Board Member Spotlight – Mike Gallagher

By Erin Thayse, American Red Cross Volunteer

Today,  Mike Gallagher begins his term as the American Red Cross of Northeast Wisconsin Chapter Board Chair at the start of our new fiscal year.  We sat down with Mike to learn a little bit more about him to share with our volunteers and donors. 

Background

Current Location:  Schreiber Foods, Inc.  Director of Yogurt Strategy

Career History: Have been with Schreiber since 2001, prior to that was VP of supply chain for WG&R Furniture for 4 years and 2 years as a consulting engineer for HNTB Corporation in Chicago

Volunteer History: Have served in volunteer roles with the Boy Scouts of America, Schreiber Community Impact Team, Pop Warner Football, and coaching local baseball and soccer teams

American Red Cross

Board Member Since: 2008

Board Chair Since: Term starts July ‘13

Responsibilities/Duties as a Board Chair: As board chair I believe the chief responsibility is engaging fellow board members in the mission and fund raising goals of the Red Cross.  Ensuring that the many skills and interests of these volunteers are leveraged to create value for the people we serve.  The role also offers the opportunity to attend national briefings and share this information with our team.

Questions

How did you become Board Chair of the Northeast Wisconsin Chapter of the Red Cross?

Having been a member of the organization for the past five years and wanting to continue to add value, it was as simply as saying “yes” when approached by Steve Hansen, our regional COO.

 Since 2008, what has been your most memorable moment since joining the Red Cross board?

There are several, but the most memorable has been serving as the fundraising chair for Staci Kring, A Schreiber co-worker, in the 2012 DWOS event.  Being able to increase the awareness about what the Red Cross does in our community with 800 coworkers was a tremendous experience.  It was even more gratifying to obtain $47,000 in financial support and have many of these partners attend the event and continue their support for the Red Cross beyond the dancing event.

At our 2013 Spring Celebration of Support event. (l-r) Shawn Kiser, Special Events, Kate Burgess, Jody Weyers, Volunteer Director, Mike Gallagher, Board Chair.

What has been the chapter’s biggest achievement since you have joined the board?

There are several areas where our region shines: raising funds, wildly successful special events, and supporting the community and individuals in times of need.  However, I think one of the biggest achievements we’ve made is in successfully executing the consolidation and restructuring that has occurred over the past two years.  When I speak with a donor, I’ve always been proud to say that more than 90% of the funds donated go directly to the people we serve.  The efforts we’ve just completed will continue to make the Red Cross one of the most efficient and effective charitable organizations in the world.

What do you hope to accomplish by being Board Chair?

At the end of the day, our mission is to serve people in times of need.  As chair,  my focus will be on sharing the mission and working hard to support that mission by engaging people to donate to the American Red Cross.

Have you completed a full marathon yet?

It’s still on the bucket list… I’ve completed several half marathons, but haven’t found the right time to balance work, family, coaching youth sports and this goal.  I’ve also replaced a some of my running time with biking as my knees thank me the next morning 😉