Nearly six months ago, I informed NextEnergy’s Board of Directors and my staff that it was time for me to leave our great non-profit organization and return to the for-profit sector where I began my career nearly 25 years ago. After nearly five years at the helm, I am proud of the accomplishments of NextEnergy’s capable management and staff in delivering against its mission of accelerating the alternative energy economy in Michigan.
As for me, it was time to climb new mountains. Although not entirely clear where I would end up in this next phase of my career, I knew my strong passion for energy entrepreneurship would guide me. For me, it was time to take a carefully conceived and calculated personal and professional risk. Much has happened over this six month transition period. We have lived through a substantial worsening of the national economy, including a meltdown of the financial markets, a slow grind towards eventual passage of Michigan’s energy restructuring legislation, and a local leadership crisis that hampered the progress of our great city of Detroit.
From a personal perspective, during these past six months of national and local duress, my prospective business partner was stricken with a debilitating bout of cancer, too many dear friends and family have suffered job loss, and I have sent my first child off to college. So the challenges of our time, both macro and micro, have been real and heartfelt. Yet, notwithstanding all the above, this six month period of transition and uncertainty has been among the most rewarding times of my life.
I share this personal detail with you for a very specific reason, and that’s because I believe there is a lesson we can all internalize in my recent journey. And that is this. Every day, we each are provided with opportunities to engage in risk-taking. We can either let the fear of failure paralyze us into inaction … or we can accept risk and move forward with faith, hard work, quiet confidence, and optimism. It’s our choice. We have to respond.
Leadership sometimes compels you to leave your comfort zone to begin what your gut and your God declares is a worthwhile journey. Especially harrowing is the inability to see your ultimate destination. That is the essence of accepting risk. It’s scary. It’s exciting. But most of all, it is essential … for both personal and professional growth. This has been my personal story over this past six months … months fraught with uncertainty, but also, months blessed with some compelling career paths, each leading to altogether different destinations.
My own journey took several unexpected turns before ultimately bringing me to an amazing destination … the Lipten Co. Lipten is an emerging Michigan-based powerhouse in the energy services industry. As president and COO of this great Michigan model for business diversification, I am partnering with Lipten’s CEO, Jim Spencer, in capturing the numerous opportunities for engineering and construction services brought about through the worldwide acceleration of energy infrastructure development.
I had no means of seeing this outcome when I announced my departure from NextEnergy in March, but could not be more pleased with the destination in Lipten and, equally as important, the invigorating journey of professional and personal self-discovery that accompanied the adventure.
Like the countless number of Michigan businessmen and women NextEnergy has helped, my next contribution to Michigan via the economic activity of Lipten Company, is a product of NextEnergy’s efforts to diversify and grow Michigan’s struggling economy. It has been a privilege and an honor to work alongside the NextEnergy team. With both pride and respect for the organization, I can safely say that NextEnergy’s leadership team, including Dave McLean, Ken Fiema, Dan Radomski, Jim Saber, and Mark Beyer, along with their respective expert staffs, are well prepared for the road ahead.
With this team in place, along with NextEnergy’s excellent Board of Directors, lead by Chris Rizik, CEO of the new Renaissance Venture Fund, I look forward to NextEnergy reaching new heights … and to continue energizing Michigan’s energy economy through sound growth based on hard work, progressive thinking, and responsible environmental ethics.
No “Good-byes” from me, instead … Godspeed … and I’ll see you soon.
NextEnergy paid for placement of this article. Its views do not necessarily reflect those of WWJ Newsradio 950 or CBS Radio.
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Jim Croce Transitions from NextEnergy