September 2025 is a big month for the Edward Lowe Foundation. Not only are we celebrating our 40th anniversary, but we are also embarking on a new phase: For entrepreneurs, by entrepreneurs. I am so excited about this, as our founder Ed Lowe believed entrepreneurs learn best from each other.
Although our mission of “championing the entrepreneurial spirit” has remained consistent throughout the years, how we execute that mission has changed — something our chairman Dan Wyant describes as five phases. In a nutshell, the foundation first experimented with a wide variety of programs and audiences. Then, in 2000 we began to focus on second-stage growth companies, a group of small businesses we believed to be underappreciated and lacking resources. We worked in economic development circles to develop advocates for these important entrepreneurs and created a suite of services, which we fondly refer to as our “mountaintop of programming,” to help second-stagers grow and become more successful.
Our fifth phase began to take shape as I was launching Legacy Council (a year-long program that helps business owners who are thinking about succession, the final step on their entrepreneurial journey). Our friend Dave Galbenski planned to be part of the first Legacy Council cohort but was unable to start the program. Yet the following year, he helped me facilitate the program’s closeout retreat. Dave’s presence was a game-changer, and we began to think about ways to infuse additional expertise like his into our programs. This led to our Entrepreneur Emeritus (E2) initiative, in which we collaborate with highly experienced business owners who have a passion for helping others. We now have nine E2 team members, and they are immersed in every aspect of our program delivery, from participating in roundtables and retreats to helping us identify new opportunities.
Our mantra here at the foundation is to always lead with service. We did that with Legacy Council and were not surprised by how the program helped us build deeper relationships with some of our champions. A few months ago, I asked four Legacy Council graduates to serve on an advisory committee. The objective was to brainstorm about ways to keep the foundation going on forever, which was part of Mr. Lowe’s vision — and one of our biggest challenges. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, we are limited by how much we can help second-stage entrepreneurs as we can only recover a portion of our costs rather than charging market rates. One of the committee’s recommendations was to begin a capital campaign to help fund enhancements to Big Rock Valley, our 2,000-acre learning campus in southwest Michigan.
With that in mind, this summer we launched a brick campaign to help renovate the newly christened Edward & Darlene Lowe Heritage House. Formerly known as the Heritage Center and one of our historic structures, we aim to transform this building into premier guest housing that will enable us to bring more entrepreneurs to Big Rock Valley. We are off to a great start and have already raised 75% of our goal for this year.
A big thank you goes out to the first group of entrepreneurs who have purchased bricks: Luke Barber, Zack Bishop, Nancy Crews, Dan Ducoté, Todd Gustafson, Leo Holzenthal, Deb Horak, Cynthia Kay, Tim Keeley, Jill Marlan, Nancy Marshall, Kristi Matthews, Dorothy Munao, Jami Moore, Jordan Munsters, Yan Ness, Chad Paalman, Keith Paul, Linda Schlesinger, Travis Stoliker, LaDarby Williams, Barbara Stankowski and David Galbenski.
It’s important to note that this marks the first facility at BRV to be financially supported by the entrepreneurs who will use it. Always the visionary, Mr. Lowe actually predicted this. Even as he was laying groundwork for the foundation, Mr. Lowe said that we would reach a point where entrepreneurs served by his foundation would be the ones to provide new solutions to make sure the foundation continues to thrive.
I am grateful to our E2 squad: Dave Galbenski, Erick Stewart, Dan Ducoté, Barbara Stankowski, Keith Paul, Cynthia Kay, Tom Martin, Cherie Hebert and Amanda Hayhoe-Kruger for sharing your time, talent and treasure to assist others on their entrepreneurial journeys. I think Mr. Lowe would be proud of us.