Hagerstown Magazine - The Best of Life in Washington County & Beyond

July/August 2009
2009 People to Watch
Get to Know These Four Up-and-Comers Who are Passionate About Making a Positive Impact on the Community… Hagerstown magazine’s Fourth Annual People to Watch

by Stacey Campbell + photos by Youngblood Studios

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They represent a broad range of professionals — a biotech entrepreneur, financial advisor, pastor and nonprofit executive — but these individuals share an important connection: a dedication to excellence in their personal and professional ventures and a commitment to making Washington County a better place now and in years to come.

Our 2009 People to Watch — Cindy Jackson, Justin Hartings, Patrick Grach and Cort Meinelschmidt — exemplify the compassion, energy, intelligence and drive necessary to help move our community into a bright future. We commend Patrick, Cort, Cindy and Justin for the significant contributions they make to Washington County — with the promise of more great things to come.

Without a doubt, these are People to Watch.

Cindy Jackson
Effervescent Executive Director Leading the Way for Change

Cindy Jackson might be considered the ultimate idealist. Inspired by the writings of Vaclav Havel — who served presided over Czechoslovakia’s transition to a multi-party democracy — she packed her belongings and moved to Prague in 1993. “I wanted to be a part of democracy in the making.” Returning to Washington County in 2001 after living in Washington, D.C, Europe, Baltimore and Frederick, “I focused more on doing good in the community.”

She has channeled her unflagging energy as the executive director of Leadership Washington County since 2006, taking an instrumental role in shaping leadership in our area. Cindy’s face lights up when talking about the opportunities and themes of recent LWC classes — including a “Going Green” program in partnership with the Agricultural Education Center. “The days are just getting stronger and better all the time, and that’s exciting, to be really pushing for this change.”

It is a big transformation since Cindy first experienced the program as a member of Class XVIII. From a set program of “panel discussion after panel discussion,” she has overseen improvements in LWC’s main nine-month program including experiential exercises, service learning, incorporating a thesis for each day, improving panel discussions and bringing in a more engaging group facilitator. LWC now offers Student Leadership, a CEO orientation program and Boardsmanship Training. “Now that [LWC] has changed… it’s more about taking part and taking charge, trying to be the change agent.”

The Alumni Association, once more of a networking group, now offers a program through which Cindy can assemble a team of alumni to assist local organizations with manpower to complete projects. One group is helping to create sensory trails for disabled riders at Star Equestrian Center. “That’s one of my proudest moments — that we have this Leaders on Lend program, and it works.”

Part of her vision for the continued expansion of LWC is to grow the student leadership program. Based on other peer-to-peer models she’s observed, Cindy hopes to reach out to more unlikely leaders. “I’ve always been the champion of the underdog, so what I would like to do is somehow identify [and] cultivate these kids who have the potential but aren’t necessarily recognized,” she says. “I think the greatest gift you can give a child is confidence.”

To boost collaboration and cooperation within the nonprofit community, Cindy and LWC alumnus Sam Cool are working with the United Way of Washington County to create an online volunteer clearinghouse at WashingtonCountyNonprofits.org that will pair volunteers with community needs. Cindy also hopes to launch a nonprofit incubator that would allow charities to share space, support staff and other resources. “If we could combine resources, I think we could be more efficient and the community would be a lot stronger and better as a result.”

Although too humble to consider her work part of her legacy, these are just the sort of projects and aspirations that are sure to leave one. “If the volunteer clearinghouse works, if we could get a nonprofit incubator together that worked, if we could be the model for other communities because we are sharing resources — that’s what I want,” she says. “I want to put us on the map for the way things could be.”

Leadership Washington County
20140 Scholar Drive, Hagerstown
301-791-5807
www.leadershipwashingtoncounty.org

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Cort Meinelschmidt
Constantly Striving for Excellence

If you ask Cort Meinelschmidt about his greatest personal or professional achievement, he just might ask, “Can I take it off the wall so you can read it?” Hung proudly in his office is the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal honoring the former Navy rescue swimmer for exemplary performance in his demanding duties as an air crew leading petty officer — and for 15 lives saved. It is a shining symbol of Cort’s strong work ethic, his passion to be the best and his heart for helping others.

As a financial advisor for Edward Jones, the 30-year-old now navigates the rough waters of investment for his clients. “Most people don’t understand the market… and I want people to understand it so they can use it to their advantage. I hate seeing people make mistakes that can hurt their future, or not taking advantage of things that could help their future.” He started doing his own investing and taking classes while in the Navy, and, when he was getting engaged, “I realized I didn’t want to jump out of helicopters for the rest of my life.” Always striving for the best, he was drawn to Edward Jones’ reputation for excellence — the company consistently wins awards for customer service, client satisfaction and has been ranked No. 1 broker for 16 years in a row.

And for someone who admits that he always feels the need to be busy, the independence of Edward Jones advisors allows Cort to put plenty of energy into causes that he enjoys and values. “The office is my office, so as long as I’m ethical, legal and profitable, I’m allowed to do what I like. And then I get the freedom to do all those other things that I enjoy.” The adrenaline rush he once thrived on as a rescue swimmer he now finds poolside coaching for Washington County’s Special Olympics swim team and the St. Maria Goretti High School swim team. “I get to watch other people succeed. Now, I can’t do it, but watching other people do it is just as fun — kind of passing the torch.” He also serves as vice president of the board for the ARC of Washington County, sits on the board of Character Counts! and volunteers on the Leadership Council for the National Federation of Independent Businesses for the state of Maryland. “[These are] all things that I care about, love and want to make better.”

Looking forward, Cort aspires to apply his work ethic, drive and tell-it-like-it-is personality to help make things better on a larger scale as a Maryland congressman. “It goes back to nobody defends the little person… I don’t think a majority of people’s opinions are heard,” Cort says. “I don’t think there’s a person that’s going to out-work me… and then it’s just honesty. I’ll tell people exactly how it is, if it’s good, bad or indifferent.” Ultimately, reflecting on his two older brothers who passed away in 2008, Cort hopes his efforts make a real difference in his community and beyond. “Both my brothers, they touched people’s lives, and that’s the biggest thing — knowing that you’ve touched somebody’s life.”

Edward Jones
St. James Square
18352 College Road, Hagerstown
301-766-7300
www.edwardjones.com

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Justin Hartings
Championing Education and Service

Justin Hartings knows the value of a good education firsthand — and it’s not just because he’s earned a Ph.D. in applied physics with a specialty in optics. He always pictured himself in a university setting, writing papers, getting published and working in a lab. Taking the step five years ago to start his biotechnology company, Biaera Technologies, was a daunting prospect. “It was frightening for somebody who had worked so long in the theoretical and academic. The thought of raising capital and marketing and all the things that go into operating a successful business… It was a lot. And I had no training in it whatsoever,” says Justin, 37. “That I had the courage to do it, with the help of some really great people… it’s satisfying.”

He credits the successful transition, in part, to a strong educational background. “I think it was Einstein who said, ‘Education is what remains after one has forgotten everything learned in school.’ What I take from that is that education teaches you how to approach problems, and I look at figuring out how to do this as the product of that education.” Justin also praises his wife and children for their support and lauds his parents for the example they set. “Education was just so emphasized as a tool for being able to contribute and be successful.” And it is a point of pride that he was able to largely put himself through school with an ROTC scholarship to the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., and a graduate fellowship to Yale University. “There are few things worth having in life that don’t take hard work and sacrifice, and education is certainly one of them.”

Buoyed by that philosophy, Justin ran for and won a place on the Washington County Board of Education. He believes that a good school system should provide as many avenues and opportunities to reach as many children as possible. His vision is that WCPS, “regardless of what your ability level is as a student, can give you the tools to go as far as those talents will take you.”

Justin sees WCPS as being on the right track with programs like the Washington County Technical High School, the Barbara Ingram School and various career academies, but would like to see a continued expansion of the science, technology, engineering and math magnet program. He also hopes to one day see each child supported by someone invested in their success, someone who cares about their future, although he acknowledges that dream falls beyond the board’s powers. “There’s a spark that lights the flame in every child, but it’s hard for that flame to be lit if the rest of the needs of the child aren’t being met as well.”

Justin hesitates to predict where his path will lead, but anticipates moving his company to Washington County and expanding his technology into the public health arena to address such diseases as cholera and diphtheria. But his commitment to service and education are two guiding principles he knows will inform whatever choices he makes. “Wherever that path [of life] takes me is where I’ll be. The only commitment I can make is to continue to be engaged and actively involved in the community.”

Biaera Technologies
4539 Metropolitan Court, Frederick
301-695-0022
www.biaera.com

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Patrick Grach
Living a Vibrant, Life-Changing Faith

Patrick Grach’s faith is contagious. The way words seem to bubble up from within him conveys the sense that this is a man who is buoyed by and embodies his belief in God — a faith he believes has the power to transform lives. “When I read the ancient text, it wasn’t religion for those guys. It was a world-changing experience.” If what the Bible says is true, Patrick says, “It should rock our world.”

He is doing his part to make that happen through his role as lead pastor at LifeHouse Church East in Hagerstown. The congregation has exploded since Patrick launched the church in 2005, with members and visitors drawn to a meaningful message within a relaxed, casual atmosphere. “This is a raw faith, and that means it’s normal, messy people trying to live it every day,” Patrick says. “To me, that’s the point of what the church is. It should be the representation of Jesus in the world. And Jesus was love, and he met real needs of broken people, and showed them that he is the answer and the hope for the world.”

To that end, he and LifeHouse have reached out to the community in a multitude of ways. The 32-year-old father of three serves on the board of Grace Academy, and co-leads a leadership growth group called Iron Heart. Patrick also has authored a 30-day devotional called Thrive, and, inspired by his own struggle with surrendering to God, created The Give Project. Giving up $6,000 he had saved for a car, Patrick distributed the money in random amounts to LifeHouse members with instructions to hand it out to local residents in need.

Casting a wider net, Patrick was point pastor for the 2008 Convoy of Hope in Hagerstown (a role he is reprising for the 2009 Convoy), which united 20 churches, 60 businesses and organizations and 700 volunteers to serve 2,300 individuals last September. He was spurred to meet real needs he saw in the community — for food, clothes, haircuts and access to resouces. “People need to know what resources are in this community, and we had a chance to be that bridge.”

It is in that spirit of unifying churches and resources that Patrick speaks of his vision for the community and the church. “One of my missions is to help ‘the church’ of Hagerstown grow,” by partnering with other churches to show the community “we’re all working together for the same cause, and that is to show and share God’s love.” And, though he admits it’s a rather unorthodox dream, his goal is to share space with a business — which would occupy a building, run it and pay bills. The church would have offices, a place for Sunday services and meetings, and also be able to provide something like a “Hope Center,” with job resources, a clothing center or community space. “We don’t believe the church is a building. The goal is not to be there — it’s a gathering place, and from there, we go out and impact the community,” Patrick says. “I believe in this community… and I think that through active compassion we can actually show people a better way.”

LifeHouse Church East
Meets Sundays at Hagerstown Cinema 10
20135 Leitersburg Pike, Hagerstown
www.lifehousechurcheast.org