Last month I wrote about my definition of Magic: growth, grace, and grit.
Since then, I have heard great feedback from many of you regarding that definition of Magic – thank you for reaching out!
A growth-mindset, grace for others, and grit to get things done is precisely how the team at the Foundation approached our work in 2024.
It has now been one full year since I was given the immense responsibility of leading the Foundation as Executive Director. The one-year mark always invites reflection.
Taking the lead of an organization is always a challenge. My predecessor, Dr. Suzanne Allen, was an excellent leader and left things running well.
It is because of Dr. Allen’s efforts, our talented board, and the talented team in place when I arrived – Tiffany Peters (Director of Finance), Carrie Herman (Director of Community Impact), and Kate DeAngelis (Director of Marketing and Communications) – that I was able to hit the ground running and build a work plan that pushed beyond a “learning year.”
When I started January of 2024, we had a few challenges. These included making two critical hiring decisions. One was to choose someone to drive what we have historically called our economic development work. The other was to hire an office manager who is our first impression and the straw that stirs our drink!
I’m delighted that we were able to welcome Gil Gonzales to our organization in May of 2024. His deep knowledge and expertise in both economic development and community development work has helped us identify the right things to work on and focus our resources in a more impactful way. He has helped the Foundation submit for and win a grant for the first time in our history! This is important, as the Foundation does not have the money we need to accomplish the transformational projects that lie ahead.
Last spring we welcomed Melissa Naglic to our organization. She joined us with experience in leadership and what we have discovered to be her trademark spirit, tenacity, and commitment to our work.
I cannot stress enough how talented this team is! We have spent less than a year together and can already look back at 2024 fondly as one of the most productive in the history of the Foundation.
Without spoiling our forthcoming Annual Report, I can share that this team accomplished a number of substantive and challenging projects in 2024.
We launched an online portal for all of our Fund Representatives, who can now log into our system and see what their fund balance is, how much their fund is able to donate at a given time, who has donated to it, and more. This is a significant step forward and puts the Foundation amongst the best in use of technology for donors.
We also brought all management of scholarships in-house. For a six-person team, and adding $290k in new scholarships each year, I can assure you this is no small effort. Our goal is to build long-term relationships with all of our scholars, and to do so we cannot outsource this important administrative work, as it is our opportunity to connect with our best and brightest! We have the privilege of reminding them all of Barberton loves them, supports them, and is rooting for them as they transition out of school life into the “real world!”
Three new funds were started last year, we raised more money for our endowment than ever before, had the largest Annual Dinner in our history, and we added three new board members last year.
We helped launch the first ever career pathway in the country that is aligned with a Federal Tech Hub, called the Barberton Schools Polymer Pathway. Jobs in the polymer industry – which has a large concentration of businesses in Northeast Ohio – have excellent starting salaries. Many jobs are available and can be done with certifications instead of a 4-year college degree (and the debt that comes with it). Creating these opportunities for our students is critical to our community’s success, and we love partnering with Barberton City Schools to accomplish this effort!
This is just a snapshot of what we have accomplished.
We are a month into 2025 and have already launched an exciting new program! We are investing $300k in our downtown through two different grant programs. Applications open February 1, and you can find details on our website or Main Street Barberton’s website.
This year will be a year of continued momentum and building important relationships for the future of our impact.
But what am I most proud of?
We are accomplishing this work as a team with a growth-oriented mindset, with grace for each other, and with grit – a willingness to do hard, tenacious work!
I’m excited for 2025, and I hope you are, too!
In Community,
Josh Gordon,
Executive Director
Barberton Community Foundation
