in this issue: A new day: MIFA welcomes new leadership MIFA Holiday Cards are here! Holiday opportunities Wilma Hughes: A MIFA success story Metropolitan Inter-Faith AssociationHOPE • mifa.org • (901) 527-0208 IN ACTIONWinter 2012 • Volume 30 • Number 4 MIFA Board of Directors Executive Committee Rev. Steve Montgomery, Chair MIFA friends, Amy Poag, Vice Chair Emily Woodside, Secretary We all know MIFA is about people—those who fought to make the idea of this place a reality, those who serve Ward Mayer, Treasurer and are served here, and those whose differences make us so unique. We recently celebrated our annual em- Milton Lovell, Legal Counsel Paul Berz ployee appreciation week, during which employees were recognized for 5, 10, 15, and even 25 and 35 years of Otha Brandon service. Our ability to attract and retain these talented people is a point of pride for us; it’s so important, in fact, Jef Feibelman that it’s an objective of our new strategic plan. Yvonne Madlock Deborah Craddock We have some new leadership in MIFA’s ranks who serve as prime examples of that talent. In the following Meg Crosby pages, you’ll learn about Chief Operating Officer Dot Gilbertson, Board Chairman Rev. Steve Montgomery, Edward Dobbs and Vice President of Development Linda McNeil. But for now, let me say how fortunate MIFA is for the expe- Jeffrey Engelberg rience, wisdom, and inspiration these fine people bring to the table. Mark Finestone Michelle Fulmer Because of our history, our reputation, and our work, we are able to attract high-quality people to MIFA—our Rev. Milton Hawkins staff, volunteers, and donors—and because MIFA is such a special place, we’re also able to keep them here for Kojo McLennon years or even decades. We owe our success to those people and look forward to many more years of partnership. Judy Royal Sehrish Siddiqui Gratefully, Chris Suhoza Bianca Sweeten Peter Tosches Blanchard Tual Cathy Van Leit Sally Jones Heinz Executive Director Executive Director Sally Jones Heinz Hope in Action staff Our vision: Uniting the community through service. Ellen Whitten, Editor [email protected] Our mission: Supporting the independence of vulnerable seniors and families in crisis through high- impact programs. (901) 529-4507 Jessica Jones, Designer James Seacat, On the cover: Linda Jackson McNeil, Dot Gilbertson, and Steve Montgomery accept new leadership positions at MIFA. Communications Director 2 • Winter 2012 • HOPE IN ACTION mifa.org • (901) 527-0208 A new day: MIFA welcomes new leadership MIFA is proud to announce its new leadership: Vice President of Development Linda McNeil, MIFA Board Chairman Rev. Steve Montgomery, Chief Operating Officer Dot Gilbertson, and Circle of Hope Co-Chairs Mimsy and Frank Jones. MIFA has long valued its human capital and prided itself on the quality of people our organization attracts. But as any fundraiser, volunteer coordinator, or human resources director can attest, attracting talented people may be the easiest part; keeping them around is the greater challenge. As you will learn on the following pages, these new leaders have been at MIFA as little as a month or as long as a decade—but each of them brings invaluable experience and a unique perspective. Linda Jackson McNeil, Vice President of Development MIFA is very excited to welcome Linda Jackson McNeil as Vice President of Development. A lifelong Memphian, Linda graduated LeMoyne-Owen College with a busi- ness administration degree and committed herself to working for the bet- terment of her community. She was first introduced to fundraising in the LeMoyne-Owen office of alumni affairs, where she spent seven years gaining experience before joining the development team at BRIDGES. Linda spent the last decade rising through the development ranks at BRIDGES. As their Vice President of Development, she built and led her team to achieve ambitious fundraising goals, in addition to launching several successful initia- tives and implementing sophisticated development operations to streamline her Linda Jackson McNeil joins MIFA’s executive team as VP of Development. mifa.org • (901) 527-0208 HOPE IN ACTION • Winter 2012 • 3 department’s work. A beloved member of the BRIDGES staff, Linda is known for “her quick smile, her no-nonsense attitude to raising funds, her charm, grace, brains, and hard work.” And she made her mark on the fundraising commu- nity at large—she received the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ 2011 Crystal Award for Fundraising Executive of the Year. In addition to that outstanding achievement, Linda is also a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, a graduate of Leadership Academy and Leadership Memphis, and a participant in Mei-Ann’s Circle of Friends for Memphis Symphony Orchestra and Give 365 for the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis. She volunteers regularly with Brown Girl Dreams, and Memphis Prom Closet. Linda is excited about her move to MIFA. She says, “I’ve long admired the work MIFA does in the community: The mission is great, the programs are strong, and everyone I’ve met has been amazing. The foundation is solid—I’m ready to start building on those good things and use my talents to take our fun- draising efforts to an even higher level.” Linda and her husband Major, a lieutenant with the Memphis Fire Department, celebrated their second anniversary last month. Rev. Steve Montgomery, MIFA Board Chair MIFA has always been blessed with a strong board of directors and outstanding board chairmen, and Steve Montgomery is no exception. Steve heard about MIFA very shortly after his family moved to Memphis from Atlanta in 2000. He came to Idlewild Presbyterian Church with 20 years of experience, in addition to a B.A. in history from the College of Wooster, an Steve Montgomery has begun his term as chairman of MIFA’s board of directors. 4 • Winter 2012 • HOPE IN ACTION mifa.org • (901) 527-0208 M.Div. from Yale Divinity School, and a D.Min. from Columbia Theological Seminary. In Atlanta, Steve served on the board of an agency like MIFA, drawn to its community ministry. One of his early observations about MIFA in relation to similar inter-faith programs was its ability to adjust to changing times and needs and its compassion to all who need help. “MIFA’s vision—uniting the commu- nity through service—is at once simple and profound,” he says. “It’s simple in its words but profound in its implications. Imagine—just imagine—what that can mean for our entire community!” Steve cites three reasons for his excitement and optimism about MIFA’s future: A focused mission, a dedicated staff, and a working board. He adds, “In an often fragmented community, MIFA offers unity, compassion, and hope—all sorely needed during these hard, divisive times. I shudder to think of where Memphis would be without MIFA.” Steve and his wife Patti, a licensed clinical social worker, have two children, A.J. and Sumita, who are both in college. Dot Gilbertson, Chief Operating Officer Dot Gilbertson may have spent her entire career preparing to be Chief Operating Officer at MIFA. She has at least spent the last decade doing so. Dot received a B.S. in English from the University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire and an M.S. in English from University of Kansas, Lawrence, after which she became a college English instructor. She then took a job as an IT recruiter and went on to own the company she worked for. After 10 years in programs and fundraising at MIFA, Dot Gilbertson becomes its first Chief Operating Officer. mifa.org • (901) 527-0208 HOPE IN ACTION • Winter 2012 • 5 She came to MIFA in 2002, where her first three years were spent in senior programs, serving as volunteer coordinator for Senior Companion then Long- Term Care Ombudsman. In 2005, she took her knowledge of programs to the administrative side, where she became director of grants and research. From there, she advanced to Vice President of development in 2011 before becoming MIFA’s first Chief Operating Officer earlier this year. Dot has been instrumental in the strategic planning process and is currently fo- cused on helping programs improve efficiencies to meet MIFA’s strategic goals. Her experience with programs—both as a program staff member and in the re- search and expertise required to write grant proposals—paired with her under- standing of the funding and nonprofit landscapes make her uniquely qualified for the Chief Operating Officer position. The products of her vision, wisdom, and hard work will be apparent in MIFA’s operations for years to come. Mimsy and Frank Jones, Circle of Hope Co-Chairs Mimsy and Frank Jones, co-chairs of this year’s Circle of Hope annual fund campaign, lead by example. Faithful MIFA supporters and deeply engaged par- ticipants in community life, they understand that providing for the basic needs of our neighbors is both a responsibility and a privilege. Mimsy, an Episcopal archdeacon and beloved spiritual leader, and Frank, a former financial advisor, now active as a director in Cumberland Trust and Investment Company, know that by encouraging others to support MIFA with leadership gifts, they not only help sustain our programs, but also provide other donors the opportunity to experience the joy of generous, impactful giving. As Steve Montgomery says, “You couldn’t ask for a better team to represent the Circle of Hope. Mimsy and Frank exemplify what it means to be servant leaders. We are honored to have them as members of the MIFA family.” Mimsy and Frank Jones lead this year’s Circle of Hope annual fund. 6 • Winter 2012 • HOPE IN ACTION mifa.org • (901) 527-0208 Thanks to everyone who made Feed the Soul a success! 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