West CentralInitiative

Investing resources in our communities for regional success

President/ Chief Executive Officer

Richard Thompson Associates, Inc.

an hour’s drive from Fargo-Moorhead and 2-1/2 hours from Minneapolis-St. Paul. There are 82 incorporated municipalities in the region with one-third of its 225,000 residents residing in its five largest cities: Moorhead (39,091), Fergus Falls (13,295), Alexandria (13,045), Detroit Lakes (8,851) and Morris (5,382).

A sign in one of the region’s cities proudly stated: “THIS COMMUNITY REFUSES TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CURRENT ECONOMIC DOWNTURN.” This optimism pervades the region, along with a can-do attitude. “Shop Local” programs and farmers markets not only help the local economy but build a stronger sense of community. Most communities take responsibility for their current circumstances and are working—often with WCI—to forge a better tomorrow for its current and future residents.

During the economic downturn in the last decade, the regional farm economy remained strong and, although unemployment in manufacturing and on main street increased, most manufacturers survived by tabling expansion plans, trimming costs and increasing productivity. Today, unemployment in the region is low with a notable shortage of workers for jobs in manufacturing. A shortage of affordable housing has also developed. The greatest region-wide labor force needs are in manufacturing, service and healthcare.

The OrganizationWest Central Initiative (WCI) serves as a regional community foundation that unites resources to help people and communities create a better tomorrow within the economically diverse and dramatically changing nine-county region in west central Minnesota. It offers leadership training, business loans, nonprofit grants and donor services. West Central Initiative was incorporated as a 501c(3) in 1986 as West Central Minnesota Initiative Fund and now has more than $60 million in total assets ($30 million general endowment, $22 million in 74 component funds and $8 million business loan funds). Its operating budget for 2014 was $5.6 million.

WCI has a strong history of community, business, and regional engagement on a wide range of issues. Since 1986 WCI has invested $76 million in the region in support of programs, made 7,868 grants totaling $37.6 million and 912 loans to businesses totaling $39.5 million, created and retained 6,461 jobs, and leveraged more than $198 million in loans to regional businesses.

The 8,615 square mile nine-county region includes the counties of Becker, Clay, Douglas, Grant, Otter Tail, Pope, Stevens, Traverse and Wilkin. WCI is based in Fergus Falls, which is an attractive rural community of 13,000, located near I-94 on the divide between the great prairie and the Minnesota lakes region. With an excellent quality of life and diversified economic base, Fergus Falls is less than

Background West Central Initiative is one of six Minnesota Initiative Foundations (MIFs) established in 1986 by The McKnight Foundation and statewide leaders. The MIFs are independent, regionally focused foundations reaching throughout Greater Minnesota. Each has found its own path, creating unique programs and operational structures. Working for today and the future, they provide business loans, grants and direct programs for the greatest impact in their respective regions. In addition to the $280 million that McKnight has contributed, they have raised in excess of $200 million from other sources.

Position Specification

MissionServing to improve west central Minnesota through funding, programs and technical assistance.

VisionUniting ideas and resources to help people and communities create a better tomorrow. One of the region’s most valuable assets is the people who live and work here. The overall strategy encompassing all of WCI’s programs and services is to make west central Minnesota the place people choose to live.

Core ValuesCommunity - Building community is the basis of our work.

Respect - We treat individuals, organizations, and communities with respect and compassion.

Responsiveness - We respond to all inquiries and requests in an efficient, timely manner.

Learning - We are committed to continuous learning and innovation to meet the changing needs of our region.

Stability - We provide stability by building and managing a sustainable asset base for the region.

WCI’s programs reflect its regional focus. It views problems, opportunities and solutions from a regional perspective as it works as a catalyst to develop partnerships with communities and businesses.

The CultureWCI is characterized as participatory, professional, committed to the region and mission of WCI, interdependent at every level, team oriented, intelligent, ethical, mature, apolitical and a good sounding board for others’ ideas. It is family friendly, welcoming, engaging and builds the capacity of each member of the staff by providing training, tools, time and a supportive environment.

Members of the staff enjoy working closely together as they share the energy evident in the organization. Every spring, the WCI office closes for a day when the entire staff takes a bus tour of the region, meeting clients and partners and learning about new, local innovations.

Three strategic initiatives have been developed and are in place to support and help strengthen the economy of west central Minnesota: Economic Development, Community Development and Promoting Philanthropy. They do not stand alone; they are interconnected.

Economic Development begins with families, which are the building blocks of the 82 communities in the region. Families need good jobs that pay well, reliable child care, financial stability and education for their children. WCI’s Workforce 2020 and Family Economic Success programs help families increase their income and assets.

Many entrepreneurs and successful/growing businesses in the region desire to expand but are often limited because they do not have all the credit/financial requirements for traditional financing. Working with financial institutions—not competing with them—WCI provides “gap” lending that supplements or complements conventional financial institution financing. In fiscal year 2014, WCI closed 28 loans totaling $1.9 million dollars.

As the Economic Development District designee for west central Minnesota, WCI is able to add more resources to the region’s economic development toolbox.

Community Development links individuals and organizations working toward common goals. WCI listens to community residents to identify issues. It believes answers and solutions are best decided by those closest to the challenge. It then partners with those willing to change. At WCI, Community Development focuses on regional transportation planning, early childhood development, leadership development, community mobilization and nonprofit technical assistance and grants. Grants for Economic and Community Development totaled more than $3.5 million in 2014.

Promoting Philanthropy: Several studies have documented the multi-trillion dollar intergenerational transfer of wealth currently underway in the USA. It is estimated that more than $2.4 billion in the west central region will be transferred through estates over the next 20 years. Retaining a portion of this within the region is an important goal of WCI. To remain a viable and sustainable resource for the region, WCI solicits and accepts gifts (current and deferred) to its general endowment or to its component funds on behalf of specific communities, businesses or individuals for restricted or unrestricted purposes important to the donor. In 2014 WCI received more than $3.6 million in endowment contributions from hundreds of donors.

In order to accommodate the rapidly changing region, WCI has shifted from developing and operating within a five-year strategic plan to a three-year plan that will be implemented next year.

Strategic Initiatives

Reporting to the Board of Directors, the President is responsible for leading, directing and managing the organization in a manner consistent with the mission and values of WCI and policies established by the Board. Major responsibilities include: Organizational Leadership, Representation, Management and Operations, Governance (Board and Committee Operations); Regional Engagement; Research; Strategy and Resource Development; and Engagement/ Development of Philanthropy. Reporting to the President is a strong, talented, professional, energetic and hardworking 17-person staff.

A critical responsibility of the President is being the chief spokesperson for WCI by representing it to the region in all activities. He/she must be visible throughout the region, must be present in community forums, meetings and social gatherings. He/she will also represent the region to the greater State of Minnesota including the Legislative and Executive Branches.

As Chief Executive Officer of WCI working in concert with the Board of Directors, the President must engage in envisioning its plans, setting the strategic direction of its activities and initiatives, and putting them into action. Using WCI’s charter as the overall guide, the President maintains its strategic direction, measuring progress against established goals and continually testing assumptions for validity.

As its most senior executive, the President oversees all operational and financial aspects of its affairs. This includes but is not restricted to program execution, and management of human resources, fundraising and capital assets.

The President is responsible for overseeing the key leadership positions. He/she is expected to lead initiatives of skills development for all members of the staff. In addition, the President is expected to lead growth efforts in concert with the capacity of resources addressing the needs of communities being served.

The President is the chief spokesperson for WCI in all activities of the region and will represent the region to the greater State of Minnesota and the other Minnesota Initiative Foundations.

We are seeking candidates with proven professional competence in organizational management and leadership experience in private, public or nonprofit organizations.

The Position

External Management: Proven experience representing an organization to various external publics with an appreciation for and understanding of the role of philanthropy and the importance of the president being actively involved. Must enjoy being significantly out in the region with stakeholders and be able to move easily between and within the environments of business, nonprofits and government.

Internal Management: Successful experience developing and growing an organization, managing people and programs, a team leader and team player who is an excellent developer of people (able to amplify the strengths of each team member) with a compatible management style.

Specific Skills: Exceptional verbal, presentation and written communications skills. Strong personal reputation and credibility are essential. An ability to achieve annual organizational growth goals is essential.

Values: Supportive of the free-enterprise system, understanding of rural values, hands-on experience working/living in rural areas and effective in relating to people at all levels of the economic scale and education in rural communities.

Leadership: Proven leadership ability and collaborative leadership style.

Personal qualities: Authentic, good public presence, change manager, high integrity, ethical, trustworthy, energetic, a people person with a positive attitude, committed, hard working, good common sense, adaptable, flexible, quick thinker, good listener, persuasive, respectful of others, passion for and commitment to move both WCI and the region ahead.

The successful candidate must appreciate, revere, support and champion west central Minnesota. He/she must be approachable, non-judgmental and a good facilitator. A good sense of humor is important along with strong analytical skills and the ability to recognize new and applicable trends, demographics and/or solutions.

Educational Requirements: A bachelor’s degree is required and an advanced degree is preferred.

In addition, we are seeking candidates with a minimum of 10 years relevant full-time employment who are able to develop credibility with the various stakeholders and constituencies in the region. The President will reside somewhere within the nine-county region.

Travel Requirements: It is expected that the President will travel frequently throughout the region.

Qualifications

West Central Initiative is located in Fergus Falls, in the heart of the nine-county region. It’s a regional destination for arts and culture, and is making a name for itself for the creative entrepreneurs who call Fergus Falls home, providing artisan breads, quality chocolate, locally roasted coffee, craft beer and more! Fergus Falls is the county seat of Otter Tail County, which boasts of more than 1,000 lakes and is a popular area for year-round recreation. The city is also the gateway to the Central Lakes Recreation Trail.

CompensationCompetitive salary commensurate with experience and qualifications plus a comprehensive benefits package.

How to ApplyThe executive search firm of Richard Thompson Associates, Inc. has been retained to conduct this search. For additional information or to apply contact: RICHARD THOMPSON ASSOCIATES, INC. Richard P. Thompson222 South 9th Street, Suite 1600 612/339-6060Minneapolis, MN 55402 rpt@rthompassoc.com

WEST CENTRAL INITIATIVE IS AN EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY/ AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER

For Further InformationAdditional information is available on the following websites:

http://www.wcif.orghttp://blog.wcif.orghttp://facebook.com/westcentralinitiativehttp://twitter.com/wciminnhttp://vimeo/wciminnhttp://www.greaterminnesota.nethttp://www.mcknight.org/grant-programs/mn/program-background

Fergus Falls