The Saginaw County Young Professionals Network is celebrating 1️⃣6️⃣ years of programming! As part of our Sweet 16, we're looking back at some of the Members who made a lasting impact. Today, let's get to know Steve Hensley with Saginaw Future Inc. Steve also served as our Program Director.
▶️I joined the YPN because I was captivated by its mission, and I wanted to connect with other young professionals in the area. It is no hidden secret that our region and the state of Michigan have experienced a flight of human capital. Being a native of Saginaw, I aspired to see more of my peers begin their careers and plant roots in the community. I realized the significance and value of a program like the YPN, so it seemed like the perfect fit to get involved in, network and help assert positive influence.
▶️I have several fond memories and experiences because of the YPN. The Bring Your Own Boss (BYOB) Mixer is one that stands out. The event was derived after the pandemic ended and was intended to bridge YPN’s After 5 networking platform with a professional development framework. It developed within one of the committees as a back of the napkin idea. It was a spinoff of the YPN’s CEO Mixer event. The result was a valuable, riveting dialogue between multiple generations that would not have otherwise occurred.
▶️The YPN is a dynamic program because it is designed to meet people where they are – for some folks, they may be looking to cultivate professional and business relationships, and for others, they may be motivated to grow their social circles with other likeminded people similar in age and stage of life, and for many, it might be a combination of all the above. As a result, the YPN has been paramount in providing young professionals a foundation to resort, grow and establish community. There have been testimonies over the years from YP’s that credit their reasoning for calling the community and region home for the long-term because of the experiences and relationships they encountered through the YPN. It can be difficult to quantify the YPN’s collective impact in this regard, but when businesses and organizations are able to better attract and retain talent, the entire community is a beneficiary. That is the power and influence of the YPN.
▶️Moving forward, I believe the YPN will continue to be a catalytic organization for the reasons highlighted above. Its major goals should transcend time and generations, but I hope its leadership remains audacious in its creativity and setting program design that prioritizes collaboration with key stakeholders and community stalwarts. Like the chamber, the YPN is a connector – bringing people, business and community together. There is still work to accomplish in growing the area’s young professional population, but the YPN is certain to play an outsized role and be at the forefront of the next generation’s professional and personal growth.
BBA (Management) NU • Software Developer • Competitive Programmer • Tech & Research Enthusiast
1wPhitron students are allowed too?