The West Coast Chamber, in partnership with the Lakeshore Leadership Council, collaborated to develop a community leadership and public service education and engagement platform to serve the lakeshore community. West Coast Connect is designed to remove barriers and provide visibility to both opportunities to serve and leaders who are willing to volunteer.
Opportunities to Serve
The online directory highlights opportunities to serve nonprofit organizations through roles on a board of directors or in high-level/skilled committees. It also includes opportunities to serve in important roles at local municipalities, such as school boards, township boards and committees, city councils, county commissions, as well as state and federal legislative seats.
Join the Directory
By participating in the program, all leaders in our community can create a profile that highlights their areas of interest and the unique skill set they bring. Organizations have the opportunity to review the leadership directory to find individuals to fill their open needs.
"My experience with the West Coast Connect platform was so easy! I simply shared the specific board member position that we were looking for and within a very short time, not only were we connected with someone that had the skill set that we were looking for, but with someone that resonated with our mission and culture."
- Donna Bunce | Executive Director, Compassionate Heart Ministries
"We needed to fill a role on our Planning Commission and wanted someone with a business perspective. While I knew Vince Boileau previously, I hadn't made the connection. The West Coast Connect platform identified a person I was otherwise familiar with and confirmed he had the business perspective we needed. Within a week, Vince had connected with staff, visited a meeting, and was appointed to the Planning Commission!"
- Keith Van Beek | City Manager, City of Holland
"The West Coast Connect platform is easy to use and performs a powerful function. It helped us as a nonprofit organization proactively identify a gifted leader to serve on our board. I highly recommend the platform to others, both organizations and individuals."
- Kory Plockemeyer | Executive Director, Movement West Michigan
"We all have talents and experience to contribute, but sometimes you just have to find the right fit. The West Coast Connect platform helped bridge that connection for me. I'm very much looking forward to starting my role with the City of Holland Planning Commission."
- Vince Boileau | Managing Partner, Boileau & Co.
"Thanks to the West Coast Connect platform, I was able to find an open position on the Holland Symphony's Board of Directors and have targeted meetings with the organization's leadership, saving time for all involved. I'm thrilled to have recently joined this passionate group with a compelling mission."
- Luke Panning | Wealth Advisor, Arcadia Capital
"Often times when talking to people about serving on your board, you are never sure if they are even interested in considering board service. The West Coast Connect platform removes that concern. You know that the people in the directory are interested in board service and their specific skillset which is a tremendous asset."
- Kay Walvoord | Former President & CEO, Holland Symphony
"The West Coast Connect platform is a great resource to easily identify new members for nonprofit or government boards. I've used the platform to look outside our existing contacts to find highly qualified candidates that are ready to serve. I would absolutely recommend it to others."
- Jennifer Owens | President, Lakeshore Advantage
