Archive: Opinions

EditorialWhen Leonard Abess Jr. sold his majority stake in City National Bank of Florida for $60 million it was a typical CEO move for our times.  He deserved it, since the bank grew from $400 million to $2.75 billion in assets on his watch.  A few weeks ago he stunned the world by giving away the $60 million to his 471 employees and retirees.  They got an average of $127,000, based on longevity at the bank.

On top of that Abess made good business decisions, keeping the bank profitable and took no money from the federal bank bailout.  His father had founded the bank, and he worked at many of the jobs as he worked his way up in the organization.  When it was sold to a Columbian coffee magnate who was convicted of fraud, he bought back a majority share.  According to reports Abess didn't even go in the day the bonuses were handed out.  It was just a very, very nice surprise for the people who had worked for him for so many years.

When I was growing up near a big city I had a skewed idea of charity as something that involved throwing money at large, established charitable organizations that typically skimmed off a percentage before buying things for the needy.  If this had happened when I was a kid I'd have been stunned by Abess's story. 

But after living in Lansing for more than 20 years where everyone you talk to has a sleeves-up, get down and dirty approach to making the community and the world better, I wonder why the stories that dominate the national news are the ones about greed, undeserved executive bonuses, luxury jets, and corporate greed.  If so many people here who have nothing compared to these guys can give so much, why not the guys who really have a lot?

It was certainly heartwarming that Abess was President Obama's guest at the President's first Congressional address the other night.  But in my mind that story pales in comparison to the Lansing Lions, Rotatians, PALS, Habitat For Humanity, Community Council, and all the churches, groups and individuals who quietly give what they can every day, every year. 

I am in awe of our fire department where Lansing volunteers literally put their lives on the line for the community.  I am blown away by Jeff Sandstead who does odd jobs to make enough money so he can spend months away from his family, job, and life to fix homes in rural South Carolina, or the work his wife Reenie does in Haiti, or the several structures the Lions have made and given to the town, or the dinners the teenaged Leos serve to elderly residents, or the difference PALS has made not only to a Kenyan community, but also to Lansing kids...  Mary Searles who ran the local food pantry for so long... The library volunteers who essentially gave the community a beautiful, functioning library -- debt free -- before taking it to the next level...  The folks who volunteer to serve the Town or Village, and the people who run for office and take a truckload of abuse for very little money while they try to make life here a little better.

(I am in one of those ruts where by mentioning names I have left so many out.  They know who they are.  They are my heroes.)

As someone who frequently interviews these folks about the various things they do I can tell you that it is sometimes hard to get their story out of them.  They're not doing it for the glory.  They're just doing it because they've found a way to make Lansing and the world better.

That doesn't take anything away from the largesse Abess showed to his employees.  Quite the contrary, it shows that more corporate rats should stop racing for a while and talk to people here who know what is truly important in life.  Making the world better actually makes the world better.  That's good for everyone.

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