The National Kidney Foundation of Michigan (NKFM) has elected Bill Kolb, retired chairman and CEO of McCann Worldgroup, as the chair of its volunteer Board of Directors and added three additional members.
The new board members are Larry Bell, founder of Bell’s Brewery; Rom LaPointe, founder of Capricorn Leadership; and Robi Mitra, managing director at Sturbridge Capital.
Kolb joined the board in 2018 and most recently served as vice chair. Among many of Kolb’s contributions to the foundation, he co-chaired the Michigan Kidney Walk at the Detroit Zoo in 2017 and 2018; and hosted World Kidney Day Galas at MW Birmingham from 2017 to 2019 to drive fundraising for the NKFM. Under his leadership, MW Birmingham increased awareness and support for the foundation through its golf outing and other fundraising events. In 2017, under Bill’s leadership, McCann, NKFM, and Greenfield Health Systems began its Adopt-a-Family program by providing holiday gifts for 101 metro Detroit families affected economically by kidney disease.
“We are so pleased to have Bill as our new board chair,” says Linda Smith-Wheelock, president and CEO of NKFM. “Bill was the originator of our Healthy Futures Campaign, which includes our endowment that will allow us to provide critical programs in perpetuity. Our Healthy Futures Campaign has reached $22 million of a $25 million goal to be completed in the coming year. Bill cares deeply about our program efforts throughout Michigan, especially our Adopt-a-Family program. His vision and leadership is greatly appreciated.”
Bell founded Bell’s Brewery Inc., one of the earliest craft breweries in the Midwest. Offering popular and award-winning beers, Bell’s Brewery grew into one of the largest craft breweries in the U.S., distributing to 43 states. In 2010, Bell was honored with The Brewers Association Recognition Award for his innovative brewing and dedication to the industry.
LaPointe, who has polycystic kidney disease, was in end stage renal failure. His wife Kerry had posted his need for a kidney on Facebook. Rom’s former fraternity brother Joe saw the post and, coincidentally, his partner’s sister Cathy had just died suddenly while on vacation in the Virgin Islands. Cathy was a registered organ donor, so her family arranged for a directed donation of one of her kidneys to LaPointe with the cooperation of health care staff in the Virgin Islands and in Detroit.
LaPointe is a business coach and advisor to CEOs, Leadership Teams and Boards. His proven process of strategic thinking, execution planning, and leadership development helps CEOs get from vision to results.
Mitra, whose father had kidney disease that resulted in a kidney transplant, recently joined the executive committee for the NKFM’s Kidney Golf Classic. Mitra grew up in Troy and now lives in Rochester. Since 2020, he has been managing director at Sturbridge Capital, where he is responsible for the firm’s fundraising and business development activities. Additionally, Mitra serves on the firm’s investment committee. Prior to Sturbridge Capital, Mitra was Finance Director for Bollinger Motors, working on corporate strategy, strategic partnerships, finance, and raising capital.
 has elected Bill Kolb, retired chairman and CEO of McCann Worldgroup, as the chair of its volunteer Board of Directors and added three additional members.){kind=link}