From the desk of the CEO - Winter Edition

NEW YEAR, NEW OPPORTUNITIES

As we celebrate the start of another year, many of us find ourselves making New Year’s resolutions. Eating healthier, exercising more, or getting more rest are often a few common commitments that we make to ourselves. In addition to setting personal goals, as professionals in philanthropy, we also find opportunities to set career goals. It is a natural time for a fresh start and persistence in meeting our personal goals that we may have fallen short on the past year.   

Don Wood was a man who believed in persistence toward his goals. As a lifelong salesperson and entrepreneur, he understood the importance of tenacity. With each new year, I imagine he set new goals for himself and his company.

As the new year is underway, the team at the Don Wood Foundation persists in setting goals to continue partnering with community organizations and educators that help us bolster advanced manufacturing, sales, leadership, and entrepreneurism in the region. Our Board of Trustees presses ahead with completing an updated strategic plan, setting the course for the foundation’s future endeavors. Foundation leadership has also spent time examining the philanthropic intent behind Don Wood’s creation of the foundation to ensure we are carrying out his philanthropic investment legacy.  As the organizational plan draws closer to completion, the staff will then work together to create goals and action plans to implement the vision of our board, all while keeping in mind Don Wood’s donor intent. The Board and staff are entrusted with setting these goals to position us for organizational success. It is a tremendous responsibility and one we take seriously with utmost humility in recognizing we will be setting goals that have continued community impact with our grantmaking partners and scholarship recipients in Don’s memory.  Here’s to the new year full of new opportunities!    
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Laura M. Macknick
President & CEO