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Not only does Joe Springer work for a company in which the
term "service" is at the root of its name and its heritage,
but it also is a philosophy that underpins the rest of his
life, as well.
"I’m pretty boring,"
he jokes. "I don’t really have any hobbies." That’s because he
devotes much of his free time to community service. For the
past year-and-a-half, Joe has served as one of six elected
village trustees in his hometown of Hopedale. For two years,
he has been an active member of the McLean County Ag Club
where he was recently elected secretary-treasurer. And he also
was recently tapped to assume the treasurer’s position at
Hopedale Mennonite Church where he is a member.
Joe’s financial
background is highly sought by the organizations he serves. He
heads the finance committee as part of his village trustee
duties, working to ensure proper accounting procedures are in
place for the two village employees working in that area, as
well as assisting with the village’s budget.
Joe grew up on the
family’s grain and livestock farm outside of Hopedale, and met
his wife, Rachelle, in high school. They have a
two-and-one-half-year-old daughter, Claire.
He says the village
mayor first approached him about running for a trustee
position. Joe agreed to run and was elected to a four-year
term. The mayor and the six trustees meet twice each month.
And because of the small size of the village, they are
involved in most governance issues, Joe says.
Life in the ag lane
The McLean County Ag
Club is a group of the county’s agribusiness professionals,
with current membership of about 200 individuals. It is a
forum for these professionals to exchange ideas, according to
Joe. The club meets five times per year, arranging for
educational speakers to keep the club members up-to-date on
vital agricultural issues.
As
secretary-treasurer, Joe handles the club’s finances. Next
year, he will serve as the club’s vice president, and in two
years as its president, quite an accomplishment for such a new
member.
As treasurer of his
church, Joe will be in charge of the budgeting, payroll, bill
payment and accounting processes.
Joe says that
community service really didn’t come naturally for him as it
often does for others. Until several years ago, it really
wasn’t on his radar screen. "Now I wish I’d gotten involved
more in things when I was growing up – not only in the
community, but also in school," he says with conviction.
Giving something back
Like most who
volunteer their time, Joe says the experience has been
fulfilling. "It provides me an opportunity to return something
to my community and my profession."
He says it has given
him a chance to learn from community and professional leaders,
broadening his horizons. He enjoys working with different
people. "Each organization is a different group with different
dynamics. I like it because it is a challenge."
Joe says he believes
the experience is helping him to hone leadership skills, as
well as learning the art of compromise to reach a balanced
solution that is beneficial to the community he serves.
He also feels the
learning makes him better at his job. "It’s made me a better
manager of my time, making me more efficient. And working with
these ‘different’ types of businesses provides me with more
insight into how my clients plan and run their own
businesses."
Title: Vice President
Office: Normal
Farm Credit Service: 3 years
What do you enjoy most about working for 1st Farm Credit
Services?: "What I enjoy most about working for 1st FCS is
serving my clients. I enjoy getting to know them and their
operations. The best part of the job is meeting with the
client at his or her place of business to get first-hand
knowledge of the operation."
What does
providing excellence in client service mean to you?:
"Providing excellence in client service means getting to know
the client and working with him or her to develop a solution
that meets his or her needs. It also means making myself
available whenever a client needs to contact me. I believe in
putting the client first and work to the best of my ability to
fulfill his or her needs." |
