Featured Leader: Diether Haenicke

This editor has long said that when it comes to the art of persuasion and the use of the English language, there’s Diether Haenicke and then there’s the rest of us.

Revered by many as the long-serving President of Western Michigan University, Dr. Haenicke may well be better remembered as a writer and a public speaker. Blessed with great intellect, honed through a lifetime of rigorous academic exercise, the German-born scholar reminds us what role communication plays in leadership.

With a mind uncluttered by the cravings of social acquiescence, yet balanced by an understanding of human nature, Diether -- as he is known to so many -- is a master at providing valuable insights on the relevant issues of the day. That Haenicke brings historical perspective to his writings adds a level of persuasiveness that so many can appreciate and so few can match.

What makes Dr. Haenicke’s writing all the more enjoyable is his distinctive approach to syntax -- how he arranges words. Active voice. Passive voice. Doesn’t matter. He structures his sentences in ways that hold your attention, especially when he’s speaking.

He is able to write persuasively and comfortably in first, second or third person, combining a sense of formality with incomplete sentences, framed deliberately to drive home a point or just create a smooth transition in his exquisite writing. The word “remember” might suddenly appear to remind you that you are supposed to be following along with his logic.

Dr. Haenicke has his own web site, where you can learn more about his background, and read some of his writing.

I'll Have the Usual...

I distinctly remember a conversation I had with two peers last summer. We were having dinner in a secluded booth at a restaurant chain. The familiar green lamp hung low between our faces, lighting the familiar menu. Like seemingly every other restaurant in town, old trumpets and sports photos adorned the walls. We were young and single, and after ordering the usual hamburger, we never felt so stuck in Kalamazoo.

Perhaps you’re more apt to complain when you’re hungry, but I think our hunger was for something deeper. We huddled in our booth and dreamed up the ideal restaurant for the young, ambitious and inspired. We imagined the perfect downtown location; described the lighting, the furniture, the menu and the entertainment. We thirsted for innovation and excitement in Kalamazoo and were determined to find it: our monthly dinner date became a mission to explore new venues.

Removing the “chain” from Kalamazoo restaurants led to our discovery of some amazing food and cozy atmospheres. We tried variations of Japanese, Italian and Indian dishes. We sat on the deck while the sun set over Cosmo’s and shared a bottle of wine at Martini’s. Between secret family recipes, Spanish tapas and home-brewed beers, I was elated to have discovered the scrumptious hidden gems of Kalamazoo.

While my friends and I have yet to dine in the atmosphere we dreamed up one year ago, we haven’t lost hope. Two new restaurants, The Wine Loft and Charlie Foster’s, have opened in Downtown Kalamazoo—that makes two new opportunities to refine my palate and appreciate this evolving town.

So, you might be wondering what the perfect restaurant would be in the eyes of the single twenty-something: I want jazz floating through the air. Comfortable, yet contemporary style. An innovative menu with fresh, local ingredients. Engaging conversation and laughter. I want a reason to put on my little black dress and the high heels that I never wear—the ones that are just too amazing to part with.

…I think I want more than just a new restaurant in Kalamazoo.

Support Your Chamber of Commerce

By Blaine Lam

When I went into business a little more than 20 years ago, almost literally the first thing I did was join the Chamber of Commerce. Not exactly sure why, really, but it seemed like a good idea at the time.

Still does.

Then again, I’m not much more sure now than I was then why I belong.

It’s kind of a protection thing, I suppose, knowing there’s a fear among business people that not everyone fully appreciates our point of view. In all likelihood, that’s the same reason certain employed groups, like unions and guilds, hang together.

As much as anybody -- and more than most -- I’ve had the opportunity to see the inner workings of the Kalamazoo Regional Chamber of Commerce over these past four decades. I maxed out on terms serving on the Board of Directors, co-founded Leadership Kalamazoo, led the first class, and chaired that board; chaired the Transportation Committee for something like 10 years; emceed Percolator Club for at least five; and served as interim chief executive of the Chamber once and then its one-time subsidiary, the Convention & Visitors Bureau.

I’ve seen about every combination of programmatic efforts at the Chamber, ranging from a full spectrum of services to the lineup today, which no longer includes staff support for business attraction, tourist attraction, KAAAP, Jeters Leaders, SCORE, or federal business procurement.

In some ways, the Chamber might be seen as the Rodney Dangerfield of the business community -- no respect -- but in other ways it might be more important than it has ever been.

But first a little history.

Strip away all else from Kalamazoo County history and two giants stand alone: W.E. Upjohn and Homer Stryker. We’ll write about Dr. Stryker another day, but the civic ingeniousness of W.E. Upjohn was just something to behold.

He helped bring us our current form of government and served as our first mayor under it. He founded the Kalamazoo Foundation, built the Civic Theatre and created other cool stuff along the way, notably the Upjohn Company. W.E. founded our Chamber of Commerce.

For all we know, he did it to protect us from people like himself -- business tycoons (a term used affectionately here) who could dominate local politics.

Upjohn, Kindleberger, Parfet, Brown and other big names in business around here didn’t happen to be the kind of people who wanted to impose their will on the town. To the contrary, they did what they could to let others help them serve the public good. In other words, the 800-pound gorillas have been tame.

While fights with 800-pound gorillas weren’t a problem as the business community matured, the Chamber did find itself in the middle of things it had a hard time handling.

Fifty years ago, for instance, businesspeople took note of the schism between the interests of downtown merchants and the rest of the business community, and it was the newly formed Downtown Kalamazoo Association that led the charge to build the nation’s first downtown mall.

Those classic divides have continued to be a problem, as business interests have found themselves at odds over taxes (big business vs. small business), unemployment insurance (positive-based vs. negative-based), incentives (new vs. existing), zoning, planning, urban sprawl and so on.

The issue, of course, is how to represent diverse interests and stay relevant.

The battle for relevance peaked three years ago and had this Chamber looking for a new chief executive and a new mountain to climb. Considering where the political muscle is around these parts, choosing to rally the state behind a part-time legislature was an odd choice. Indeed, they picked one too steep and now appear ready to head off in a new programmatic direction.

Workforce development would be good guess, tried and true as it is, but the infrastructure of do-goodism on the employee-development front is pretty solid, so don’t look for any major breakthroughs.

So, what’s a Chamber to do?

Well, the danger of an 800-pound, ill-mannered gorilla is always out there. So are the threats of elements in the society that think profit is a four-letter word.

It may sound obvious that a membership organization, first and foremost, should be looking for ways to bring its members together. That hits you like a ton of bricks when you play in the Chamber golf outing. Business networking is no minor feat and the Chamber has the license.

You gotta love the Young Professionals group growing up out of the Chamber, and Leadership Kalamazoo, 20 years later, is one of the strongest networks going. It makes sense, too, to build more activity around a broad-based “business friendly” agenda that includes education, transportation, taxation and public policy, regulation and the environment. Professional development might make sense as well.

In any event, when a Chamber is healthy it is the glue that holds the business community together. When a Chamber is humming, so to speak, it is the voice of the business community.

To its credit, with an outstanding board, this Chamber has been working to get healthy, and hopes to hum.

So, support your local Chamber of Commerce. Visit their Web site and find ways to become involved.

Put Yourself in Kristi's Shoes

Editor's Note: Kristi Buckham, whose regular column addresses single life in Kalamazoo (in contrast with her counterparts who drifted to the big city) had a revelation cleaning out her closet recently. Enjoy.

By Kristi Buckham
ShareKalamazoo Columnist

Several weeks ago I was elated to have received a coupon from Macy’s shoe department…until I read the fine print. In very small letters I was informed that the discount was a reward for having purchased five pairs of shoes within the past 12 months. My excitement turned to shame. Macy’s confirmed it: my fascination with footwear was officially excessive.

I opened my closet door to verify Macy’s claim. And there they were, strewn across the floor: strappy sandals, wedges, patent-leather pumps, red mary janes and a pair of winter boots. I think I heard the devil on my left shoulder, complimenting my exceptional taste—until the angel on my right shoulder interrupted to say, “you’re out of control.”

If was a rock star or Hollywood diva, I wouldn’t think twice about owning more than 30 pairs of shoes. Instead, I’m a young professional who cringes every time I swipe my debit card for a tank of gas or bag of groceries. From an economic, big-picture standpoint, there are many needs within our community that do not involve Steve Madden’s straps or buckles. I have become very aware that the resources that go into unnecessary purchases, like three or four extra pairs of shoes, could easily go towards a purchase that is less disposable and more fulfilling.

According to Kalamazoo Communities in Schools (KCIS), 60 percent of Kalamazoo Public Schools students come from families who live at or below poverty level. KCIS connects thousands of KPS students with community resources, including in-school health clinics, dental exams, eye exams, eyeglasses, programs that provide food and clothing, tutoring, mentoring and mental and behavioral health services. By providing these resources, KCIS enables educators to focus on teaching and students to concentrate on learning and making the Kalamazoo Promise a reality.

Last year, KCIS provided more than 1,700 pairs of shoes and items of clothing to students in Kalamazoo. Instead of counting my shoes I should be counting my blessings. I have several pairs of nice athletic shoes that have a lot of miles left in them to run the halls of a high school. As for the heels, they’ll go to the Goodwill Industries where they’ll bring good luck to a budding professional. And that is why I’m cleaning out my closet.

If you can think of ways to contribute to Kalamazoo Public Schools students or would like to make a donation, visit Kalamazoo Communities in Schools. To learn how to donate new or gently used clothing, visit Goodwill Industries.

Featured Leader: Ken Miller

Beauty pageants have given a runner-up meaning to the word "congeniality" but Ken Miller's congenial manner has winner written all over it.

This successful and much-beloved businessman, who makes community work fun, creative and interesting, is at the hub of a lot of the wheels that are turning the greater Kalamazoo area into an even better place to live and work. As chair of WMU's Board of Trustees, Miller has spearheaded a new spirit of cooperation with downtown interests, and he's a staunch supporter of the arts and just about anything else that helps improve the quality of life in the region.

Principal partner of Millennium Restaurant Group, Miller is a bridge-builder in the community. He and his wife, Julie, make the serious work of community building pleasant. And Julie may be the only person around more well-liked than Ken.

Miller's self-effacing style is part and parcel to a strong belief in team-building, as managers in his businesses will attest. He likes to "make sure the corners of the box are square;" he give his teams resources to work with; and then he "gets out of the way."

When honored recently by Rotary with their Red Rose citation, he modestly said, "I'm fortunate to be surrounded by good people." A lawyer by training, Miller has put his talents to work in a variety of business interests, success being the common ingredient.

On civic projects, Mr. Congeniality has a way of stepping in and keeping the ball moving. He emphasizes the positive and offers creative solutions along the way.

Put Your Pedal to the Metal...

Back in my college days, I always got a thrill from riding my bike to lectures. I was a speed demon on my blue five-speed, weaving in and out of the walkers, roller-bladers and fellow bikers. Riding a bike was the quickest, most efficient way to get to class---if you had the guts to do it.

Pedaling to class cut 20 minutes from my walking commute. I had more time to sleep, finish a homework assignment or stand in front of a full closet to complain, “there’s nothing to wear.”

Back then, I envisioned myself in my “adult life” wearing a power suit and owning the streets as I drove a shiny new truck to work in a big city. But after I graduated I took advantage of a career opportunity in Kalamazoo and my commute to work was only 10 minutes each way by small, but very cute car.

In other words, I’ve cheated the national average commute time of 24.3 minutes, and sometimes I wonder what my “big city” friends are doing during those 100 hours a year they spend in their cars. Amazingly, though, as I navigate the streets of my “10 minute town” in a car so small it has a bug’s name, I’m finding myself spending more than $200 a month on gas.

Every time I fill up my gas tank I wonder what happened to my blue five-speed. I could use it right now. What’s really great is that biking to work is suddenly very fashionable, even on days “there’s nothing to wear.”

The Kalamazoo Chamber of Commerce and state Sen. Tom George (a physician who regularly bikes to work) recently hosted the “Bike to Work Event” and the movement is gaining traction.

Saving gas is just one benefit to biking to work—think of the environmental and health benefits. It’s more than a commute to work; it’s a workout! If biking to work simply isn’t an option, consider taking the bike for a “scenic drive” or to run an errand. Another beauty of our “10 minute town” is the growing trail system, not to mention the special lanes designed for cyclists.

I’m ready to hang up my car keys and hold on to the handlebars. It’s time to give new meaning to the expression “pedal” to the metal.

A sign of our times. Is this necessary?

Take the 3.1 mile route from my Winchell neighborhood home to my downtown business. Along that route there are no less than 356 individual markers. That's 114 signs a mile. The signs point out where you are, where you are going, whether you should yield, where you can park, where you can't park, where you can park on Sundays and holidays, where you can park for 90 minutes, where you can park from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., where you can turn, where you should turn, where you must turn, where you must stop, where you must not stop, where the bus stops, where trucks can't go, where thru traffic is prohibited and where the road ends.

Words, pictures, symbols, numbers, lights, arrows and the infamous Bar-Through Circle P (the No Parking brand) provide us with reminders and warnings about speed limits, center lanes, traffic lanes, turn lanes, one-way streets, T-intersections, pedestrian crosswalks, bicycle lanes, railroad crossings, fire hydrants, detours and road projects. And my favorites: signs telling us that other signs are ahead.Of the hundred-and-some signs within a frisbee throw of Michikal and W. Main, roughly 35 are meant to be instructive to the northbound traveler who approaches that intersection near the Downtowner Motel. At the intersection, you're faced with 11 arrows pointing five different directions (down and left, down and right, up and right, right, and up). If the light is green, about the only way anyone but an Evelyn Wood speed reading graduate can safely "wayfind" is ignore all 35 signs. Besides, there's a nice billboard there.

Adding to the blur in and around downtown is the Business Loop (BL) and Business Route (BR) System, which was supposed to be America's urban planning answer to freeways. Designed, but no longer serving the function of, getting people off the highway and into one's downtown, these are the knickknacks and decorations of our urban culture. But as for directional tools, don't kid yourself. People just stop in the Shell station and ask for directions.Not that state and federal highway officials aren't determined to help. Various downtown groupings of BR-131 and BL-94 and M-43 markers have 10, 11, 12 and even 13 individual signs and arrows on a post. Unfortunately, if you tried to follow these signs, your chances of going in a four-block circle would be significantly greater than your chances of finding your way back to I-94.

And speaking of getting lost . . . If that's your thing, and you employ signs to do so, I recommend the green Bike Route signs. You'll find these Bike Route signs in cities all over America. The Bike Route system was put in place either to amuse bicyclists or as an economic stimulus for the metal fabrication industry . I love to bike and I love to find bike routes. But these green Bike Route signs -- the ones with the bike and the arrow -- originate nowhere. They go nowhere. If they were supposed to go somewhere, then where are the maps showing where they go? There is nothing distinctive about the roads along which they sit. Some of these roads have extra lanes, which is great, but, unfortunately, most do not. I saw one of these green signs in Salt Lake City which proclaimed "Bike Route Ends Here." It would be interesting to know if that was just for Salt Lake or for the entire United States. Because of the prevalence of these signs in American cities, one would presume we have a national bike path system, but the reality is that we have a National Green Sign System. Are signs a burning issue in our community? Heavens no.

But signs pile up like dirty dishes, old newspapers and undone laundry in an unkempt home. After a while, you hardly notice the clutter. Then, when you have to get ready for company, you look around and say, "My God, have we been living in this?"Kalamazoo's newest sign system is a "wayfinding" project for downtown Kalamazoo. The theory is that if you know you are in the Haymarket District, South Town, Arcadia, the Bronson Park District, the East End or the area referred to as "Kalamazoo Mall" (1959-1999), you will have less trouble "wayfinding," also known as "finding your way" in the central city area, also known as the downtown. Each district has its own logo, its own color, its own shape and its own letter (for instance, "Kalamazoo Mall" is a burgundy diamond with a gold border and a white "K" and black type). The "graphics standards" are published, and they're strict. One can't help but admire the design integrity of the downtown wayfinding system which, unlike the Bike Route Sign System, does have maps.Even if the new wayfinding system doesn't help people find where they're going, it might just represent an opportunity to examine and reflect upon what these new wayfinding signs will have to compete with. Keep in mind that there are literally thousands of existing directional and location-identification signs in and around downtown Kalamazoo and they are supplemented by street banners, business signs, billboards, awning signs, historical markers, construction signs, parking lot instructions and building identification markers. Maybe for every new wayfinding sign that goes up, two existing street signs should come down.

As for improving the appearance of the larger community, I offer a simple three-step approach:

1. Get Rid of America's Green Bike Route Sign System. This system leads nowhere and, if anything, detracts from the aesthetic pleasure of bike riding.

2. Secede from the national Business Route and Business Loop Sign System. This system was designed to lead nowhere.

3. Form a committee. No, wait. That may have caused this problem. Better to take a page out of the successful anti-litter, Adopt-A-Highway, campaign, although that program unfortunately spawned yet another national sign system. I'm recommending an Adopt -- Then Abandon -- A Sign program. Individuals, service clubs, churches and businesses could work to reduce the number of signs along our area roads. I'm not suggesting, of course, that private citizens actually take it upon themselves to physically remove these signs the way they would with other litter. No, the signs are way too deep in the ground for that, and many are embedded in concrete. I recommend working through channels, which includes your local government, the Kalamazoo Area Transportation Study (KATS) and the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT). Although you could do this sign-abandonment work geographically, it would seem to make more sense to adopt-and-abandon signs by category. I would love to take the "No Parking" signs, for instance, and set a goal to have every third one removed. But, alas, with my heavy volunteer load, that may be too ambitious, as these signs are placed every few yards along some city streets. For the moment, then, I'll take something easier -- like "Stop Sign Ahead."