The impending retirement of Whirlpool Vice President Jeff Noel paved the way for him to reflect on the collective transformation work of the Harbor Shores Resort today, and remind community leaders to help stem the tide of naysayers and others who perpetually drag the region down through misinformation and in some cases outright lies. Noel addressed those in attendance at an early breakfast meeting adjacent to the 1st tee at Harbor Shores where the second round was just getting underway today, and warned against complacency and giving in to those who paint a different picture from what is reality.
Noel, who is leaving soon to return to his native Kentucky for a new role in state economic development work there, was the quintessential Jeff that we’ve all known and loved during the more than 30 years he has helped change the very face of the region on a daily basis. Always deferring to others, and stepping away from the spotlight while at the same time being one of the leading advocates for change, transformation and keeping the community moving forward.
Meanwhile, the statesmanship of Benton Harbor Mayor Marcus Muhammad was in full evidence when he turned the spotlight around as KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship officials were honoring the city and other local community leaders for their collaboration on the 82nd Championship which is into the second round today at Harbor Shores.
In his typical sartorial splendor, Muhammad asked for a moment at the microphone and flipped the spotlight to the man who was the major catalyst for the remarkable local transformation, former Cornerstone Alliance President and retiring Whirlpool exec Jeff Noel.
Mayor Muhammed used his time at the podium to sing the praises of Noel by sharing a Mayoral Proclamation citing Noel’s key role since the early 1990s in putting the community in a considerable new light thanks to a multitude of projects including the substantive 540-acre Harbor Shores Resort complex at the epicenter of this weekend’s prestigious Championship.
Following the reading of his formal resolution, Mayor Muhammad called Noel to the stage and presented him with a Mayoral Medallion hung from a colorful ribbon lanyard as a token of thanks for the work that Noel has done in his various roles in the community during his tenure here.
I caught up with Jeff a few moments later to talk briefly about the things he’s accomplished, always serving as a major catalyst in what has happened in Michigan’s Great Southwest. True to form, Jeff immediately responded, “You’ve been right there with me and some of the others that have made it all happen, Pat, but it’s not just me.”
We talked about key moments, and Jeff said, “I’ve got a couple of pictures where we’re standing nearby watching the crane begin to tear down the old Michigan Cold Storage building, which was built like a fortress, and if you’ll remember that was a big, hulking, cavernous building, where there were occasional shots fired into what has become today, a charter school on Riverview Drive. I look at the day when the commencement began for removing all the old buildings on what today is the Dwight “Pete” Mitchell City Center Park where the Championship Community Concert was held last night, and I think about the evening when Cornerstone Alliance with great funding support from the community and Whirlpool Corporation gave a building to renowned metal sculptor Richard Hunt to start as a credible anchor to today’s Benton Harbor Arts District. There are so many things that have been done in the community since those days.”
Looking back over the progress made, Jeff says, “It was all about building one project, one block, one activity at a time to get to the much bigger transformational ideas, like the ground here at Harbor Shores where we’re standing today, but truthfully, what I remember most is, I didn’t do it. I didn’t need it. I just got to be a part of it with so many great people like you. And that’s the greatest thing about having been here.”
Delving further into the reach of that progress, Jeff suggested, “Look at some of the work — and we don’t talk about it enough — but I look out on Enterprise Way, you know, with the addition of two major new businesses that we brought in together. I look at Edgewater Automation, where we helped an individual whose company has become a major employer in the community. All great moments for this wonderful community.”
Noel reminds everyone that collaboration has been critical, noting, “There are so many initiatives and projects, but it really did take the community working together…and for me, I got up every morning so excited about coming in to work to get to do what I do, and what we were able to do with the community. Those are the things, that in many ways, I’m going to miss, but my biggest hope is that people really understand we can do all of this, we just have to think big and we can continue to make so many great things happen as long as people share the responsibilities of creating those opportunities and don’t allow the naysayers to drag us down.”
Doubling back to his message to the community leaders, Jeff bemoaned the naysayers, telling me, “It’s frustrating to take two steps forward as a community and then allow the naysayers to drag us back. Once we get over that, the sky’s the limit and the unlimited opportunities are here for everybody in Michigan’s Great Southwest. It’s so ridiculous to have to continually dispel the rumors and counter the misinformation that is thrown about constantly. Unfortunately, that’s become society, and increasingly we seem to find it okay to criticize — and even lie — in order to really try to pull each other down, when in fact, progress only comes from people who look each other in the eye and say ‘We may be different, but we share the same aspirations.'”
Turning philosophical, Jeff says, “There’s an old saying, in a rowboat if everybody wants to row in different directions, you don’t get anywhere, but when you get in unison you can go anywhere and I really believe in that, and this community has come so far with so many different physical developments and so many changes. The fact that we’ve got world-class clubs where hundreds of kids come together every day and they do things that they do is remarkable,” adding, “When you can have what used to be ‘Mad Max Acres’ as we called it — with the dilapidated factories, fallow land, and uncontrolled dumping — and transform it into this world class golf course and multi-faceted resort, that’s truly special. Those are all the things that make this place special and, Pat, you’ve been a huge part of it. It’s been your spirit of can-do that really is one of the reasons I stayed here. I just think the world of you and I think you were as much a part of making all this happen as anybody.”
We reminisced about the time when we were out in SUVs and all-terrain gators and such heading into the swamp and trash-land, watching Jack Nicklaus plot his magic out there, and watching his head move a little to the left, a little towards center view and then off to the right and people would ask him what are you doing? His response, “I’m playing this hole.” That’s the kind of vision that Nicklaus had.
In his own way, that’s exactly what Jeff Noel did every single day. Look out across the landscape and wonder “what if?” The rest — thanks to that incredible man and his leadership — is history and it is on display to a worldwide audience of millions today and for the rest of the weekend through the camera lens of NBC Sports and the Golf Channel.
As Jeff plays out his final chapter here, his future is bright as he returns to his home state of Kentucky to rejoin family there and plot great things for the next community to benefit from his remarkable time, talent and treasure.
For our part, it will be a sad day indeed when Jeff turns the wheel south and we’re in his rearview mirror, but we will all do well to heed his advice to push on, progress, and work diligently to downplay those who think we are less than we know collectively that we have become, and march on. Jeff Noel wouldn’t want it any other way. Believe me.
