. But it will be a model, he said at a policy conference hosted by Detroits chamber of commerce. Here in Kalamazoo, it is synonymous with community commitment. Johnston majored in political science as an undergraduate and played . Plus 17 calling features including voicemail, call forwarding, and caller ID. 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. Reimagining philanthropy has been a focus for Yolonda educationally and professionally. 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. Have You Heard the News About Kalamazoo CC, Part 2? The situation in Kalamazoo prompted him in March to step down from his position as senior pastor at the First Congregational United Church of Christ and to walk away from the Foundation for Excellence board. Smith is outspoken about the racial inequities he says are fueled by the foundation: Its widening the wealth gap.. The last few years a number of high level private country clubs in Michigan have undergone major course changes and renovations. 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 . Hes right that the money is funding a lot of good things. She has a master's degree from Western Michigan University and was a trustee at Kalamazoo College. I walked in your memory. Copyright 2022 Stryker Johnston Foundation. YmVhNDU3ODhhYTc2N2JiNGQwNzU1NmY1OTIwZDQzMzBkMDcyNGFiNWMxZDNl Contact List Directories It has never rejected the foundations suggestions. Tax returns filed by nonprofit organizations are public records. Michigan State Finds a Path Forward in Wake of Shooting. Money in politics, in other words, makes it impossible to turn away millionaires and billionaires who want to help a city like Kalamazoo. The foundation says it does not disclose the identity of its anonymous donors; the $400 million pledge is revocable if any of the staff who know the donors disclose that information publicly. Newport News Thomas, William "Bill" Langeland Family Funeral Homes Aivars, Irma. Then, the city may fund a third bucket, which was $8.5 million for 2021, and which goes toward aspirational projects for the city. Other family members and associates include Lorraine Johnston, Michael Johnston, William Johnston, Jon Stryker and Megan Johnston. 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. A member of the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame and founder of the West Mich. Steve Brown, foundation manager for the Kalamazoo Foundation for Excellence outside of City Hall. Ronda Stryker | PresidentBill Johnston | Treasurer and SecretaryAnnie HennJJ HennMegan JohnstonMichael Johnston. Instead of the empty storefronts and vacant lots that characterize many Rust Belt cities, Kalamazoo today is a busy hive of spending. The Bills say that an income tax was the opposite of what Kalamazoo needed. 8:00am registration & refreshments. Find 3000 listings related to Johnston Bill in Kalamazoo on YP.com. I was very fortunate to grow up in the family of Jack and Mary Gilman, longtime members of KCC. William D. Johnston, B.S. Reputation Score View Actual Score. 70, M.A. Resides in Springfield, IL. ! and shot his arms into the sky to celebrate, looking like an inflatable air dancer blowing in the wind. And if we had made that harder, he says, it would have gone probably catastrophic.. A second bucket goes to stabilizing the city budget; $4.2 million in 2021. 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. Over the past few decades, wealthy white residents fled to the suburbs, while companies moved outside of city limits. 2. Figuring out the funding structure to make communities vibrant, thats a big challenge. YTlkNzUyNDQxNmEwZmMyMTAxNDBkMWNmMzBhMDQwMTM2MzU4ODIxMDUyNGVl I think we already have some pretty blurred lines [around] wealthy control over government. MDNlZDA5ZGRiYTVmZDVlOWY3NjJlYzA4NmU1MjEyODEzM2NlOTU4NzE3M2Iz The professional staff and golf shop managers take great pride in using creative merchandising techniques throughout the store! The program has enabled 109 people, including Williams, to stay in their homes who otherwise would have been evicted, the foundation says. 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. 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. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. The money really allows us to think bigger, says Paige Daniels, who runs the program. Ronda Stryker is 68 years old today because Ronda's birthday is on 05/01/1954. 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. 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. Yzk2NTI4MzI1ZTE4OWE4NzhkNGQ2MTUzMzhiMmJkMzEyMmY5Y2NiNGI5OTM2 7 months ago. By signing up, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of use, and to receive messages from NPQ and our partners. Weve never thought about the two Bills, he tells me while sitting in the garden of a bar in Kalamazoo, talking over the music from a festival a few blocks away. However, KCC will be here first for the community, said one of my sources. We sell some of the best brands for a great golfing experience. Jennifer is from Gary, IN. There was significant pushback from Republican senators before the bill moved forward for a vote. 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. 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. She says that city manager Jim Ritsema told her if they went that route, then you all will be able to continue the status quo. In other words, says Sykes-Nehring, one of a handful of progressive candidates elected to the city commission in 2015, They didnt like the direction the city was going in and they wanted influence, so this ensured some influence. Ritsema declined to comment. His great-grandfather founded the Upjohn pharmaceutical company, which was acquired by Pfizer in 2002; the Upjohn family also founded an employment-focused research institute in Kalamazoo. Contact him at terry50moore@gmail.com. The medical technology company he founded now sells $9 billion worth of joint replacements, medical devices and software. But beyond the construction crews and new pickleball courts, a tension hums below the surface of Kalamazoos budget miracle. Yzc5OTFkM2UwZmNlMDAyNzcwZGExNzQ1MjBlNzU0MTNmMTg2YjYwOGY2OTY0 Bill Johnston brings close to 40 years of practice experience to serve as an advocate on behalf of clients in corporate and other business counseling and litigation, as a court-appointed Special Master, and as an expert witness, mediator, and arbitrator. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital 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 . MGY0MDBlYTNkYmIzYTlkMWNiY2E3ZWNlY2EwYjU1NmQ1NmMyMGYifQ== The 58-year-old Kalamazoo man . 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. The Hon. Megan earned a Master of Public Administration from New York Universitys Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. Exactly how those aspirational projects are chosen is a little unclear. As a change agent and thought leader, Yolonda embodies the principles of trust based grant making and works towards continuously improving the sector and beyond. Theres an outside unelected entity that holds the purse strings.. KALAMAZOO, MI -- The educator in Bill Johnston came out . It was another example of Dow investing into the Midland community to make it a more attractive place to live, work and recreate. . 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. We take a look at her health struggles. We have money; we can serve more students.. In previous terms, the Republican majority successfully staved off any attempts at passing the legislation. Upjohn M.D. The city commission then votes on the suggested board members, but the Foundation for Excellence board can reject the proposed stakeholder applicants. Kalamazoo Gazette obituaries and Death Notices for Kalamazoo Michigan area . Among these are Oakland Hills CC, Meadowbrook CC and Blythefield CC. 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. For a city with extreme wealth, Kalamazoo also has a lot of poverty. The timetable for completion is currently mid-2025. An associated email addresses for William Johnston are wjohnston3***@aol.com, william.johnst***@yahoo.com and more. YTcyMWY1MzI5YzE4ZWVmZDFkZTU3NDAwNDAyYWEzNjM0ZTQ3OGQ3NGJlOGFi 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. With more people at home this spring, SEMCO has experienced an increase in line hits caused by people digging before calling MISS DIG. What better name for a medical school that is a true community collaboration.. Its a completely different way of doing government and communityits unheard-of. N2E5YTU2M2YyZGJmZmQ1YWI3ZTc3MzE3ZmUwNmUxZTczZmRlYmRiMzk4NWUz This is a chance to work together on both sides to protect individual rights and religious conscience all at the same time, Runestad said. You cant walk a few blocks without seeing a building with names of prominent philanthropists like Upjohn or Stryker. 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. Yolonda Lavender is a Kalamazoo native and serves as the Grant Program & Partnerships Director at the Stryker Johnston Foundation. 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. She is grateful for the opportunity to serve the greater Kalamazoo community in her role at SJF. Their fundraising goal is to raise $500 million as an asset base at the foundation to help fund the operations of the city, but the initial investment . A network of great golf and travel writing. Johnson, as well as Sens. 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?. 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. Johnston is a quiet, large-framed man who sits powerfully behind his desk at Greenleaf Trust in downtown Kalamazoo. He wants to teach his kids to fish and huntand to avoid city politics. Please contact the SJF team at info@strykerjohnstonfoundation.org or 269-488-8484.