Rick Huisman

Michigan Nightlight: What does being a leader mean to you?
Boys & Girls Clubs of Grand Rapids Youth Commonwealth Executive Director Rick Huisman: There are so many definitions. I’d say that a good leader should not make others into followers, but rather, into other leaders. There are challenges and decisions to be made along the way, and I can do that, but ultimately it’s not about a bandwagon mentality. For me, in my role at the Boys & Girls Club, the most important part of my leadership is that the practices I put in place will create new leaders.
 
What is your dream for kids?
I’m not naïve enough to say that there will be equal opportunities anytime soon for every kid born, but I hope for success to be within reach of every child, and I hope that we can help give them that opportunity. I envision a future in which the Boys & Girls Club can be a catalyst for this success.
 
What is one concrete thing that could be done to improve the environment for social sector work in Michigan?
Just in my short time here, I’ve realized that it’s extremely important to coordinate services with other organizations in the community so as not to duplicate each other’s efforts. Working together to achieve the same goal of making our community stronger, while not letting ourselves be silos within the community, will benefit everyone trying to make a positive difference. On a more personal level, for our organization, we could benefit by having a stronger relationship with the Grand Rapids

Working together to achieve the same goal of making our community stronger, while not letting ourselves be silos within the community, will benefit everyone trying to make a positive difference.

Public Schools. The on-time graduation rate for Grand Rapids Public Schools is under 44 percent; for kids who attend Boys & Girls Club three or more days a week, that rate jumps to over 90 percent.
 
How do you know you’re making progress?
We know we are making progress because we are growing. Kids vote with their feet and there are more feet walking in our doors every year. Our staff can tell stories all day long about the impact we are having on the kids who do walk in our doors every day. For example, we had one fourteen-year-old who was going to a party and saw a group of kids running from a gunman. He jumped back into his car and drove away, and at that moment, he knew he had to make a change. He started going to the Boys & Girls Club the following week, raised his GPA above a 3.0, and is now a student at the University of Michigan.
 
What are you most proud of?
We are proud to say that in 2012 we saw more than 2,200 kids -- almost 300 a day. Our summer camp, Camp O’Malley, is American Camp Association Accredited and saw more than 580 kids last summer. Personally, I am incredibly proud of the

As someone who's gone from minor league and professional baseball to for-profit entrepreneurship to the nonprofit sector, I'd say to be open-minded. Anything is possible.

staff we have in place; it takes a special kind of person to work with kids, and they have become mentors in the lives of our members. I’m also proud of the unbelievable support we receive from so many individuals, businesses, and foundations in this great community.
 
Reflecting on your career path, what advice would you give to kids unsure of what type of career they should pursue?
As someone who’s gone from minor league and professional baseball to for-profit entrepreneurship to the nonprofit sector, I’d say to be open-minded. Anything is possible. As far as advice, I’d say that ultimately, if what you do takes care of you and your family, everything’s okay. That said, it’s not always about the money; it can be about doing work that’s meaningful to you. In the nonprofit sector, we’re not here because it’s a high paying job; we do it because it’s a service. If I’d stayed in any of my previous careers, it would’ve been fine, but it’s great to know that on a daily basis, I’m making a difference for kids in my community.