Jeff Smith is Director of the University Corporate Research Park UCRP at MSU Foundation. In this role, Jeff manages and directs the real estate and economic development opportunities on behalf of the MSU Foundation. This includes development and construction within the Research Park system, and management of Research Park facilities, the VanCamp Incubator and Research Labs, and the Technology Innovation Center. His goal continues to focus on leveraging university, corporate research, and community technologies toward commercialization and expansion of the marketplace.

 

Jeff currently or previously served as an advisory board member for the Lansing Regional Chamber, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation Advisory Board for Redevelopment Ready Communities, the Capital Area IT Council, Prima Civitas Foundation, Entrepreneur Institute of Mid-Michigan, and the Capitol Collective.

 

Jeff has also served as an adjunct lecturer at both Baker College and Michigan State University, teaching classes in economic development at both institutions. Jeff is a proud graduate of Michigan State University, earning both a Bachelors in telecommunications and a Master’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning. Jeff, his wife, and three children live in East Lansing and are proud to call the Lansing area home.

The Rotary Club of Lansing Foundation Local Grant Selection Criteria:

 

Goals:

• Serve residents of Ingham, Eaton and Clinton counties

• Impact underserved or disadvantage populations

• Enhance culture and/or economic elements of the community.

 

Program/Event Support (grants up to $10,000) Program/Event Support is a competitive program to support programs or events that match a nonprofit organization's mission that will make a significant, positive difference in the Lansing community. Grants will be awarded for existing programs, new initiatives or special projects.

 

Operational Support (grants up to $10,000) Operational Support is a competitive program to support a nonprofit organization's mission rather than specific projects or programs. General operating support is the working capital nonprofits need to sustain their day-to-day operations, enabling nonprofits to build a strong and sustainable infrastructure to provide programs and services that will have the greatest impact.

 

Capital Support (grants up to $10,000) Capital Support is a competitive program to support a nonprofit organization's mission by providing funding assistance for the expansion, renovation, or construction of facilities; upgrade of equipment and furnishings to provide an up-to-date environment; and/or provide or increase accessibility to persons with disabilities.

 

Note:

1. Rotary Club of Lansing Foundation does not provide financial support to fundraising events.

2. Organizations requesting a grant must be a 501-(C)3 or equivalent.

3. The grant timeline is February 15 thru February 25th, 2022 at midnight, no exceptions. There is $65,000 available for these grants. CLICK HERE

President Sue Hansen called the meeting to order on another winter Friday, with Rotarians assembled in a previously undiscovered room in the Lansing Center. Scott Duimstra provided an invocation for the moment of reflection and a beautiful chorus followed. Matthew McGaughey ran the mike around to introduce visiting Rotarians and guests (AKA, the Speaker’s Fan Club). Recitation of the 4-way test and a celebration of good club health shared by Linda Lynch followed. Miranda Schur and Nick Marciniak, two students from Dewitt High School treated us to “Take a chance on me” and “Nothing Short of Wonderful”, with musical abilities far surpassing my own.

 

President Sue acknowledge Chair of the month Scott Watkins and welcomed Chair of the day, Missy Lilje. She introduced Matthew Anderson, speaker for the day, referencing his remarkable bio and reflecting on the first time she met him, thinking “he’s a guy that REALLY has it together”. As a coach, Matthew challenges you to face your worst fears and inspires you to find an authentic way forward toward your dreams. As a friend, he’s an open, honest, powerful force, who always has your back.

 

Matthew opened by reflecting on the years he spent as a member of Lansing Rotary, his pleasure to be back, and a nod to the last couple of years and the challenges that have shaped us all. He went on to share several stories about the journey to where he is today.                                                 

 

Lesson #1: The hammer is a good tool for specific tasks, not for others. In his first job out of college, Matthew was sent to Minneapolis to turn around a bar/restaurant that was struggling. Within a year, it went from being ranked #45 to #1, but the lesson he learned was more important than the turnaround. Nicknamed “The Hammer”, he was chief disciplinarian and got “really good at firing people”. One day, he realized he was a jerk. He started listening more…and focused on the people. Leadership is a choice, and it requires more tools than a hammer.

 

Lesson #2: Being a jerk isn’t who you are – it’s a behavior you can change. He enrolled in the Dale Carnegie program and at the last session, a lightbulb went off…he’s made a LOT of people cry. He IS a jerk! He decided to become a Carnegie instructor and went on to be awarded as their #1 trainer in 2019; all because he realized there was a better way to do things.

 

Lesson #3: He doesn’t have it all together. From working with the c-suite of a company, to the youth of a not-for-profit mental health resiliency program, to say he’s faced challenges is putting it lightly. Still, it’s the people he’s had an opportunity to interact with that inspire him every day.

 

Lesson #4: Trust yourself. From taking a job at the helm of a non-profit, to laying himself off, becoming an artist, launching his own business (Leadership Coaching for Results) and publishing a book, “There’s no such thing as Right or Wrong.” (P.S. Chris Holman put a quote in the book. The rest of us weren’t asked).

 

Matthew closed by reminding us all, “When you feel as if you are standing on the edge of the canyon…take the leap – you’re not falling, you’re flying.” Q&A ensued, covering everything from the inaccuracy of kind words said by the speaker about Chris Holman, Matthew’s thoughts on a political race in his future, the story behind his mohawk and more.

 

President Sue thanked Matthew Anderson, noting that in lieu of a speaker’s gift, we will make a gift in his name to the Lansing Rotary Foundation which provides support to organizations across our communities, supporting more than $2M in projects and needs over our history.

 

NEXT WEEK: February 25 @ Lansing Center on the second floor, with Jeff Smith from the MSU Foundation as our speaker.

 

Respectfully submitted by Michelle Reynaert, michelle.reynaert@sparrow.org. NOTE: Numbering of lessons within this summary was by this author, not by the speaker, as a simple way to organize this content. Readers are encouraged to prioritize to their own needs.