Forward Janesville - TheReport - First Quarter 2020

FIRST QUARTER 2020 • 17 It’s hard to believe my term as Chair of Forward Janesville is almost over, but it gives me a chance to reflect back and give thanks for this opportunity to experience such power of community. Thank you to the Chamber, its members, and the community of Janesville for allowing me to serve and be part of such a transformative time. The downtown continues to reinvent itself into a more vibrant and beautiful space where friends and families can enjoy food, fun, culture, and community. This last year, projects like the JPAC Educational Outreach Center, the Cobblestone Hotel, and the nearly completed Milwaukee Street Bridge added to the already beautiful Town Square and the Bubbler. We can also look forward to the ARISE Donor Wall and the Blain Gilbertson Family Heritage Bridge in 2020. Thank you to Baker Tilly and to my family for allowing me the time to devote to Forward Janesville and its strategies. Stewardship is important to me and to my firm, and Forward Janesville really encompasses that notion of leaving the world better than we found it. Thank you to my fellow board members and especially to executive committee members Tim Lindau, Sherri Stumpf, and Oakleigh Ryan for their time, their mentorship, and their friendship. This group has an infectious passion for stewardship, the results of which Janesville can see first-hand. ARISE, downtown development, community partnerships, membership development, and staff development have all been advanced through their strong efforts. Thank you to the Forward Janesville staff—John, Dan, JoLynn, Jenny, Claudine, and Lindsay—for their continued hard work in advancing our strategic opportunities in the areas of membership, government relations, economic development, community partnerships, and workforce development. With the help of Dave Hiller, they have re-aligned responsibilities and goals and developed strategic dashboards to monitor their progress in each opportunity area. Their energy, enthusiasm, and dedication to the community is evident every day. A special thank you to John Beckord. I have learned much more than I could have imagined about how important FJI is to the City’s economic development. I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to be a part of the Forward Janesville Board of Directors during his leadership. His dedication to Forward Janesville and the community can truly be seen in the impact he has made over his almost twenty-year tenure. Getting involved with Forward Janesville has been one of the most rewarding experiences for me. I will soon pass the torch to Tim Lindau, but I look forward to staying involved as we take on the challenges of a new President search, continued downtown revitalization, and developing a dynamic workforce education council, to name just a few priorities. As we embrace the continued transformation of the city and the organization in 2020, I encourage you to make your own resolution to experience the power of our community and get involved. You will not regret it! Looking back, moving forward… Lynn Gardinier, Partner | Baker Tilly Past Chair Forward Janesville