The South Haven Area Community Foundation Board of Directors is made up of local community leaders. The Board guides the Foundation’s activities and helps identify the charitable needs of the South Haven area. Officers and members of the Foundation Board of Directors are:
Robert Straits
President
Bob retired from the Upjohn Institute for Employment Research where he was the Administrator and Director of Workforce Development. He was the recipient of the prestigious Irving S. Gilmore Lifetime Achievement “Star” Award. Bob is recognized for holding numerous leadership roles in service to both the Kalamazoo and South Haven communities. Bob subscribes to the basic principle of sharing time and resources to build endowments focused on responding to our emerging and changing community needs.
Delores Atkins
Vice President
Delores has a Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in Accounting from Western Michigan University. She worked as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with public accounting firms in Michigan and Oregon and then spent 30 plus years in Wealth Management in Illinois. Delores served on numerous Boards prior to her retirement and currently serves as Vice President and Chairperson of the Investment Committee with the Community Foundation. Delores is an Illinois Woman of Achievement Award recipient from the State of Illinois, a recipient of the Salvation Army “Others” award and an active member of the South Haven Chapter of the American Association of University Women. A native to our area, Delores and her husband Bill live in South Haven. By volunteering her time as a Board of Director for the Foundation she hopes to provide a positive impact on our community for now and into the future.
Jim Marcoux
Executive Director
Jim was one of the original board members that helped the South Haven Area Community Foundation become independent in 2005. After retiring from a sales and marketing career for Navistar International Corporation and Detroit Diesel Corporation Jim and his wife moved to South Haven where they finished raising their 5 children. Jim is active in the community and St. Basil Church and is a past member of the Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Development authority. Jim’s been passionate about South Haven being a great place to “live, work and play”. During his career he and his wife were involved in their home communities, fostering children, volunteering in youth programs and senior programs. Jim feels strongly that those who are given rewards of hard work have a responsibility to give back to the communities that enabled them to thrive, hence his passion for the community foundation.
Mary Hosley
Secretary
Mary and her husband relocated to South Haven in 2020, after enjoying many visits over multiple decades. Mary earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Kalamazoo College and her Juris Doctorate from Thomas M. Cooley Law School. Mary retired in 2021 from Pfizer as a senior corporate patent attorney. Since retiring, she has done pro bono work for Legal Aid of Western Michigan, founded a local non-profit for low cost spay/neuter of cats in honor of Sharon Forbes (and adopted Sharon’s timid cat Eddie), and has become immersed in everything South Haven. Mary was seated as the Ward 3 on City Council member in January 2024. Mary still finds time to volunteer with other local non-profit groups who make South Haven a compassionate, beautiful and welcoming City.
Roger Beglin
Treasurer
Roger has a BBA in Accounting from Western Michigan University and was a CPA with Price Waterhouse for nine years. He then held senior level corporate tax positions with Upjohn / Pharmacia and with Hospira, Inc. in Lake Forest, Illinois, from which he retired in 2016 as Vice President- Corporate Tax. Roger and his wife, Heidi, have resided in South Haven since 2006. Roger chairs the SHCF Donor Development and Marketing Committee.
Andrew Barnes
Past President
Andy is a South Haven native. He is a local attorney practicing in South Haven in the areas of real estate and estate planning. Over the years, he has enjoyed giving back to the community through volunteering on various local nonprofit boards. He is proud of his time serving on the Foundation’s Board of Directors, as the Foundation is the key to promoting philanthropy in the South Haven area and growing endowments for the benefit of future generations.
Kristi Bevevino
Kristi, a Penn State graduate with a BS in Business Administration, has dedicated over 20 years to public accounting, focusing on small to mid-sized corporations. She and her husband are proud parents of twin boys who are high school seniors preparing for college. Kristi is active throughout the South Haven community, always ready to lend a hand, which led her to serve on the South Haven Area Community Foundation board. She contributes her time to both the Accounting & Compliance Committee and the Strategic Planning Committee. Kristi values the foundation’s ability to support a wide range of nonprofits, touching lives of all ages, and is proud to help create a community her family loves and hopes future generations will carry forward. In her spare time, she enjoys fitness, the outdoors, and time with her family.
Janet Birch
Janet’s family has deep roots in South Haven. A graduate of SH High School, she attended Hope College and earned a BA with majors in Psychology/Sociology and Business Administration. Her professional history includes roles with varying responsibilities at Trelleborg Automotive (now Vibracustic) and Whirlpool Corporation from which she retired after leading their Sales Strategy and Operations team. She now has a successful consulting business focused on helping organizations with their Talent Development and Continuous Improvement initiatives. Janet joined the foundation as a way to be more involved in the community and to support and encourage philanthropy.
Angelica Gallegos-Dickerson
Angelica Gallegos-Dickerson has a BA and MBA from Davenport University. Her career has spanned K-12 & post-secondary education, workforce development, and public housing. She currently is the Occupancy Manager for the South Haven Housing Commission. She currently serves several local non-profit organizations as a volunteer and Board Member.
Dene Hadden
Dene retired in 2007 after 35 years with South Haven Public schools. During his tenure, he instituted the athletic hall of fame, increased MEAP and ACT test scores and enlarged dual enrollment programs that allowed SHHS students to earn college credit while in high school. Dene coached JV baseball and varsity volleyball, winning a MHSAA Volleyball State Championship. He is a member of the Rotary Club, member of the South Haven Public Schools Foundation Board and is the public address announcer for the South Haven High School volleyball program. He serves as a member of the South Haven Community Foundation as a way to continue to serve the students in our community and the community as a whole.
Dan Liehr
Dan is a Private Wealth Advisor with the Blue Star Financial Group at Ameriprise Financial. He holds a B.S. and M.S. from the University of Illinois and an MBA from Lake Forest. He has served on over 30 non-profit boards and he and his wife, Ellen, have endowed scholarships at four universities. He has had a donor advised fund since 1996. They have lived in South Haven for over 15 years and have financially supported almost every non-profit in town.
Thomas Powell
Past President
Tom has a BBA in accounting and MBA in finance from Western Michigan University. His background includes seven years in business operations at WMU and twenty-nine years in corporate finance at Upjohn and Pharmacia. He has served many years as a community volunteer and organizer for a wide diversity of non-profit organizations. Tom chairs the Foundation’s Accounting and Compliance Committee and serves on the board to help take the foundation to the next level of support for the SH community, growing our annual grants from $200,000 to $500,000 within the next five years.
Tom Rummel
Tom has a BBA in Finance from Western Michigan University. He’s worked in the insurance industry in underwriting, project management, and marketing roles, and currently owns Hardt Insurance in downtown South Haven. He’s been involved on various community boards such as the South Haven Area Chamber of Commerce, South Haven/Van Buren County Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Downtown Development Authority. He felt drawn to join the Foundation board in hopes of being a positive force in helping community members draw closer to one another, and impacting quality of life for the better.
Ida Sledge
Ida is a retired educator and mentor of 40 years at Covert Public Schools. She earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree and a Masters Degree from Western Michigan University. She serves on the board of trustees at the South Haven Memorial Library. She is active in the community.
Matthew (Bo) Strebeck
Bo is a South Haven native and has returned to the area with his wife, Carly Campbell, and two daughters, Giana and Everly. He is currently Vice-President and Sr. Actuary for Priority Health in Grand Rapids. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics and Economics from Elmhurst College. Bo enjoys using his financial acumen to help ensure the long-term sustainability of the funds we manage so they can benefit the community for many years to come.
Janice Varney
Janice served as the first Executive Dean of Lake Michigan College, South Haven Campus. Her service to the community is long standing with past affiliations including chair of the South Haven Chamber of Commerce Board, Michigan Maritime Museum Board member, LDFA/Brownfield Authority member, and Chair of the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy with special interest in the Pilgrim Haven and Black River Preserves. She currently serves on the South Haven Speakers Series board and chairs the Foundation’s Grant Committee. Some of her awards include the 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Chamber of Commerce, the Community Service Award from the South Haven Rotary and the Beckwith Distinguished Service Award from Lake Michigan College. She believes that strong non-profit organizations and engaged community volunteers are the backbone for a healthy and vital community.
Alida Zamboni
Alida has a M.S. in Healthcare Administration and her nursing career spanned 41 years, teaching emergency medicine and leading emergency departments. Her last 17 years were spent consulting with healthcare leaders all over the U.S. and Canada striving to improve quality and service. Alida believes family and community connections are the basis for a healthy community and being Foundation’s Board gives her a chance to give back to the community She belongs to the AAUW, South Haven Pickleball Club, the Elks, and the Moose.
IN MEMORY
Glenn Pietenpol
We are saddened by the loss of Glenn Pietenpol, founding member of the South Haven Area Community Foundation. Glenn was dedicated to making our community a better place for everyone who calls South Haven home. His work will continue to help our community for years to come.
