Optimistic Persistence

This past week, the City of Owosso achieved two long-awaited milestones, and the journey to them offers several lessons for those of us engaged in local government and community change.  The first piece of good news was for the Owosso Community Players who received construction loan approval from Chemical Bank for the rebuild of the Lebowsky Theater.  Now, with State assistance, long-term federal financing, and lots of hard-earned private support, the Shiawassee Performing Arts Center will begin its final phase of construction in the next few months.  Second, the members of the City's Park and Recreation Commission realized a three-year goal with the construction of a large playscape at Bentley Park.  This project, the result of a City investment and community donations of time, labor, and money, is the first of several steps in remaking this park into a gateway for Owosso.

Positive Change Takes Time we are reminded by both of these projects.  We live in an era of quick communication and amidst a constant stream of up-to-the-minute news.  Social media makes it possible to share photos, provide updates, and offer opinions in real time.  But reporting is not the same as achieving, and frequently local government does not move as fast as we would like.  We expect results quickly, and the bold step of announcing a goal (e.g. "Rebuild the theater") is sometimes forgotten when it takes months, or years, to achieve the objective.  The typical narrative of news stories leads us to expect a speedy progression of problem statement, resolution, and completion.  Our local newspaper headlined the playscape story with the modifier "finally" reflecting this impatience to get results.

However, it takes time to achieve real progress or make change.  Frequently, the problems are complex, and putting together the right plan of action requires both technical and political analysis.  Upon determination of a solution, the alignment of partners and the assembly of resources takes both skill and time.  Frequently, a project is started without having defined an exact path forward.  For example, the City started the playscape with a commitment of $15,000 several years ago knowing that this amount of funding was insufficient.  It took months before Kiwanis and other service clubs were fully on board, business sponsors had to be approached slowly, and the many fundraising efforts took lots of time and effort to initiate, coordinate and promote.  In the end, close to $100,000 was raised for the project, most of it from local, private donations..

Risk is Inherent to any community improvement effort, especially when not every detail is arranged or known in advance.  Things can, and probably will, go wrong and critics will be quick to point out the shortcomings of any plan that requires modification or is delayed.  Champions of change have to be flexible and be open to hearing the suggestions, or requirements, of other partners as they join in.  Most importantly, as obstacles are encountered, proponents have to be patient while finding additional sources of funds, coming up with an alternative design, or suffering through political attacks.  In both the playscape and the theater projects there were setbacks, and it is a testament to the organizations behind them that people kept moving forward, even when it required a step or two sideways, or backwards, before the goals could be achieved.

Optimistic Persistence may be the most necessary ingredient for any change effort.  I marvel at the people involved with these community improvement initiatives.  Some people had a vision, and would not abandon that dream despite being mocked or criticized.  Other people had the tenacity to keep to their task, whether that be asking for funds or shoveling wood chips.  Several people accepted the challenge to rework the plan and seek out an alternative options. And all of them had persistent optimism, a belief that things would get better if they were willing to stick to it.  Sadly, there are too few people with such an attitude, but I have come to appreciate how important they are to moving our community forward.  (I would add that news of these projects occurred as Governor Rick Snyder announced a cooperative plan with Canada to build a new bridge to support economic growth in Michigan; here too is a leader with optimistic persistence).

Long-Term Perspective is essential in our community if it is to weather the current economic crisis.  We need to look past today's tough times and recognize that the changes we are making now may not show results for several years, perhaps after our terms of service are over.  Policy choices can be distorted when we look for a quick return on our political investments. If creating an entrepreneurial culture in Owosso will take time to take hold, if gaining regional cooperation takes repeated outreach to build trust, if building community facilities requires waiting for the right grant, then we can not be afraid  to pursue such goals. If we avoid the long-term issues, then we might only adopt empty ordinances and resolutions, hire (or fire) staff people to show some sort of action, or take only the most careful and smallest of steps forward.  I am inspired by the examples of those who show optimistic persistence to keep the long-term view in sight.

The Worth of Woodard

In the continuing efforts at the state and local level to rework Michigan's economy, much attention is given to creative genius, the role of entrepreneurs, and the skill level of our workforce.  A new show at the Shiawassee Arts Center provides a fascinating historical view of how these economic development factors combine in a family, a company, and a community.  This record of lessons, 146 years old and still going, offers guidance to our economic development goals of today.

Woodard Furntiure is world-renowned for its hand-crafted, wrought-iron construction.   Examples can be found in the White House Rose Garden, in the Smithsonian, and in other museums of design, art, and history.  The furniture is still made in Owosso, and the history of the company is entwined with that of the City.  Started in 1866, the company began when Lyman Woodward moved from upstate New York and bought a mill on the banks of the Shiawassee River at the site of the present City Hall.  At first, the company relied on the abundance of wood, water power, and rail transport to make and distribute furniture. His wife, parents, and brothers also moved to Owosso, setting the pattern of a true family business that would persist for the next 100 years.

When we talk today about the types of companies we want to grow, we talk about those that rely on creative talent, can adapt to changing conditions, and employ skilled workers.  These have been the  hallmarks of Woodard Furniture since its beginning.  After surviving the setbacks of several fires to establish the means to produce wooden furniture, a second company was created to take advantage of the assembled assets. The Owosso Casket Company was one of the foremost manufacturers in the early 20th Century, producing 150 caskets a day, including those for two presidents (McKinley and Harrison).  The company closed during World War II, but the factory building still stands on S. Elm Street in Owosso.

Creativity. Versatility.  In 1934, the Woodards produced their first metal furniture, a result of the depletion of wood, the changing labor force, and the design genius of Lee Woodard, son of the founder.  The Depression did in Woodward Furniture, but a new company, Lee L. Woodard and Sons was formed in 1938, and was run a cooperative basis where sons Joe ran engineering and production, Russ finance, and Lyman design and marketing.  Lee's wife Sadie summed up their business style when she wrote "the ingredients of the soil for the Lee L. Woodard and Sons planting were faith, courage, creativity, versatility, business ability, integrity and many other divine qualities."  

During World War II, the Woodards developed their metal working skills through several military contracts.  The company played an important role in training arc welders at night through a government contract to supply workers to war production plants in surrounding metropolitan areas.  Thanks to Baker College, Owosso continues to train people in a variety of trades today.

After the War, Woodard Furniture became the producer of premier outdoor patio furniture, with unique designs based on European motifs as well as setting trends, and winning awards, with modern designs.  The combination of creative design with solid engineering, long-term employment of craftsmen, and sound management led to success and worldwide recognition.  As David Vaughn, one of the first non-family members in management notes, "Woodard hired and encouraged an outstanding staff.  They selected good brains and gave them the freedom to experiment for betterment."  In Michigan we have been concerned with reducing labor costs, but as we prepare for the future it is perhaps useful to recall the past when a skilled workforce was a true asset.

Woodard today persists as an Owosso-based manufacturer, employing 170 people, the most in over five years.  As Woodard generations passed away, and corporate America evolved, the company changed hands through various mergers and acquisitions.  But the worth of its products has remained. Today the company is owned by Texas-based Litex, whose CEO, Jean Liu, observed that "furniture is art."  As value-based products again gain consumer recognition, the future of Woodard Furniture is again looking bright.  The photo at left is of the new Jax Collection, which received a 2011 design excellence award.

A final economic development note:  in 1995, Woodard Furniture faced a dilemma.  It valued its highly competent workforce and their craft skills.  However, it was hampered by its outmoded, five-story brick building in downtown Owosso.   At risk of losing this heritage employer, the City of Owosso worked with Owosso Township and various state and local economic development entities to create a PA 425 property tax sharing agreement to enable the company to relocate to the Township's industrial park.  There, with municipal services, the company was able to build a 332,000 square foot facility.  This is the home of Woodard Furniture today.  The City of Owosso agreed to acquire the former plant for redevelopment.  The City turned its economic development skill set to the project, and through the use of state tax credits, other public assistance, and private capital, Woodard Station was constructed, a mixed-use development of condominiums, student housing, office, retail, and the well-received Wrought Iron Grill.

The history of Owosso and Woodard Furniture progressed together, with the company and the City helping each other in turn.  The lessons learned from this experience should help shape our future in Owosso and Shiawassee County, as well as offering useful inspiration to the rest of Michigan as it seeks to inspire artistry and support the companies that turn creative genius into economic growth. 

To see the show:  "The Worth of Woodard" is on display through July 29 at the Shiawassee Arts Center, located at 206 Curwood Castle Drive on the banks of the Shiawassee River in downtown Owosso.  The gallery is open Tuesday through Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m.   Visit the website to learn more.  

Much of the material in this blog is drawn from the publication "The Worth of Woodard" which is available at the Shiawassee Arts Center.