Dear TCR Friends, Stakeholders and Supporters:
I write you today to share the announcement of Tom Streitz’s retirement as President/CEO of Twin Cities R!SE. Over the past 8 years Tom has led TCR with passion and purpose. Under his leadership, Twin Cities R!SE has driven growth in workforce training, adaptation, led sector based innovation and created valuable new partnerships. One of Tom’s many notable achievements was helping restore TCR’s unique Pay for Performance grant and partnership with the State of Minnesota.
Tom launched the national award-winning collaboration with Metro Transit to train new diverse cohorts of participants for high paying, union, diesel mechanic positions. In addition, drawing on his many years as a civil rights lawyer helped relaunch and reinvigorate our work in offender re-entry efforts locally and nationally. He also championed and oversaw the development of the “Fair Chance Hiring Guide” across the state of Minnesota.
Amongst other ventures Tom is going to move more deeply into his role as Founder and Chair of the nationally recognized Land Bank Twin Cities. A local nonprofit that buys and sells residential and commercial properties to benefit low-income families. To date, hundreds of families have secured affordable rental housing or their dream of homeownership.
A committee comprised of TCR board members has been working closely with Tom and our search firm, Cohen Taylor, to ensure all the key components are in place to continue to provide our important services. Tom will remain in his position as President and CEO at Twin Cities R!SE until the beginning of March 2022 to help onboard and work with his replacement to guarantee a smooth transition.
Tom will also remain committed to TCR’s sustainability and growth plans for regional expansion into the future as envisioned in our recently adopted Strategic Plan. Our 2022 strategic plan includes bringing our unique Personal Empowerment program through the Empowerment Institute to new partners and communities across the country, while we continue to serve those in trauma locally.
For over 28 years TCR has been a beacon of hope and a bridge over barriers. We have helped thousands of participants move from hopelessness to hope and break the cycle of generational poverty. I am confident that with your continued support our mission of building careers and empowering lives will continue to grow.
On behalf of the entire board of directors of Twin Cities R!SE, I want to personally thank Tom Streitz for his tremendous leadership over the last 8 years, always keeping the focus on the transformational success of our participants by leading TCR to new fundraising heights, helping navigate an unprecedented pandemic while quickly adapting to virtual program delivery and establishing a strong foundation from which TCR can elevate and achieve even greater future success for our participants. We wish Tom and his wife Michelle only the very best on this next phase of their journey.
Donzel Leggett
Twin Cities R!SE Board Chair
