May 7 Opportunities for Education Dinner Raises Funds for Scholarships

Bill Johnston, chairman of the Greenleaf Companies, will be the keynote speaker at the May 7 Opportunities for Education fundraising dinner, which is a primary source of funding for the KVCC Foundation’s student scholarships.

As chairman, Johnston focuses on culture, vision, mission and high-level strategies for Greenleaf Trust; Greenleaf Hospitality Group, Inc.; and Catalyst Development Company, L.L.C. He serves as trustee of Western Michigan University as well as the Genevieve and Donald S. Gilmore Foundation. He also serves on the board of directors of Southwest Michigan First Economic Development Corporation, Bronson Healthcare Group, HUMANeX, Special-Lite Corporation and the Western Michigan University Foundation. Johnston earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from WMU.

Johnston spent 15 years in education as a teacher, coach and high school principal before pursuing his passion for investments by joining a national brokerage firm. Six years later, as a Vice President of that firm, he left to establish the first of three Greenleaf Companies, Greenleaf Asset Management, Inc. Succeeding in his quest for a bank charter from the State of Michigan, Johnston founded Greenleaf Trust in 1998 and merged the asset management company and bank together a year later. Greenleaf Trust manages in excess of $12.0 billion and has offices in Birmingham, Traverse City, Petoskey, Grand Rapids and its headquarters in Kalamazoo. He is also founder and chairman of Greenleaf Trust Delaware and Greenleaf Financial Holding Company.

This year marks the 15th annual OFE Dinner. According to Steve Doherty, executive director of the Kalamazoo Valley Community College Foundation, the need for financial aid among students continues to rise steadily. In 2017-18, Kalamazoo Valley Community College processed close to 13,000 requests for financial aid. Of those requests, 40 percent received some form of financial aid. The number of funding assistance. The OFE Dinner enables the Foundation to continue to do the important work of helping students succeed.

The event runs from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Radisson Plaza Hotel and Suites in downtown Kalamazoo. The pre-event reception begins at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner and the program which concludes at 8:30 p.m.

Tickets are $160 for individuals and $75 each for students. Sponsor tables that seat eight are available for $1,650. To order tickets, go to www.kvcc.edu/foundation. For more information about the event and the KVCC Foundation, contact Executive Director Steve Doherty, 269.488.4442 or email sdoherty@kvcc.edu.

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