Catch Up With Chuck | Episode 28

Rural Futures Institute Author

05/31/2018 Added

14 Plays

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Garry Clark

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[00:00:11.970]Welcome to the Rural Futures Institute
[00:00:13.760]at the University of Nebraska.
[00:00:15.850]I'm Chuck Schroeder,
[00:00:16.683]I'm executive director of the institute,
[00:00:18.768]and this is our weekly get together
[00:00:21.560]with difference makers in rural Nebraska
[00:00:23.847]and rural America, we call it Catch Up with Chuck, so...
[00:00:27.800]I have to tell you, today, I have with me,
[00:00:30.460]a guy that I've looked forward to having in this chair,
[00:00:32.990]one of the most interesting people in the world,
[00:00:34.890]as far as I'm concerned,
[00:00:36.250]Garry Clark, who is the executive director
[00:00:39.630]of the Greater Fremont Development Council
[00:00:42.100]in Fremont, Nebraska.
[00:00:43.580]Garry, thanks for joining us.
[00:00:44.790]Thanks for having me, Chuck, I appreciate it.
[00:00:46.600]Well, this is gonna be fun.
[00:00:48.240]Okay, so, Garry, your story is anything but
[00:00:54.020]what one would expect out of a young professional
[00:00:57.130]that's now here making a difference in rural Nebraska
[00:01:01.160]and investing yourself in development of rural regions.
[00:01:04.500]So, I want you to help our audience understand
[00:01:08.460]why I was so excited about having you on the program.
[00:01:12.610]I want you to tell a little bit about your upbringing,
[00:01:15.150]and the track that brought you to Nebraska.
[00:01:18.810]You're here by choice, not by chance.
[00:01:21.080]Yes, well, I started off in Washington D.C.,
[00:01:25.250]that was my hometown, that's where I was born and raised,
[00:01:28.720]and grew up in the 80s,
[00:01:30.370]and it was a rough upbringing for me and my family.
[00:01:33.760]Both my parents had some struggles with abuse
[00:01:37.740]and also some huge drug abuse.
[00:01:42.090]And so it painted a picture
[00:01:44.440]that was really difficult for us in that community.
[00:01:47.500]Luckily though, my mother was very strong
[00:01:51.250]and had resolve, and when she got clean
[00:01:55.630]and she had removed drugs from her life, it turned for me.
[00:02:01.820]She came home one day with an application
[00:02:03.838]my senior year of high school,
[00:02:07.430]I was a struggling student, and she said,
[00:02:09.980]I have two pamphlets here.
[00:02:11.630]I had just lost my opportunity to get a scholarship,
[00:02:14.690]a full scholarship to American University in Washington D.C.
[00:02:18.180]and she had Midland College and Dana College in her hand,
[00:02:22.770]and I took the applications.
[00:02:24.580]I flew, sight unseen, in August of 1999 to Nebraska.
[00:02:29.730]You were an outstanding athlete.
[00:02:31.253]I mean, you had some assets...
[00:02:34.538](laughs)
[00:02:35.640]And--
[00:02:36.522]That helped the process.
[00:02:37.355]So, sight unseen, we decided that I was gonna
[00:02:40.640]go to college in Nebraska, and then the rest of my life
[00:02:43.490]just changed from there.
[00:02:45.100]I became a national champion at Dana College,
[00:02:48.720]and a hall of fame runner just prior to them closing.
[00:02:52.940]And so, it was a tremendous experience for me,
[00:02:56.430]and it was a catalyst for me to find out what rural life was
[00:03:01.130]and it had given me so much
[00:03:02.920]that after going to graduate school
[00:03:05.880]at the University of Nebraska at Omaha,
[00:03:08.880]and going off and becoming a city planner
[00:03:11.380]in Florida and back in D.C, Washington D.C. downtown,
[00:03:16.110]my family and I, we decided to raise our kids
[00:03:19.430]back here in the heartland,
[00:03:21.200]and a lot of that was due to the fact that
[00:03:24.020]I had such a great experience.
[00:03:26.150]I think that's such a powerful story.
[00:03:28.270]When people think about, why rural, why now,
[00:03:33.040]it isn't just a matter of, oh gee,
[00:03:34.910]those poor buggers out there in those small towns need help.
[00:03:38.750]There's something special about those communities,
[00:03:41.010]and the values proposition that they can create
[00:03:44.540]for a family like Garry Clark's.
[00:03:46.840]I think it's just such an important story, so...
[00:03:50.370]Well listen, beginning with your economic development role
[00:03:54.947]in Cuming County, we we think about Nebraska at least,
[00:03:58.020]which is one of our favorite partner regions
[00:04:01.570]for the Rural Futures Institute,
[00:04:02.920]we've had a lot of fun out there.
[00:04:04.840]You really have become one of Nebraska's
[00:04:06.700]most respected young professionals,
[00:04:08.964]and it's been fun to know you in that regard.
[00:04:12.770]You're a smart, talented guy
[00:04:14.440]who could be successful anywhere,
[00:04:16.600]and obviously, you've demonstrated,
[00:04:18.250]you've lived other places,
[00:04:19.820]but you've made this conscious choice to live
[00:04:21.940]and work and grow your family right here in rural Nebraska.
[00:04:25.830]You've talked a little bit about, again,
[00:04:28.010]that values proposition,
[00:04:29.330]but I'd like to know more about that story.
[00:04:31.160]Were there key mentors involved
[00:04:33.700]that helped drive you to that,
[00:04:36.087]to make the decision to come back.
[00:04:38.162]I mean, you'd gone to the big city,
[00:04:41.130]and you could've decided, well,
[00:04:42.790]this is where my opportunity is.
[00:04:44.290]Yeah, yeah definitely mentors from a college perspective.
[00:04:49.310]One of my largest mentors was Robert Blair, Dr. Robert Blair
[00:04:54.630]Bob Blair at the University of Nebraska Omaha.
[00:04:57.800]Who's met a fellow with us as a matter of fact.
[00:04:59.693]Yes, I remember reaching out to him and saying,
[00:05:02.970]hey, my family and I are thinking about moving back,
[00:05:06.110]getting closer to my wife's side of the family,
[00:05:08.750]which is in Oakland, Iowa,
[00:05:10.240]and he sent me some information on potential openings,
[00:05:14.040]and then I found out about Cuming County through that avenue
[00:05:19.140]but before that even, Dr. Ethel Williams
[00:05:22.670]was one of those people who was a mentor to me,
[00:05:25.140]Dr. John Bartle at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
[00:05:29.490]And then at Dana College, I had a lot of mentors
[00:05:33.810]that just gave me an opening to my life
[00:05:36.990]and understanding about opportunities
[00:05:39.240]that I would not have had if I hadn't
[00:05:41.110]come and got on the plane sight unseen and come to Nebraska.
[00:05:45.930]You know, that relationship that is established
[00:05:49.740]so often with faculty members,
[00:05:51.260]I mean, I can't tell you the number of young professionals
[00:05:55.250]and others that we encounter
[00:05:57.100]actually in various walks of life
[00:05:59.010]who will talk about Bob Blair and John Bartle,
[00:06:02.670]those guys have invested so much of themselves personally
[00:06:07.870]in saying, I want you to be successful.
[00:06:10.740]And it's a difference maker.
[00:06:12.830]You know, the truth though, is that
[00:06:14.550]even at the small college level, at Dana College,
[00:06:18.290]there was a gentleman by the name of Dr. Frank Taylor
[00:06:21.570]in the sociology department,
[00:06:23.290]and a doctor and professor by the name of Laura LaMar
[00:06:28.050]and Jan Potter, those people from Dana College,
[00:06:31.410]they really inspired me to be an excellent student
[00:06:34.890]in college and get on the Dean's List
[00:06:37.580]from being a 2.0 GPA high school student
[00:06:40.490]to the Dean's List several times,
[00:06:42.587]so it was a community, you know, a community of people
[00:06:46.442]investing in me for no reason other than to see me succeed.
[00:06:51.410]So it was an awesome experience.
[00:06:52.980]Well, it's a great story.
[00:06:54.960]Well listen, you're a genuine activator,
[00:06:58.420]and one of my first experiences when I came to
[00:07:02.860]The Rural Futures Institute going on five years ago
[00:07:06.450]was my first engagement with Connecting Young Nebraska.
[00:07:09.760]You were very much a pat of creating that network
[00:07:13.970]that now includes hundreds of young professionals
[00:07:17.650]outside of Lincoln and Omaha
[00:07:19.220]that collaborate, commiserate, partner to
[00:07:22.555]make the world a better place.
[00:07:25.450]I want you to talk a little bit about
[00:07:27.480]what drives Garry Clark to invest yourself
[00:07:31.670]so heavily in other people, in building communities
[00:07:35.760]all right, but I've watched you encourage
[00:07:41.170]other aspiring young business professionals
[00:07:44.210]to see the opportunity in those communities
[00:07:46.070]and think about what that means to them personally,
[00:07:49.740]not just red large up here under economic opportunity,
[00:07:55.050]you've told that story.
[00:07:56.220]I want to hear what drives you to do that.
[00:07:59.210]Chuck, this is such a passionate, personal message for me
[00:08:02.420]because I believe that rural life saved my life,
[00:08:06.370]and so when I see young professionals thinking about,
[00:08:09.660]well where should I locate, where should I raise my family,
[00:08:12.550]and I've had such a great experience in West Point, Nebraska
[00:08:16.410]in Fremont now, and even in the larger metropolitan areas
[00:08:21.080]that are just surrounding these rural
[00:08:24.638]oasises of hope that we have.
[00:08:28.240]So I would have to say that number one,
[00:08:30.500]it's about the passion of making sure
[00:08:32.670]that people know that their livelihood
[00:08:35.130]can be changed dramatically when they decide
[00:08:38.480]to make a decision to invest in a rural place.
[00:08:41.030]And that those rural places and those people,
[00:08:43.630]they invest back in you the same,
[00:08:45.680]and that's an experience I've had.
[00:08:47.150]So I just want the same opportunity for those people
[00:08:50.570]who grew up like me, or who grew up in a different format,
[00:08:54.250]or who grew up in rural places and want to go back.
[00:08:57.050]I just say, there's so much opportunity there
[00:08:59.800]for advancement, for growth, for leadership,
[00:09:03.240]that you can't experience that in other places the same,
[00:09:07.600]and so, take a look at this rural life
[00:09:10.050]and enjoy it because it's an opportunity
[00:09:12.320]for you and your family to flourish.
[00:09:15.030]Well, you are one human being whose,
[00:09:18.690]not only language but your life
[00:09:21.410]has been a very articulate message
[00:09:23.899]on behalf of rural communities
[00:09:26.580]and I've just seen you touch people in a way
[00:09:29.740]that I think is so important, so we're proud of you.
[00:09:34.010]So, okay, now you're providing leadership in one of
[00:09:38.120]Nebraska's really important micropolitan communities.
[00:09:42.660]The Rural Futures Institute has invested in research
[00:09:46.020]involving faculty at your Alma Matter, at UNO
[00:09:49.840]as well as here at UNL.
[00:09:51.200]Looking at the impact of these micropolitan communities
[00:09:56.540]on a much larger rural region,
[00:09:59.910]and we've had folks say, well why would you study
[00:10:02.605]Fremont or Columbus, whatever, they're not rural.
[00:10:05.600]Well, actually, in the grand scheme of things,
[00:10:07.640]they really are rural,
[00:10:08.970]but their influence is so powerful.
[00:10:11.240]So, I'd like for you to talk about your perspective
[00:10:15.850]on your new home in Fremont, interesting community
[00:10:19.960]that's faced challenges, but is a beautiful, thriving
[00:10:24.360]community that has had strong leadership over time,
[00:10:27.350]so, tell us your outlook.
[00:10:30.220]Well, I think Fremont and Dodge County,
[00:10:32.032]it has such an opportunity to impact
[00:10:36.270]the neighboring communities, the Scribners, the North Bends,
[00:10:40.560]even in Cuming County and West Point,
[00:10:43.000]it has that reach to reach those communities.
[00:10:45.820]And one of the things that's happening today
[00:10:47.930]is that we have a lot of young, vibrant business people
[00:10:52.380]moving back, or wanting to move to Fremont and Dodge County.
[00:10:56.050]We have businesses that are locating there
[00:10:58.730]that will impact people's jobs and their careers.
[00:11:01.900]And so what we're trying to do
[00:11:03.530]is make sure that we are inclusive
[00:11:06.120]and that we put our picture and our message to the world
[00:11:10.070]that we are more than just a micropolitan community,
[00:11:15.240]that we are actually a catalyst for change and growth.
[00:11:18.470]So that happens with spurring opportunities for businesses
[00:11:21.714]and for families to find housing.
[00:11:24.540]We just received 1.8 million dollars from the state
[00:11:29.510]and local community for workforce housing recently,
[00:11:32.760]and so that's gonna help to sustain a revolving fund
[00:11:36.170]that can establish housing opportunities
[00:11:38.680]for people looking for places to live.
[00:11:40.630]And so Fremont, while it has had its challenges
[00:11:44.297]in various areas, we have an opportunity
[00:11:49.510]to shift that narrative because there's
[00:11:51.870]so much energy and activity happening.
[00:11:54.610]And I think we have a cluster of leaders
[00:11:57.229]that don't want to sit on their seats
[00:12:00.560]or rest on their laurels.
[00:12:02.010]They want to see growth and activity,
[00:12:04.060]and so that's what we've been willing to do
[00:12:06.080]with the Greater Fremont Development Council
[00:12:08.080]is create planning and development opportunities
[00:12:10.650]for everyone, and that's gonna impact the whole region.
[00:12:13.360]We're not just thinking of ourselves.
[00:12:15.390]Well, you touched on something that I think
[00:12:17.810]is so important for people to understand
[00:12:20.450]about the community of Fremont,
[00:12:21.850]and that is the core of leadership that you have.
[00:12:25.150]You and I were talking about this a little bit
[00:12:26.770]before we started here,
[00:12:28.590]and Scott Getzschman, your mayor, is a guy
[00:12:32.010]that I used as an example of someone who
[00:12:35.460]gets up everyday and serves in a public service role
[00:12:39.950]simply because he loves the community
[00:12:42.030]and is willing to sacrifice, take some risks,
[00:12:46.570]and by the way, provide the leadership necessary
[00:12:49.350]to move in a positive direction.
[00:12:52.240]Charlie Diers, his daughter Maggie that we just love,
[00:12:57.040]your new president at Midland Jody Horner
[00:12:59.530]is a phenomenal human being.
[00:13:02.890]She and I go back to mutual friends in the meat industry
[00:13:06.060]where she came up, but you do have those leaders
[00:13:10.660]in education, business, economic development
[00:13:14.550]that really have a dynamic vision
[00:13:18.510]for what the community can be.
[00:13:20.900]And I think if in a community of 180,
[00:13:25.460]it is the same as in a community of several thousand,
[00:13:29.260]it all comes down to leadership
[00:13:31.160]and people deciding, we're not okay with where we are,
[00:13:35.240]we know where we'd like to go.
[00:13:37.240]We're willing to invest ourselves and our resources
[00:13:41.380]in our community, and that's where
[00:13:44.020]those thriving communities come from.
[00:13:46.790]I'm just pleased with your leadership there.
[00:13:49.460]Well listen, Washington D.C. native,
[00:13:53.860]we can't have you on Catch Up with Chuck
[00:13:56.140]and not talk about the rural, urban divide.
[00:14:01.560]My career, I'm 67 years old, and through the course
[00:14:05.320]of my lifetime, we've talked about the challenges
[00:14:08.030]of the rural, urban divide my whole life.
[00:14:10.310]Whether that's here in Nebraska, whether it's
[00:14:13.870]across the U.S., you can go to countries around the world
[00:14:17.560]and hear that same story.
[00:14:19.855]You're a guy that is dealing with that rural, urban divide
[00:14:25.470]everyday, talk a little bit about your vision
[00:14:27.990]and what we need to do to continue
[00:14:30.540]to build toward a more mutually supportive environment.
[00:14:36.300]Yeah, I see Rural Futures Institute
[00:14:39.170]as one of the models for that.
[00:14:41.030]Some of the programs that you've talked about,
[00:14:44.320]they tie directly with what I think my vision would be.
[00:14:48.290]And that is telling our story, number one,
[00:14:51.100]that young families that live in urban areas
[00:14:54.160]are aware of the opportunities,
[00:14:56.340]and so having an organization like this
[00:14:58.610]is imperative for growth and opportunities
[00:15:01.110]and bridging that gap, but also, I think about technology.
[00:15:05.940]I think about the advances.
[00:15:07.360]I think about the fact that we are not one monolithic group.
[00:15:12.600]We all have diverse opinions about things,
[00:15:15.450]but in order for urban America to thrive,
[00:15:19.870]they need rural America to thrive.
[00:15:22.650]And the same is true on the opposite side.
[00:15:25.020]Rural America needs urban America.
[00:15:27.490]So we have to communicate, but we also have to share stories
[00:15:31.650]and share these types of stories,
[00:15:33.840]and share that there can be an opportunity for growth.
[00:15:37.120]So I think the expansion and growth of technology
[00:15:41.760]so that we have wifi that is working
[00:15:46.400]in our rural communities, that we have opportunities
[00:15:50.270]for businesses and that's then a growth of NTCA
[00:15:53.650]and other organizations on the federal level.
[00:15:56.090]I really think that there's gonna be an opportunity
[00:15:59.320]for a boom of rural and urban connectivity
[00:16:03.520]because of the advancement of technology.
[00:16:05.530]So that's where we'd start,
[00:16:07.570]and I think telling our story and investing
[00:16:10.670]in building true relationships with urban people
[00:16:14.300]and not just video, but also engaging in those forms,
[00:16:20.260]that's key.
[00:16:22.415]I just think President Eisenhower started
[00:16:24.950]the People to People program back in the 50s,
[00:16:27.980]and recognizing the power of relationships,
[00:16:32.790]people to people relationships, not just
[00:16:34.910]reading about each other and creating opinions,
[00:16:37.630]but actually getting to know each other,
[00:16:39.850]look each other in the eye, talk about issues,
[00:16:41.850]and finding out what great commonalities
[00:16:45.800]we have as human beings on this planet,
[00:16:47.780]and I think you're spot on.
[00:16:50.170]Well listen, I just want to say, Garry,
[00:16:51.930]that we count it among our treasures
[00:16:54.820]at the Rural Futures Institute,
[00:16:56.340]the opportunity to get to know you and work with you
[00:16:59.286]in various capacities now, in three chapters
[00:17:03.410]of your career here in Nebraska.
[00:17:06.960]In our quest to achieve a thriving,
[00:17:09.160]high touch, high tech future for rural Nebraska
[00:17:12.500]and the Great Plains, we think relationships
[00:17:15.050]with people like you and being able to encourage you,
[00:17:17.920]learn from you and draw from you
[00:17:20.059]is pretty important to this work.
[00:17:23.300]Anything you'd like to add this morning?
[00:17:25.080]I just want to thank you all for having me here,
[00:17:27.820]and I thank you all for the work that you do,
[00:17:30.520]and just continue to invest in us,
[00:17:32.720]and we'll continue to invest in rural America.
[00:17:36.448]Thank you.
[00:17:37.281]Thank you.
[00:17:38.114]This has been a treat.
[00:17:39.330]Well listen, we invite you to stay in touch
[00:17:41.420]with the Rural Futures Institute
[00:17:42.960]through Facebook and Twitter and Instagram and LinkedIn
[00:17:46.990]and all of those wonderful tools,
[00:17:48.510]as well as our website, where by the way,
[00:17:50.830]you can see other episodes of Catch Up with Chuck
[00:17:53.470]if you'd like to review some of those.
[00:17:55.260]We'll be back next week talking with real people
[00:17:58.375]about real places that demonstrate
[00:18:00.960]that thriving rural communities are a great choice
[00:18:04.640]for worthwhile living, thanks for joining us.

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Catch Up With Chuck | Episode 28

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