A “Giant” Among Us – Bill Manns Receives William Glenn Trailblazer Award
January 25, 2018Categories: Awards + Recognition
Congratulations to Bill Manns, president, Mercy Health Saint Mary’s, who will accept the William Glenn Trailblazer Award on February 3, 2018. Manns will receive one of only 13 Giants Awards given annually by Grand Rapids Community College to individuals or leaders who shape the history and quality of life in the greater Grand Rapids community.
The William Glenn Trailblazer award specifically is given to an individual who blazes a trail for others and is a leader in his/her particular field or area of consideration. The award is named for William Glenn, who was one of the first African American employees in a Grand Rapids war production factory. Glenn was very instrumental in getting all Grand Rapids war production plants open to hiring African Americans.
“I am so honored to receive this award,” Manns commented, “and especially proud that our organization is blazing a trail in the community through our nationally recognized recruitment, hiring and retention process. Over the past four years, Mercy Health has increased our hiring of diverse colleagues from 18% to 38% in a region that has a 21% minority population. We have doubled our diverse colleague population. This award is for our entire organization.”
According to Grand Rapids Community College’s website, since 1983,13 African American individuals and/or organizations are recognized annually through the Giants Awards for their exceptional contributions shaping the history and quality of life of greater Grand Rapids. The Giants awards recognize the contributions from all aspects of community life, with each award named after local individuals as a perpetual memorial to their notable contributions.
Proceeds from the event will support the Grand Rapids Community College Foundation’s Milo M. Brown Memorial Scholarship and the Jr. Giants Fund. Two or more scholarships are awarded annually and are presented to African American students as perpetual memorials to Mr. Brown.
Manns will accept the award on Saturday, February 3, at the 36th Annual Giants Awards and Banquet, located at DeVos Place, downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan.