My Wilder Thanksgiving

 

From the first of May in 1978 through the first of July in 2022, my many experiences at the Wilder Foundation offered much to appreciate. 

I’m thankful for the foresight and generosity of the Wilder Family: Amherst; Fanny; and Cornelia. They could have bequeathed their fortune to friends, but they chose instead to establish an endowment that would charitably enhance the lives of people throughout the community into perpetuity.

I’m thankful that Wilder’s Board of Directors initiated formal research activities in 1917 and that they approved continuation of research throughout my tenure as Executive Director, beginning in 1982.

I’m thankful for the idealistic, energetic, competent staff at Wilder Research. Over the past four decades they pursued research to fulfill our mission to improve the lives of individuals, families, and communities. I’m thankful for all the information they have created for use by nonprofit organizations, public officials, leaders in philanthropy, and other policy makers – to support the creation of better human services and better social policies. The Wilder Research Library’s database includes several thousand public reports published by Wilder Research, dating from 1917 to 2022. Staff produced about 60 percent of those items since 2009.

I’m thankful for the many partners and colleagues I have had – within the Wilder Foundation and within other organizations and community groups. They have made it very fulfilling to work in collaboration to learn, discover, and innovate by means of social research. They have demonstrated through their thoughtful and caring endeavors how to apply research in meaningful and impactful ways.

I’m thankful that Wilder’s CEO, Armando Camacho, and the search committee that he assembled selected a new leader for Wilder Research, Heather Britt. I’m thankful that Dr. Britt brings a wealth of experience and wisdom that will guide Wilder Research well into its second century.

Much to appreciate on this wild, Wilder career journey. Now, I plan to “rewire, not retire”. It will be fun to see what new and different opportunities arise.

Happy Thanksgiving!