Board of Directors & Staff – 80/20 Foundation Trust

Board of Directors

John Wood

John Wood, one of the original founders of 80/20 Inc, sits as the board chair for the 80/20 Foundation Trust and is responsible for leading and growing this foundation in a manner that honors the vision of Don Wood. A machinist himself, John has spent his entire career in manufacturing and is passionate about all things mechanical. Because of this passion coupled with his enjoyment of being able to make a difference in this region and specifically in people's individual lives, he frequently expresses how honored he is to serve in this role. Outside of the foundation, you can find John spending time outside with his family and grandchildren.

Patrick Buesching

Patrick Buesching, President and CEO of 80/20 Inc, is the Treasurer for the 80/20 Foundation Trust Board of Directors. In his spare time, he teaches as an adjunct faculty member for Taylor University, primarily in the areas of leadership, economics and strategic planning. Patrick has a passion for coaching and mentoring people, helping them to discover their skills, and encouraging them to attain all of the experience and certifications possible to succeed and thrive. He is grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the 80/20 Foundation Trust whose mission aligns perfectly with his passion. Patrick is active in the community; in addition to serving on the board of the 80/20 Foundation Trust, he is also on the boards of HOPE for Animals; and Northeast Indiana Works. Prior community service includes Northeast Indiana Public Radio, Indiana Works Council - Region 3, Headwaters Park, and many regional economic and university advisory boards. He has a Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs and Policy from Indiana University-Bloomington, and a Master of Business Administration from Taylor University-Upland. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, reading, and being in nature.

Brian Emerick

Brian Emerick, Founder and CEO of Micropulse Inc, is the Secretary on the Board of Trustees for the 80/20 Foundation Trust. He also sits on the board for several other organizations including, but not limited to: Parkview Health System, Huntington University, Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership, Ortho-Vation Center, and AgriNovis. He is also a co-founder and partner in Restoration Medical Polymers, LLC, Nanovis, LLC and a member of the Regional Opportunities Council. Driven by his desire to pour back into the community he was born and raised in, Brian is passionate about providing opportunities for people to acquire training, increasing the quality of life in Northeast Indiana, and growing local businesses. Brian knew Don Wood as a fellow business owner and is honored to be a part of the team that gets to carry out Don’s vision of impacting this region and building up the industrial workforce. Outside of his professional and volunteer work, Brian enjoys outdoor activities including watersports, travel, farming, and spending time with his family and grandchildren.

Gary Gatman

Gary Gatman is a trustee for the 80/20 Foundation Trust and, with his wife, is also the owner of Room-2-Room. Gary has vast experience in Northeast Indiana’s workforce and leadership development systems through his roles in multiple organizations including, but not limited to: Executive Vice President of Strategic Initiatives for Northeast Indiana Works, board member of Noble County EDC, regional facilitator for Career and Technical Education programming, leadership for the Northeast Indiana Adult Education Consortium, facilitating workforce development support of the Northeast Indiana Big Goal Collaborative, and more. From a young age, Gary was instilled with the mission of lifting others up and as a result, has a heart for the people of Northeast Indiana. He is excited to be a part of the mission of the 80/20 Foundation Trust because it embodies all of his hopes for this region. In his free time, he focuses on family and his grandchildren and never misses a Cubs game.

John Haifley

Being a third generation machinist, influenced with strong German values in manufacturing, John Haifley has been in Tool & Die for 42 years and is CEO of Absolute Machining Inc. Driven to build, design and create, his work is a hobby. Along with manufacturing, John and his wife own an Agricultural Land Company that help family farms create a proper business model and become successful stewards of the ground. Church, travel and passion for Agronomics occupies John in his spare time. Given a chance as a member of 80/20 BOT, John looks forward in helping others to have enthusiasm in the mission of the foundation.

Staff

Laura Macknick

Laura Macknick serves as the inaugural Executive Director for the 80/20 Foundation Trust. Outside of the foundation, she serves as a member of the United Way of Steuben County Board of Directors and is active with her church, St. Anthony of Padua in Angola, Indiana. Laura brings almost 20 years’ experience in the nonprofit sector, she has worked in nonprofit management, fundraising, grant-writing, marketing and communications. She is an alumna of Purdue University for her undergraduate degree and completed her Masters of Nonprofit Administration and Philanthropy from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy from Indiana University. Additionally, Laura is a graduate of Leadership Lafayette and has taught as adjunct faculty for North Central College in Naperville, IL in their Masters for Nonprofit Leadership curriculum. Laura feels very passionate about connecting the mission of the foundation which will further education and access to vocational skills and training along with fostering innovation through entrepreneurship as a way to aid in the effort of regional development in Northeast Indiana. In her spare time, Laura enjoys spending time with her husband, Patrick, and their family, volunteering at her church and in the community, reading and following sports.

Danielle Rich

Serving as the Grants Manager of the 80/20 Foundation Trust, Danielle oversees the grant management programs and office management, providing oversight to the grant process and relationships with requestors and affiliates of the foundation. Danielle brings over 15 years’ experience in philanthropy through the corporate and nonprofit sector, she has worked in grant management, program development and implementation, relationship management, and system implementation. She is an alumna of Grace College, and is passionate about bringing together positive change through collaboration and innovation, and is excited to have the opportunity to work with an organization that is poised for great impact in the region. Danielle enjoys traveling, enjoying the outdoors, volunteering, and spending time with friends and family.

Steve George

As the Financial and Administration Manager for the 80/20 Foundation Trust, Steve is the point of contact for Foundation operations including financial, human resources, office and systems management. Steve brings over 10 years of experience in higher education financial and operational management with expertise in the areas of accounting and finance, operations and facilities. He is an alum of Purdue Fort Wayne and is driven to create opportunities for effective and efficient management through education and collaboration and is eager to be an integral part of an organization that will be providing opportunities to develop the future leaders of our workforce. Steve enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling and living an active lifestyle.