Chip Hansen Joins The Solvent Group and Stays at the Top of His Game
Our client base continues to grow and our team does, too. We recently caught up with Chip Hansen, a community foundation dynamo who joined The Solvent Group team upon his “graduation.” While Chip is new to his role as a consultant, he’s a seasoned nonprofit leader, fundraiser, and strategist fueled by a love of community (and a fervor for University of Michigan football)!
MORE ABOUT CHIP:
You recently retired from your role as president of the Charlevoix County Community Foundation. What was appealing about working with The Solvent Group at this stage of your career?
Having spent 27 years as a school leader and 13 years heading up the Community Foundation, I came to a point in my career when I realized that I needed to think about the next chapter. Knowing this, our organization invested a great deal of time in the succession planning process, preparing Sara Ward (now president of the Charlevoix County Community Foundation) to take on this role. Sara is exceptional and it was great to work alongside her, and the rest of our team. I loved every minute of our work at the Community Foundation, but I felt good about leaving while I still “had my fastball.” I know there are ways where I could still be engaged and helpful. The Solvent Group stood out to me right away as a company aligned with my priorities.
I want to continue helping organizations improve in my work with The Solvent Group. I hope to help them look at the landscape in a slightly different way that makes them more effective, or more productive in their own right. I want to help organizations create environments in their workplaces that people seek out and enjoy. Working with The Solvent Group allows me to do that and more, and it’s the perfect fit.
During your tenure at the Community Foundation, did you rely on the expertise of consultants from time to time?
We did, knowing that unbiased perspectives can sometimes bring new ideas and ways of doing things to light. Sometimes when you ask nonprofit leaders about working with consultants, you get lukewarm responses, but not when you work with Christie and Anthony! When you work with The Solvent Group, you hear descriptors like “exceptional” and “exceeded our expectations.” The team has grown its reputation and done it in the right way.
Your wealth of knowledge and experience are so invaluable to the community foundation landscape. What are some key challenges facing community foundations today?
Community foundations have such potential to shape change, because their hands are in everything. There’s a saying that goes, “If you’ve seen one community foundation, you’ve seen one community foundation,” because each one is so different. Some are single staffed, with an executive director who is responsible for every function.. Others are community foundations with significant assets and staffing, which creates tremendous horsepower in communities. Stewarding growth, succession planning, and expanding your asset base to increase grants and impact are big challenges, and they’re not easy work.
In my view, the best way to move this important work forward is through face-to-face engagement. People invest in people they trust and believe in, and the organizational missions that touch their hearts. Community foundations must continue talking about the way forward, openly discussing the challenges in the community that they need to be in front of. They are the perfect philanthropic vehicles, because they’re at every table–and need to be.
What would surprise us about you?
I’ve been married for 45 years. Life is a series of big days, and 45 years ago was a big day! I love the two boys Laura and I raised and I’m loving my time with my grandchildren! And there’s not a day that goes by that I’m not grateful to my mom and dad, who showed me the right way to live.
Beyond spending time with my family, I love to read, and I love everything athletic (golf, tennis, and pickleball are favorites). We are proud season ticket holders at “The Big House,” as both of our sons are University of Michigan grads!
How do you decompress?
I love a great cup of coffee. I’m an early riser by habit, and every morning I sit on my deck with my cup of coffee, look at the lake, and think about how lucky I’ve been!
For expert advice and dedicated support, connect with Chip at chip@solventgrp.com.
