Blue Water Woman--spring 2017

MULTI
tasking
12 SPRING 2017 BlueWaterWoman.com
denise dencklau
by Patti Samar
Denise Dencklau of Fort Gratiot lives her life by her favorite Biblical
passage:
“To whom much is given, much is expected,” she said. “I feel it is only
fair to give back the blessings that I have been given in my life.”
But the fact of the matter is, the Blue Water Area is blessed to have
Dencklau as an active and engaged member of the community, as she has
given freely of her time and energy to numerous causes, all while juggling a
large and busy family and life as a full-time working career woman.
As result of her ability to multi-task her work life and her personal life,
along with her dedication to her community over the past 30-plus years,
Dencklau has been named the Blue Water Woman Executive Professional
of the Year. She was nominated by Don Fletcher and Lynn Griffor.
Dencklau, who has served as the executive assistant to the McLaren Port
Huron chief executive officer since 2007, credits her success to the many
inspiring leaders with whom has had the privilege of working.
“(Former hospital CEO) Don Fletcher and Dr. Kevin Sullivan, those two
were my biggest mentors,” she said of her early working life at then-Port
Huron Hospital where she began as the medical staff coordinator in 1985.
“Dr. Sullivan was the medical director and he always believed that I was
capable of more than I thought I was capable of. He was an inspiration.”
She also noted that she learned much from working for former hospital
CEO Tom DeFauw and current hospital CEO Jennifer Montgomery.
“Tom DeFauw was an amazing role model and now I work for an
amazing woman. We’re always learning and every person we encounter
shapes us. My husband, too. I’ve learned a lot from him over the years.”
Dencklau said other women have been inspirational in her life, as well,
beginning with her mother.
“My mom had five children and she worked as well,” said Dencklau.
“She was always quietly supportive and always positive. She sees the world
as a happy place. She’s always been that cheerleader.”
Dencklau and her husband, Vernon Dencklau, D.O., raised four
daughters and taught them the importance of giving back to the
community by becoming involved themselves.
Over the years, Dencklau has served on the boards of numerous
nonprofit organizations. She was chair of the first American Heart
Association Heart Ball held in the county. She served on the United Way
board for a number of years, as well as the board of the local Girl Scout
Council and the YMCA.
Currently, Dencklau serves as the chair of the Empty Bowl Fundraiser
for Mid-City Nutrition, a nonprofit dedicated to feeding the hungry in the
community.
“Living in this community…it’s such a giving and supportive
community,” said Dencklau. “It’s been easy to get involved in charitable
opportunities. People step up and give their time and their money. It’s
amazing.
“With the Empty Bowl, well, we see pictures on TV of places in the
world where people are hungry and the Empty Bowl signifies that there
are still hungry people here. One hundred percent of the funds raised go to
the soup kitchen. Every dime.”
Dencklau has chaired the event for four years. Last year, it raised
$37,000. This year’s event will take place on April 20 at St. Stephen
Catholic Church on 32nd Street.
Juggling four growing children while working full time and volunteering
in the community was made easier by making good use of her
organizational skills. “I guess you just do what you have to do,” she said.
“My motto was always do the night before what you don’t have time to do
in the morning.
“You have to be organized and you have to have good kids.
“I cannot express the amount of gratitude that I have for the people I
have had the honor to work with personally and professionally,” she said.
“The people I have worked for over the years have always been of the
highest integrity.”