This is the most difficult newsletter column I've had to write in my career. I'm announcing my retirement from MSBO. The MSBO Board has selected Dave Martell, our associate executive director, as my replacement. We will be working through the transition plan, including finalizing the timing, over the next few months.
It is hard for me to explain my motivation for retiring at this time. I have a great job, a great staff, a great board and I love what I do. One of my personal characteristics, however, has always been a drive to move on and do different things after a period of time, normally about 10 years for me. I have been the executive director for MSBO for nearly 11 years. During my 30-year career in education, I have changed professions - not just jobs - four times. I started out as a labor negotiator, and then served the chief lobbyist for MASB before accepting my current role at MSBO. Along the way I was the Manager of Medical Economics for the Michigan State Medical Society.
To say I love the education industry is an understatement. Virtually my entire career has been spent working as an advocate for public education in one way or another. I have served on the Clinton County RESA Board of Education for 13 years. I have presented hundreds of speeches regarding education funding to a wide variety of audiences. I chaired an unsuccessful ballot initiative to garner stable revenues and reasonable increases for education funding. I was active in the campaign to defeat a voucher proposal and numerous legislative and ballot proposals that would have reduced funding for education. I've debated our detractors and helped our supporters.
It hasn't been a job; it has been a passion. I've had incredible experiences and opportunities and loved almost all of it. What a gift life presented me! But even in a happy and successful career there comes a time to move on and pass the torch to others who will carry it forward.
A small part of my decision is my health. I learned from my doctors that I had at least three heart attacks prior to my quintuple bypass surgery seven years ago. I don’t have any serious medical issues now but I have an increased awareness of the fragility and preciousness of life. I want to chase a few more rainbows and expand my horizons while my health is good and my passion for life and new experiences is strong.
I can assure you that MSBO is well positioned for the future. While I am very proud to have played a part in lifting the organization to a higher level during the last 11 years, it is really the collective efforts of MSBO staff, board and members that have accomplished this feat. Anyone who has worked closely with our staff understands what I am saying.
Over the years people have frequently told me that MSBO is simply the best professional organization they have ever been associated with and this is a wonderful validation of the outstanding efforts of our staff, as well as the quality of our membership.
If you know Dave, you already understand why the Board chose him to step into this new role. Dave is well equipped to run the organization immediately. Dave is solid. During his 10 years as CFO for Haslett Public Schools, he was highly respected. He understands the realities of working in a school. He has a service orientation and a strong desire to learn and improve things. He has excelled during the three years he has worked at MSBO; he understands our members and MSBO’s culture.
The most troubling aspect of this change is the sense that I am letting people down by stepping off the center stage. Many kind folks have let me know that they value my efforts to help shape and present the complex issues related to public education funding in Michigan. That knowledge is comforting as I look back at a career filled with both successes and failures. Throughout the good times and bad, I was - and I remain - committed to my work and my beliefs, just like you. There is much dignity and value in what we all do.
While I am retiring from MSBO, I'm not really retiring from public education. I plan to continue chasing my passions, but will scale back my work time, change my professional focus and take more time to explore the world with my wife Sibyl - who I dated beginning at age 15 and married at age 22. We truly enjoy our time together.
"The Next Phase" may well include working some with the Confucius Institute at MSU. Traveling to China twice simply changed me and my life. I have become passionate about helping Michigan's schools and the citizens of our state understand the importance of building relationships with China and other Third World countries. Our imperative challenge is to help Michigan communities and graduates operate and compete in a global economy. I believe making Michigan an internationally inviting state is the second most important way to improve Michigan's economy and future. The first most important thing we can do is to successfully educate our children from pre-school through college. I hope to blend these two passions together in my next life phase.
I don't plan on "fading away," as Douglas McArthur put it about old soldiers, but to continue what I hope I've done all my life – fighting the good fight for things I believe in, but in a different way, on different fronts.
As we transition at MSBO, we will keep you informed. I will be working with MSBO at least through 2008 and I hope to play a major role in making our Annual Conference in Detroit in 2009 a very special event.
Thank you and bless you all for what you've given me and for what you do for the public schools and children of the state of Michigan. I'll see you at the 2008 Annual Conference in Grand Rapids in April!