Retired Senior Vice President, Consumers Energy and CMS Energy Corp.

I attended Hillsdale High School until grade 10, when I transferred to Reading High School, graduating in 1966. I attended Michigan State University for 2 ½ years, majoring in journalism. However, the Vietnam War preempted the completion of my degree and I entered the U.S. Navy in 1968. After serving four years as a Communications Technician in the U.S. Naval Security Group, I returned to Hillsdale College in 1972 where I majored in psychology, graduating in 1974.
Immediately upon graduation, I began working for what was then Consumers Power Company in the Human Resources Department, progressing through a series of increasingly responsible positions until being elected Vice President of Human Resources in 1996. I retired in June of 2006, as the Senior Vice President for Human Resources and Administrative Services.
In 2005, I founded The Lingap Children’s Foundation, and in 2006, The Lingap Children’s Development Center, Inc. in Cebu Philippines. During this time, our major project was the Lingap Center (www.lingapcenter.org), a home for abused, neglected, abandoned and exploited children, in Toledo City, Cebu. The facility has been called the best facility of its kind in all of the Visayas, if not the entire Philippines.
In October 2003, I was presented with the Alumni Achievement Award by Hillsdale College. In 2005, I was named Humanitarian of the Year by the combined Michigan Lions Clubs. Also in 2005, I was awarded the Golden Trowel Award by Rotary District 6360 for humanitarian work by a non-Rotarian. I was also named 2005 Distinguished Citizen, by the Jackson Citizen Patriot, in Jackson, MI. In January 2006, I was named an “Adopted Son” of Toledo City, Cebu Philippines and was also named “Outstanding Toledano for 2006” by Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, President of the Philippines.
I am married (for 39 years) to Judy (Krakowiak) and have two grown children, Stacy and Jeff, and two grandsons. We live in Jerome, Michigan.

I learned the value of a genuine and sincere interest in people and the joy of giving.

Be watchful for opportunities as they arise and don’t be afraid to take a risk. Recognize that opportunities are not always obvious. Also, do your very best at everything you do – as your work is truly a self-portrait that should be autographed with excellence.

It was a chance for me to return to my roots. I grew up in Hillsdale and believed that returning to a smaller school after my service in the Navy would afford me more opportunities than Michigan State did. I was right. Many doors opened for me at Hillsdale. Dr. Mike Kolivosky was the one who helped me decide on a major and helped me to get a job at Consumers Energy.

It helped to prepare me by giving me a much greater insight into human nature – by demonstrating by example what sincere concern for others means and by the faculty setting an example that I could follow. The Hillsdale faculty was always there for me, even years after I graduated – I was a member of the family. From my experience at Michigan State University, I know that this is not something found in a larger school.

Since I worked throughout my college career, I was not very active in school activities. Therefore, I can think of nothing that stands out as a highlight, except graduation. I think the true highlight came years after I graduated as classmates sought me out or instructors followed my career. It is a unique institution that follows its students as many as 35 years after they have graduated. What an honor this has been.

jfdrake48@comcast.net