Grand Rapids Native Named Blandin Foundation CEO

The board of trustees of the Blandin Foundation, Grand Rapids, has elected Jim Hoolihan as its new president. Hoolihan is the former mayor of Grand Rapids, former board chair and longtime board member of the foundation, and owner of a successful locally based business.

Hoolihan, 51, emerged from a three-month national search conducted with assistance from an executive search firm experienced in recruiting nonprofit and foundation executives. Hoolihan succeeds Paul Olson, who resigned in 2003.

"Jim's long-time leadership in this community as mayor and citizen, his depth of knowledge about the foundation and his success in running a family-owned, Minnesota-based company were decisive," said Kenneth Lundgren, chairman of the foundation's board. "Jim brings a steady hand, heart and open manner to these turbulent and uncertain times."

"We will steer a steady course," said Hoolihan. "But it will be different. I intend to listen and meet with people here and throughout the state in my first 90 days, and confer with board and staff about our role.

"I am humbled yet inspired by the words and work of one of Minnesota's greats, Governor Elmer L. Anderson, who wrote at age 91, 'Every American - indeed everyone in the world - should know freedom, justice and opportunity' and that's especially poignant in Itasca County where the median wage is 35 percent lower than in the Twin Cities and more than 33 percent of us earn less than $8.50 an hour.

"Ambitious, out of reach, too lofty?" Hoolihan said. "Perhaps, but as Governor Anderson said, every person's reach should exceed her and his grasp."

As part of his "listening," Hoolihan said the foundation will host a Community Conversation in conjunction with the June board meeting in Grand Rapids to discuss "every person's reach."

Hoolihan said he will join the foundation full-time in early June. Meanwhile, he will remove himself from the management and operations of Industrial Lubricants Inc., a business that has been in his family for more than 60 years.

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