mottnow August 2000 - Charles Stewart Mott Foundation

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Program Director Jon Blyth RetiresBy Maggie JaruzelJon Blyth says two senses, ortraits, are crucial to survival inthe foundation world — asense of humor and a sense ofhumility. Colleagues, grantees andfriends agree that Blyth exhibitedboth during his 24-year career atthe Mott Foundation.The man with a keen mindand compassionate heart alsomade his mark as a prolific programofficer, leaving behind animpressive record of grantmaking.Jimmy L. Krause, Director ofGrants Administration, said Blythprocessed and monitored morethan 1,100 grants that totaledabout $90 million during histenure at the Foundation.“Throughout the course ofa distinguished career, Jon usedhis leadership and organizationalskills in every program of the Foundation, beginningwith community education,” Mott PresidentWilliam S. White said. “Although we will miss him,I plan to call upon him for advice and counsel in hisretirement years.”Uncomfortable in the spotlight, Blyth quicklyshifts the focus to the people and programs he hasbeen involved with during the past two dozen years.And they are vast and varied. He is the only programstaff member who has worked in each of theFoundation’s four programs: Civil Society, FlintArea, Environment and Pathways out of Poverty.Most recently, Blyth worked as Civil SocietyProgram Director, stationed in the Foundation’sPrague, Czech Republic, regional office, which hehelped establish.Blyth is humbled, yet proud, that he has beena part of improving people’s lives in the UnitedStates and abroad. For example, grantmaking in thePrague office allowed for monitoring of democraticelections in former totalitarian states such asSlovakia, dramatically changing people’s way of life.“It’s not hard to get passionate about thisbeing a real window of opportunity, and the windowof opportunity is not just a few years,” BlythJon and Jane Blythsaid. “It might be 20, 30, 40 years for a new Europeto embrace creative democracies and marketeconomies.”Blyth’s genuine love for people and his passionto improve their plight endeared him to manygrantees, including one in the Environment programin the early 1980s. The Rev. Bruce Youngvividly recalled the day he saw tears flow downBlyth’s cheeks while listening to mothers in Woburn,Massachusetts, tell how their children — one by one— died from cancer.“You don’t let yourself be driven by emotions,”Blyth said. “But I think it’s well and good tobe emotional and passionate about things; it canmotivate you intellectually.”He was also motivated by interacting withpeople — from the grassroots level to policymakers.“I’d want to know what the kids and the crewchiefs thought about the programs,” Blyth said. “Atthe other end, I would put a suit on and go talk tothe assistant secretary of labor and other policy people.I would try and make sure I covered all thebases. I’d do it because it was important andbecause it was great fun to wear a suit one day andblue jeans the next.”10
Blyth’s Foundation career began somewhatserendipitously in 1976 after he found himself losinga job when the manufacturing company heworked for in Detroit was about to be merged witha larger corporation.He was intrigued by the opportunity to blendhis social conscience with his professional career. Soafter having spent about 15 years in the field ofengineering, research and management, Blyth joinedthe Foundation.He credits his practical experience in thebusiness world and his formal education – a bachelor’sdegree in mechanical engineering from DukeUniversity and a master’s degree in business administrationfrom the University of Chicago — withenabling him to serve the Foundation as a strategicplanner and program designer.“My job has been to grow the program areas,help to hire staff and do quite of bit of strategicplanning,” he said. “Sometimes we got lucky andthings would go well. Sometimes we’d run intoproblems. But we always had a lot of fun.”During his tenure, Blyth has witnessed phenomenalgrowth at the Foundation. When he startedin 1976, Mott had a staff of about 20 (includingsix in programs), assets of $462.5 million and madegrants that totaled $12.9 million. Today, Mott has astaff of close to 100 (including 36 in programs). Atthe end of 1999, its assets were $3.23 billion, andgrants totaled $113.9 million in 1999.Blyth has only one regret from hisFoundation career.“I lived in Prague for five years, but neverreally learned to speak the Czech language well.”So what’s next for the man who was equallyenriched by having met worldwide heads of stateand homeless men and women living in the streets?He is returning to his roots to live out hisboyhood dream — almost. Instead of assuming acareer as a professional golfer at age 62, Blyth andhis wife, Jane, look forward to welcoming theirblended family of seven grown children and fourgrandchildren at their new retirement home. It’slocated on the first fairway of a golf course outsideWhitehall, Michigan. The house is within walkingdistance of Lake Michigan and not far fromMuskegon, where he was born.Program Officer Leaving foundation to join COFSuzanne Feurt, who has worked at the MottFoundation since 1979 in programs, has beennamed managing director of community foundationsfor the Council on Foundations (COF) inWashington, D.C.In her new post, Feurt will work with COF’s410 community foundations to achieve their visionof acting collectively as a field, and to fulfill theiragenda in six priority areas: professional development,legislative advocacy, technology, marketing,standards of practice and community impactthrough grantmaking.“We are going to miss Suzanne’s expertise,experience and enthusiasm at the Mott Foundation,but we are pleased that her many years of work incommunity foundations will continue to benefit thefield as a whole,” said William S. White, Presidentand CEO of the Mott Foundation.“We are delighted to have someone ofSuzanne’s caliber aboard,” said Dorothy S. Ridings,COF’s president and CEO. “She brings a great dealof passion for the cause, a deep knowledge of philanthropyand an understanding of the issues facingSuzanne Feurtthe foundationfield today.”JackHopkins, presidentand CEO of theKalamazooFoundation inMichigan andchairman of COF’sCommunityFoundationsLeadership Team,called the choice ofFeurt a “terrific”move.“She’s known by our colleagues throughoutthe community foundation sector as having enormousenergy and a vision for the future,” he said.“I’m particularly looking forward to working withher in her new capacity.”As a program officer at Mott, Feurt wasresponsible for the Foundation’s grantmaking in11
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