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for outstanding accomplishments

Chamber recognizes eight Pointers
for outstanding accomplishments

Two high school seniors – one from Liggett, one from South – represented hope for the future as they stood on the stage Tuesday night at the War Memorial's Fries Auditorium to receive Grosse Pointe Chamber of Commerce's Pointer of Distinction Awards.

Youth Achievement

Awards went to Mary Grech from University Liggett and Julia Jacovides from South, each of whom had a list of academic accomplishments, leadership and community service that would have filled the resume of a 20-year college alum.

Grech is student body president at Liggett, served as class president last year, has been a leader in the Casa Maria Community Service Club, helped found the school's Cancer Society Relay for Life, teaches pre-school children at St. Ambrose Church in the Park, played varsity volleyball and won various scholarships and awards for academic achievement, leadership and athletics.

"Mary's goal, in her words, is 'to do something positive every day of my life and leave the world better than I found it,'" said master of ceremonies Ted Everingham, a Park attorney and Chamber board member.

Jacovides earned a 3.95 grade-point average at South as she played in the chamber and symphony orchestras, co-founded Students Against Violence in the Environment that started a new form of recycling at the high school, and took part in the Global Youth Leadership Conference. That conference involved 350 students from more than 50 countries who met in Washington and New York to analyze human rights issues and debate them. When her career with the South women's track and field squad was cut short by an injury she served as team manager and won a scholar-athlete award in 2008.

 

Everingham said the two young women have in common their academic excellence, caring service to their community, athletic achievement and effective leadership.

"These qualities that they have in common, in uncommon abundance distinguish them as among the best that Grosse Pointe has to offer. They are reasons for our generation to have high hopes for theirs," Everingham said.

Community Service

Pointers of Distinction community service awards at the fourth annual program went to Allen G. Dickinson of the Woods and William C. Rands III of the City.

Dickinson has served in a wide variety of community activities, including the Woods City Council, the Planning Commission and more than 20 other governmental and civic groups for more than four decades, and continues to this day. Rands has been active in everything from the American Civil Liberties Union and hospital advisory councils to the Grosse Pointe Animal Adoption Society and the Detroit River Regatta Association. He has also been known to play Santa Claus.

Everingham put it this way for both men: "And the list goes on . . . and on . . . and on." 

New Business Enterprise

Pointers of Distinction new business enterprise awards went to Lori Stefek and Mark Seeley.

Stefek's Auction House was launched two years ago in the old Vintage Bistro restaurant building on Mack. The full-service auction house takes care of everything, according to Everingham. It auctions high quality items, helps with moving or estate sales and cleans out homes about to be vacated. Auction House moves and ships items for customers, and in Stefek's words quoted by Everingham, "give[s] them peace of mind that someone will be there to help them through the whole process."

She hopes to develop her enterprise into the leading boutique auction house in the Midwest over the next five years.

For his part, Seeley built on years in diverse segments of the food service industry in more than a half dozen states to open the Burger Pointe restaurant in the Village in 2009.
"It quickly became a popular spot to enjoy simple, well-prepared food at an attractive price point," Everingham said. "It's one of those businesses in which you are more likely than not to see someone you know . . . there for a burger, soup, a salad or some combination of those."

Excellence in Business

Pointers of Distinction excellence in business awards went to Kathleen Mullins, the president and CEO of the Edsel & Eleanor Ford House in Grosse Pointe Shores, and Kim Schmidt, regional president of Community Central Bank since 2005.

Since Mullins took her post in 2008, the facility has completed its first strategic plan and a vision statement, and has identified core values as she repositioned it to be more engaged with the community. "Her goal is to build awareness and audience for the Ford House and to bring the Ford family legacy to life," Everingham said.

Schmidt, a banker for 37 years, has witnessed many changes in the industry and has found great satisfaction in working with start-up businesses and helping them to grow, in assisting young people with a mortgage for their first home, and in watching young people learn about saving money and growing into responsible, successful adults, Everingham said.

"Kim Schmidt exemplifies the community in community banking," he added.

Since 2006 Community Central Bank has loaned more than $105 million to 524 Grosse Pointe residents and more than $20 million to commercial entities. The bank has branches on the Hill and on Mack Avenue.

The judges for the awards were: Vickey Bloom, Grosse Pointe Public Library director; Ed Lazar of State Farm Insurance; the Rev. Jerry Spice of St. James Lutheran Church; Jeanne Weipert, a Grosse Pointe City Council member, and Shane Reeside, Grosse Pointe Farms city manager.

For photos of the Chamber event, click here: GP Party Crashers For information on the Grosse Pointe Chamber of Commerce, visit grossepointechamberofcommerce.org

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