August 19, 2025 • 5 mins
Bill McKendry, Co-Owner of Brand Haven is now a Distinguished President's Fellow at Cornerstone University. He joins us to discuss what this means moving forward.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well, our Wood Radio alum are are growing. Bill McKendree
joined us on the program decades ago to talk about
Super Bowl commercials as he and his pals, I've had
a big party every year. Maybe it was just the
party that brought us in. But now, but now, hold
your pinky in the air. Bill McKendree, co owner of
(00:21):
Brand Haven, is now a Distinguished President's Fellow at Cornerstone University.
Congratulations and welcome once again to West Michigan's Morning News.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Great to talk to you and thank you. Yeah, I've
been thinking about this and I you know, I've been
called different and difficult, but distinguished. That's a that's a
new trible, a new deal.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
Well, we don't even know what a golf clapp or not, Bill,
because you know, we want to make sure we're appropriate.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
Is there a robe a necklace? I guess uh. We
all understand. Cornerstone University is a wonderful organization here, a
place of higher learning here in West Mishchiechigan. Talk to
us a little bit about what drew you to the university.
You just started showing up there more and eventually you
(01:09):
get this little award.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
They got to do something with you, right, but it's
like over probably the last twenty twenty five years for
whatever reason, and I didn't go to school there. I
went to school at the University of Denver, and you know,
even though I'm originally from West Michigan, they just there
was always a natural and many connections that have happened
at that campus. For me, Ken Calwell, who now is
(01:33):
the CEO of that he gets this initiative is I
met him originally on the Cornerstone campus over twenty years
ago and when he was a guest speaker. Kathy Sindor,
who's a professor there, helped me write my book Do
More Good. Nicole Fraser, who was once an interned for
my firm from Cornerstone University and eventually went to work
(01:54):
at the White House, continue to work with her, and
then Jason Vanderground, who is my partner at Brand Hay
and is also a CEU GRAB So for whatever reason, uh,
you know, there just have been a lot of really
great contacts and are a lot of really special experiences
I've had with see you. And so when they when
they contacted me about this and said, you know, would
you be willing to do it? I said, yeah, it
(02:15):
just totally makes sense.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
So Bill, what do you think you're most excited about
for this new adventure as a fellow.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
Well, I think, you know, the thing that excites me
is what they really asked me to do is you know,
come on campus, come and speak, talk at chapel and
things like that, and you know, come to classes and
put on you know, some some workshops and stuff like that.
And and but to be able to pour directly into
the students' lives, not just professionally but spiritually. And where
they're at right now is they're discovering their purpose and
(02:42):
how their faith can be put to work and lived out.
And what I try to say is, you know, whatever
you're calling is see it as an opportunity. See it
number one. See it as a gift, but also as
an opportunity to put your faith in action.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
Bill. One of the things I'm excited about with secondary
education watching it for so long, and you know, speakers
came on campus back in the day when I was
going to school. But I'm seeing a more direct effort,
I think, and you know, I applaud see you with
doing this, but I've seen it with Grand Valley State
and Damnport and other here in Michigan is realizing not
only the rich talent that we have and trying to
(03:16):
keep that talent, as you know, but direct access to
people who are doing it every day, are leaders in
this community, or are vital pieces to maybe nonprofit or
whatever the case might be, which makes up as you know,
West Michigan. That is such a luxury that I hope
students realize and take advantage of it.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
I agree, you know, and I see it. I speak
at Grand Valley, I speak at a lot of other
colleges as well. The heart of West Michigan, you know,
whether they're a Christian college or not, is throughout every campus,
right you see, You see that and you know so
also though the combination of saying you know, it isn't
just about academic excellence or work readiness. It's about you know,
(03:59):
doing more good. It's about having conviction to make a
difference and not just to make a living and uh
and you know that's that's throughout every campus that that
I speak at. It quite honestly in West Michigan. You know,
so again Cornerstone just being one of those really great
places that also you know, does that and also gives
you the freedom to talk about faith more directly. It's
(04:23):
just a place that you know, I can't wait to
unleash and you know, all the things that I've learned,
you know, and and and be able to share with
these young people who were so willing to learn, and
you talk about you know, connecting people too. It was
interestingly enough, you know, when I when I look back
at my academic career, I learned something very early in
my college experience, and that was I took a lot
(04:44):
of night classes because they were taught by professionals, not
by professors. And what I really enjoyed those classes, Not
that I didn't enjoy the professors. They brought, you know,
great thinking, and you know, they opened your mind, you know,
and pushed you in areas that you'd didn't normally get
pushed in. However, I've really enjoyed the people who had
practical experience and could really give you insight into how
(05:09):
you know, what they've learned really gets applied.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (05:13):
What a great asset for Cornerstone University and well deserved
for our friend Bill mckenree, co owner of brand Haven.
Get the book, Do More Good. If you're a nonprofit
Distinguished President's Fellow Bill McHenry, thanks for your time today.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
I really appreciate it. Thank you.
Well, our Wood Radio alum are are growing. Bill McKendree
joined us on the program decades ago to talk about
Super Bowl commercials as he and his pals, I've had
a big party every year. Maybe it was just the
party that brought us in. But now, but now, hold
your pinky in the air. Bill McKendree, co owner of
(00:21):
Brand Haven, is now a Distinguished President's Fellow at Cornerstone University.
Congratulations and welcome once again to West Michigan's Morning News.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Great to talk to you and thank you. Yeah, I've
been thinking about this and I you know, I've been
called different and difficult, but distinguished. That's a that's a
new trible, a new deal.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
Well, we don't even know what a golf clapp or not, Bill,
because you know, we want to make sure we're appropriate.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
Is there a robe a necklace? I guess uh. We
all understand. Cornerstone University is a wonderful organization here, a
place of higher learning here in West Mishchiechigan. Talk to
us a little bit about what drew you to the university.
You just started showing up there more and eventually you
(01:09):
get this little award.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
They got to do something with you, right, but it's
like over probably the last twenty twenty five years for
whatever reason, and I didn't go to school there. I
went to school at the University of Denver, and you know,
even though I'm originally from West Michigan, they just there
was always a natural and many connections that have happened
at that campus. For me, Ken Calwell, who now is
(01:33):
the CEO of that he gets this initiative is I
met him originally on the Cornerstone campus over twenty years
ago and when he was a guest speaker. Kathy Sindor,
who's a professor there, helped me write my book Do
More Good. Nicole Fraser, who was once an interned for
my firm from Cornerstone University and eventually went to work
(01:54):
at the White House, continue to work with her, and
then Jason Vanderground, who is my partner at Brand Hay
and is also a CEU GRAB So for whatever reason, uh,
you know, there just have been a lot of really
great contacts and are a lot of really special experiences
I've had with see you. And so when they when
they contacted me about this and said, you know, would
you be willing to do it? I said, yeah, it
(02:15):
just totally makes sense.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
So Bill, what do you think you're most excited about
for this new adventure as a fellow.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
Well, I think, you know, the thing that excites me
is what they really asked me to do is you know,
come on campus, come and speak, talk at chapel and
things like that, and you know, come to classes and
put on you know, some some workshops and stuff like that.
And and but to be able to pour directly into
the students' lives, not just professionally but spiritually. And where
they're at right now is they're discovering their purpose and
(02:42):
how their faith can be put to work and lived out.
And what I try to say is, you know, whatever
you're calling is see it as an opportunity. See it
number one. See it as a gift, but also as
an opportunity to put your faith in action.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
Bill. One of the things I'm excited about with secondary
education watching it for so long, and you know, speakers
came on campus back in the day when I was
going to school. But I'm seeing a more direct effort,
I think, and you know, I applaud see you with
doing this, but I've seen it with Grand Valley State
and Damnport and other here in Michigan is realizing not
only the rich talent that we have and trying to
(03:16):
keep that talent, as you know, but direct access to
people who are doing it every day, are leaders in
this community, or are vital pieces to maybe nonprofit or
whatever the case might be, which makes up as you know,
West Michigan. That is such a luxury that I hope
students realize and take advantage of it.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
I agree, you know, and I see it. I speak
at Grand Valley, I speak at a lot of other
colleges as well. The heart of West Michigan, you know,
whether they're a Christian college or not, is throughout every campus,
right you see, You see that and you know so
also though the combination of saying you know, it isn't
just about academic excellence or work readiness. It's about you know,
(03:59):
doing more good. It's about having conviction to make a
difference and not just to make a living and uh
and you know that's that's throughout every campus that that
I speak at. It quite honestly in West Michigan. You know,
so again Cornerstone just being one of those really great
places that also you know, does that and also gives
you the freedom to talk about faith more directly. It's
(04:23):
just a place that you know, I can't wait to
unleash and you know, all the things that I've learned,
you know, and and and be able to share with
these young people who were so willing to learn, and
you talk about you know, connecting people too. It was
interestingly enough, you know, when I when I look back
at my academic career, I learned something very early in
my college experience, and that was I took a lot
(04:44):
of night classes because they were taught by professionals, not
by professors. And what I really enjoyed those classes, Not
that I didn't enjoy the professors. They brought, you know,
great thinking, and you know, they opened your mind, you know,
and pushed you in areas that you'd didn't normally get
pushed in. However, I've really enjoyed the people who had
practical experience and could really give you insight into how
(05:09):
you know, what they've learned really gets applied.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (05:13):
What a great asset for Cornerstone University and well deserved
for our friend Bill mckenree, co owner of brand Haven.
Get the book, Do More Good. If you're a nonprofit
Distinguished President's Fellow Bill McHenry, thanks for your time today.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
I really appreciate it. Thank you.
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