2020 Horizon Award Winner Profiles

  

meet our 2020 horizon nonprofit award winners

 

Be sure to join us as we celebrate them at our 2020 NKY Philanthropy Symposium.
Tuesday, March 17 from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
St. Elizabeth Training and Education Center
Tickets: $50 (includes breakfast, lunch, and programming)

 

Nonprofit Award Winner Andy Brunsman.png

ANDY BRUNSMAN

From Andy’s nominator:

Andy Brunsman is one of the most dynamic, determined and dedicated young nonprofit leaders in Northern Kentucky at the tender age of 32. Executive Director at Be Concerned since 2014, he has led the organization through an unprecedented five years of growth and innovation. His efforts have built Be Concerned into one of the two largest food-assistance organizations in Northern Kentucky, and established it as a best-practices leader among such groups.

Andy’s admired and respected in the Northern Kentucky nonprofit universe not only for what he’s accomplished but for how he’s done it, as well as his high standard of ethical leadership. He is an absolute champion for the people Be Concerned helps, ensuring that they are treated with dignity. He goes out of his way — often way out — to address their needs, with courtesy and kindness. That includes adding programs to Be Concerned such as senior home delivery, school feeding programs, and adjusting rules for Be Concerned shoppers such as the requirement for social security cards, which now allows non-residents to receive food when they are in need.

Andy’s enthusiasm gets people excited about helping their less fortunate neighbors. And he makes it fun to volunteer in projects to do that. He conveys — without saying it — the message that such volunteerism is not only important, but the absolute right thing to do. His example prompts people to make continuing commitments to help.

Andy’s had multiple “defining moments” in his years leading Be Concerned, including guiding the agency in 2016 through a move from its home of 31 years on Washington Street in Covington to new digs on Pike Street in Lewisburg. That was a complex and at times scary adventure, but when the organization completed the move, it found itself in a newer and more functional building worth nearly $1 million. Perhaps most importantly, a debt-free building.

Be Concerned, under Andy’s leadership, acquired United Ministries through a merger on February 1, 2019, and added its food pantry and thrift store to Be Concerned’s repertoire of services. Following the merge, the former United Ministries pantry was upgraded into a walk-able choice pantry, and more than 400 families are getting free food there each month. With this addition, Be Concerned provides food to more than 1,200 families each month across two sites in Northern Kentucky.

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QUENTIN TURLEY

From Quentin’s nominator:

The values that underline the Children’s Home of Northern Kentucky’s mission are based upon 7 commitments: Safety, Open Communication, Emotional Intelligence, Democracy, Social Learning, Social Responsibility, and Growth and Change. Quentin models those behaviors on a daily basis and praises staff and clients when they are being true to the commitments.

Quentin is a true servant leader to the staff he oversees as well as to his co-workers. He provides a positive, upbeat demeanor in an industry that has a high degree of burnout. Quentin will offer to help other team members with their tasks if they seem overwhelmed or suffering from stress even though he may have more on his plate than they do themselves, staying until the job is done without regard to the time of day or night. He is a mentor to the clients as well as to the staff. He has an excellent “bedtime” manner and can often calm a client who is escalating by talking to them and helping them think through their actions, while showing empathy for what has happened to them that causes the behavioral issues. Quentin is never too busy to stop and listen to someone vent or to talk to them about their needs, whether client or co-worker. He is available by phone 24/7 to his staff, and often responds in person to crisis situations that staff are struggling to resolve on his days off and in the middle of the night

Quentin is intelligent, compassionate, ethical, empathetic and willing to do any task that is of help without regard to the owner of the task. He is a true servant leader and mentor and is recognized by his staff and peers as a leader not just a manager. He puts the welfare of the clients first, his staff and the agency second, and his own needs last. And is do so in an upbeat manner that impacts those around him which is rare for those working in a field with constant stress and change.

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BOB HOFFER

From Bob’s nominator:

Bob Hoffer is a leader for the American Heart Association’s HeartChase campaign, 35 year volunteer for St. Elizabeth and currently serves as the Foundation chair.

Bob has led the NKY HeartChase for several years, taking it from a pilot program to becoming the #1 HeartChase in the nation. He has brought awareness to the community heart disease and stroke in Northern Kentucky, even gifting crucial heart screenings to friends.

As St. Elizabeth’s Foundation chair, he leads a team of than 150 volunteers and staff to raise $35 million in support of a world-class cancer center. Financially, this is the highest, most ambitious goal in the history of the Foundation. Bob is dedicated to achieving the goal because he understands the impact this center will have on his family, friends and neighbors. His leadership over this campaign will make an incredible difference in the community- bringing world class cancer care and research so that our friends and family do not have to travel when they are in their greatest need.

He is making an incredible impact in the future health of NKY and even beyond by helping bring a world class cancer center to St. Elizabeth Healthcare. The true evidence is the many people who adore Bob for his kind heart, passion and determination.

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RICK HULEFELD

From Rick’s nominator:

Mary and Rick Hulefeld started Children, Inc. as Cathedral Child Development Center in 1977 with a hope and a dream to provide outstanding care for the most at risk children in Covington. Rick took the lead as Executive Director and over forty years, grew the organization into a statewide and regional example of what passion and dreams can do for kids and a community. Hulefeld always asked his staff two questions; what are we doing that we could be doing better, and what else do our families need to be stable and successful?

Through his leadership, Rick has created and built extraordinary partnerships and collaborations to increase impact. Whether it’s partnering with a family to ensure a child is getting the best developmental messages, or with a school district to improve kindergarten readiness scores, he understands that we can always do more together. Hulefeld has chaired the Kentucky Early Childhood Council for two Governors and sat on numerous boards and commissions to improve the education and outcomes for children.

Overall, Hulefeld has led the organization with a belief that each person is a beautiful and unique individual who deserves to be understood and recognized as such. This lived belief has inspired board members, donors, staff and partners to do our best to impact each neighbor, student and family we come into contact with. Hulefeld’s ability to passionately communicate a program or outcome is extraordinary. He is our greatest spokesperson and has been known to bring an entire room under the “Hulefeld spell”. His ability to convey the important details of the impact of our work is exceptional. His leadership has built so many bridges and made so many advocates which have created greater impact for children in our community.

Horizon Nonprofit Award Winner Gayle Middendorf.png

GAY MIDDENDORF

From Gay’s nominator:

Gay has been volunteering at The Point for 30 years. From the beginning until today she volunteers every Monday, and for over 25 years added Tuesdays, and at 79, still comes one day a week. Never having a secretary or assistant until five years ago, Gay was that person. In the early days I dictated everything on a machine and she produced, nun-like secretarial work. We were so busy she introduced another volunteer, now 91, who “retired” after 25 years, who even read my short-hand. Together I had the best who as volunteers could run circles around any 5-day/week secretary. At one time I had calculated their hours at minimum wage, and each saved us over $100,000 just for one day, and Gay at two days, over $200,000- not to mention evening and weekend events they worked or attended.

Smile, energy, humor, perks everyone up; truly a breath of sunshine when Gay arrives on her day or even pops by when in Covington.