Timothy L. Tramble, Sr.: That Guy

by Montrie Rucker Adams, APR

It was on June 1, 2020, that Timothy L. Tramble Sr., took the lead of Saint Luke’s Foundation (SLF), the organization founded to “ensure that the charitable mission of the medical center continued” after the Saint Luke’s Medical Center closed in 1997.

While Tramble may be new to SLF, he is no novice to the work he is called to do. For 20 years he served as the Executive Director of the Burten, Bell, Carr Community Development Corporation (BBC). While there, he led the team that took a small, obscure community organization to one that boasts a list of unparalleled accomplishments.

Though it had operated for 10 years, when Tramble arrived in 2000, BBC had one employee, a $120,000 budget and $9,000 in the bank. By the time Tramble left in 2020, there were over 20 employees, $2.2M in land under development, over $1M in the bank and an annual budget of over $3 million.

Not one to pat himself on the back, Tramble says he is “most proud of the progress and the people who approach me to tell a story about the work we did that had a positive impact on their lives. The point of it all is to help people thrive,” he says. To paint a picture of the legacy Tramble left after leading BBC for two decades, he explains that they built over 500 single family homes and were associated with over 2500 rental housing developments. The home ownership zone was a concept that had not been realized. The naysayers were asking, “How do you think you will interest people in buying homes next to cemeteries and public housing?”

They bought the first homes and continued to buy. The team came up with a brilliant strategy to build in volume. “We had a HUD 108 low interest loan with less than one percent interest,” explains Tramble. “We invested the loan money in constructing homes in volume. With a 40-unit spec build max, as soon as we sold one, we added another to the spec build list. Homeowners were excited that they were a part of something new and that they would not have the only new house on the street.”

In addition to the housing and community programming, another signature project is Bridgeport Place, built in 2008, and houses BBC’s headquarters, Cleveland Public Library’s Garden Valley Branch and WOVU, BBC’s community radio station heard on 95.5 FM. Our Voices United, the

call letters of the station, describes the station’s mission: “To provide an inclusive media platform that connects, engages, and informs the entire community to achieve ongoing social and economic progress for all.”

“There would be no table to talk around…” –Tim Tramble When he thinks about his personal influence and accomplishments, few are aware of his role in the acquisition of the land that flanks the Opportunity Corridor roadway. “I felt alone in the fight in many cases,” he explains. “I felt I was the only person in the room pounding the table saying, ‘We need to acquire this land. It’s called the Opportunity Corridor, but the land must be assembled under public control for it to truly become an opportunity for those within the community. In the meantime, we used our own unrestricted resources to acquire land at the gateway of the opportunity corridor at Kinsman Road.’” Land that BBC still owns today.

For years there was no traction. “Finally, funders came to the table. I was fighting that fight in 2005, and still fighting in 2010. It wasn’t until 2017 that we were funded to acquire land along the corridor. It was a huge accomplishment,” remembers Tramble. “A lot of things take time. Each project from beginning to end on average is five to six years.”

Though he is no longer a part of the conversations, and has no seat at the table, Tramble notes that “there would not be a table to talk around if it wasn’t for having the foresight and concern around land

“My neighborhood was my

paradise.” –Tim Tramble Tramble grew up in the Hough neighborhood on East 81st and Superior, across from East High School which is now one of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District’s administration centers. “My neighborhood was my paradise,” he reminisces. “I had a fun childhood with my three nephews Reginal, Michael, and Stephen, who are close in age to me and neighborhood friends.” Tramble remembers playing outside, family and neighbors sitting on the steps, and kids not concerned about anything. “We were communal, and everyone knew who you were,” he recalls.

Returning home from Central State University armed with a bachelor's degree in Environmental Science, imagine Tramble standing on the street on which he grew up, looking around in awe. Somehow, he saw his old neighborhood for the first time. Before, he didn’t realize the disinvestment and blight within his neighborhood. It wasn’t apparent until he came back that he recognized the impact of the many demolished homes. He was now looking at his “paradise” through a different lens. “While some people run from that, for me, it was a desire to make it better and address those issues,” said Tramble of his neighborhood’s economic decline.

He furthered his education at Cleveland State University and earned a master’s in public administration. He wanted to gain the credentials to manage a non-profit. He wanted to arm himself with the foundation he needed to help his community.

I needed to be surrounded by positive, successful,

and intellectual black men. –Tim Tramble Besides his closest family members, three educators who were instrumental in framing Tramble’s foundation and significantly impacted his professional journey were his fifth-grade teacher, eighth-grade teacher and college professor.

“My fifth-grade teacher at Daniel E. Morgan Elementary School was Mrs. Lowe. She was just a

loving and kind teacher who believed in all of her students. I wasn’t her favorite. I think at that age, I recognized the genuine interest and love she had for all of us. You felt the maternal nurturing instinct of a woman and of a mother,” he said.

“My eighth-grade teacher Danny Peoples,” continues Tramble, “was my first Black male teacher. He was relatable, relevant, and placed more confidence in me than any other teacher I had.”

Tim’s big sister Patricia broke the mold and modeled the way. Patricia preceded him as a graduate of Central State University and started a pipeline of family members who attended Ohio’s only public HBCU. Central State had a huge impact on grounding Tramble. He says he needed to be surrounded by positive, successful and intellectual Black men. “Collectively, the men of Central State modeled Black male adulthood for me. It is hard to be something you’ve never seen or something you very rarely see,” he said. “I can count on one hand the men I knew as a child who wore business attire to work or men who spoke a professional dialect. Central State gave me that needed exposure. Dennis Weatherby, one of Tramble’s college professors, was “great and down to earth.” Tramble is grateful he looked out for his students, helping them to land much need internships and scholarships.

“I am not the typical president and CEO of a

foundation.” –Tim Tramble Tramble had several jobs before landing at BBC. After 20 years, it was SLF’s vision that People thrive as a result of living free of racism and poverty and experiencing equitable economic opportunities and conditions that enable them to lead healthier lives that appealed to him and prompted him to seek the organization’s chief executive office. It’s also where he draws his inspiration to continue feeding his passion for the journey before him.

“I know that it’s not a role that is traditionally held by a person like me. I am not the typical president and CEO of a

Tramble’s views on…

SUCCESS I believe this quote. “Success is a journey and not a destination.” To be successful in this work, getting to where we need to be will take a lifetime. There’s so much more to be done for everyone to thrive.

WORK-LIFE BALANCE When I was young my family went on vacations, I still do. Life is about experiences. I place a high value on experiences over material items. My work-life balance is ensuring that I have those special experiences. Things don’t just happen by chance. You have to work hard for achievement, but you have to make the time to have that space to enjoy the wonders, beauty and assets of life that God has placed on this earth. Every year there’s something that I do that’s significant, exciting and is a wonderful experience.

VACATIONS My ideal vacation is exploring the anthropology of cities. I’ve been on every continent except Australia and Antarctica and to nine different European countries. I’ve visited all the cities and states in this country that I’d like to explore except Denver and Phoenix.

We recently visited Palenque de San Basilio, which is an African American Village in Colombia, South America. I feel like we connected with the people and the village. I am more of an anthropologist when I go on vacation. What I mean by that is I’m not just there for the tourism, I want to understand the people, their culture, their value system and social dynamics. I like to explore where the people live, the environment, trees, plants… Ethiopia was awe-inspiring, so was Egypt. I want to explore more of Africa. I am blessed that my wife and daughter share the same love I have for travel.

He will use the position’s power and influence to uplift as many disadvantaged individuals, groups, institutions, and corporations as he can. “Ultimately, it’s to make our neighborhoods and our region a better place. What can I influence to make this a better place for us all? he asks.

“Without a committed board, it would make my

job harder.” –Tim Tramble In addition to drawing energy from SLF’s mission and vision, Tramble cites national peer learning groups in philanthropy that also help keep him focused and moving forward when faced with challenging decisions.

The Association of Black Foundation Executives (ABFE) whose vision and mission is to be central to a movement of grantmaking entities, donors and nonprofits to improve outcomes for Black communities and the country as a whole and to promote effective and responsive philanthropy in Black communities is helping Tramble navigate his new role.

“It’s a small group,” Tramble says of the organization. “We come together monthly to discuss challenges, and what we can do from a national perspective. We talk about the racial equity and inclusion journey, the challenges each of us have around that, the burdens a Black leader of a philanthropic organization carries, and community expectations of that leadership. We lift each other up knowing that we are not alone and by ourselves. We discuss how we can work together to support one another and support African Americans in philanthropy.” Another group from which Tramble draws inspiration and support is Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (GEO), a diverse community of funders committed to transforming philanthropic culture and practice by connecting members to the resources and relationships needed to support thriving nonprofits and communities.

“Through a diverse group of Foundation CEOs who are committed to advancing equitable grantmaking, we explore diversity, equity and inclusion and examine the things we need to be mindful of in that journey. We challenge conventional wisdom, best practices and racial equity and inclusion in a white dominant culture, what that means and how it plays out in practice,” he explains.

“I could be personally committed to equity,” offers Tramble, “but without a committed board, it would make my job harder.” Tramble says he is supported by SLF’s board members noting that in 2018, 13 percent of the Foundation’s grant funds went to organizations led by Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC). The number of BIPOC organizations went up to 51 percent in 2021.

“If we’re not intentional about assessing our grants from the racial equity lens, we would undoubtedly continue to perpetuate inequity. I am able to challenge conventional means. We are able to challenge each other to develop an approach that isn’t traditional and challenges conventional wisdom,” offers Tramble.

“He will get in the mud with the community.” –Ena McDowell “I strongly believe that the leader sets the culture of foundation and I firmly carry that weight. You walk in the door, you should be respected and dealt with

dignity, courtesy, respect and honor. You don’t walk in the door with trust,” says Tramble when asked about the essentials of creating a harmonious work environment.

Tramble had to establish an environment of trust with his staff. “As we build it (history), you have to show and indicate you are trustworthy and consistent. When you say something, you will follow through with it,” he says.

He believes that everyone needs a space where they are the leader. At SLF everyone rotates leading and chairing the staff meeting. A framework is established, but the employees can cover the meetings to their personal preferences allowing for imagination and creativity. He wants his employees to know that their contributions matter, that there is no low person on the totem pole.

Ena McDowell, SLF’s office manager and Tramble’s executive assistant says that Tramble is “extremely supportive” which was evident when she dealt with personal issues. “I have never had a boss come to my support the way that he has. What I’ve been going through personally, he’s checked all those boxes to make me know that he has my back. He came through and showed up. It put me in a different head space with him.”

“He does everything in his power to make us feel important. We all have our different roles. He wants to make us feel important in that role. He is, on so many levels, ‘that guy,’” she adds.

McDowell cites a quote from Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, “The people closest to the pain, should be the closest to the power,” as how Tramble moves and feels about the organization being “community facing.” He explained that it’s hard to do the work for the people from an “Ivory Tower,” that one must meet the community where they are. Listen. Understand. Empathize. Then act by being appropriately responsive to the collective interest of the community.

“I want so much for the vision that Tim has to be successful,” McDowell continues. “He is at the pinnacle of his career. There’s so much that he must do, and he’s so passionate about this work. I appreciate being in the position that I’m in to help him. He’s very polished and destined for greatness. He wants to support and guide us into our greatness. We are an all-star team. He is determined to make sure we have all the tools necessary to succeed in perpetuity,” McDowell emphatically states.

When assembling that “all-star” team, Tramble understands that for success, there’s value in having the right people in the right places. Personnel decisions are important professional decisions for Tramble. “The key to success is in the people who are doing the work. I can’t do 100 percent of the work. There needs to be the right people engaging the community, entrenched in the community. You need someone who is relevant and technically qualified. If we’re going to hire the best qualified candidate, what does qualified mean?” he questions.

Tramble says there are three elements for purposedriven jobs: 1) Relevance to the work 2) Technical skills and 3) Interpersonal skills.

“It’s not to be confused with the Cleveland Police

Commission.” –Tim Tramble It is hard to believe that with a plate as full as Tramble’s, he has time for additional community involvement. He does. He was appointed to serve on the Cleveland Police Monitoring Team which is charged with overseeing implementation of the Consent Decree and helping the Court and City of Cleveland gauge whether the Decree's requirements are taking hold in practice – in the real world and across Cleveland's communities. It oversees, on behalf of Judge Solomon Oliver, Jr., the day-to-day efforts of the City and Cleveland Division of Police toward complying with the reforms required by the Consent Decree.

It was after the 2012 murders of Timothy Russell and Melissa Williams that the Department of Justice was asked by then Mayor Frank Jackson to evaluate the use of force practices of the Cleveland Police Department. In 2015, the Monitoring Team was formed.

“The pathway to success is like strength training. You will have to feel pain to reach its destination.”

–Tim Tramble Ask Tramble about his mantra and he will give two statements that he established in conversations with

his children and mentees: Self-indulgence without self-discipline leads to selfdestruction There is no formula for success that doesn’t involve a struggle

He explains the first by examining getting caught up in your wants and over-indulgence which can lead to problems. It was essential for his children to understand that. Additionally, he states, “It’s important for me and my children to understand that the pathway to success is like strength training. You will have to feel pain and endure some type of struggle to reach your goal. That’s how life is. There will be a level of pain you have to endure to get there and you will be better for it.”

He and his wife Latrice, who is a teacher at the Cleveland Municipal School District, have been married for 27 years. They met in high school. Their daughter Tierra has a digital marketing and creative writing consulting business. Son Tim Jr. (Tjay), passed away in 2016. To honor his life and memory, the family established the Tjay Memorial Scholarship Fund which provides financial assistance to disadvantaged individuals enrolled in Tri-C, Cleveland State University, Central State University or any Historically Black College or University (HBCU). Eight scholarships have been awarded to date with the next class of awardees being announced on Tjay’s birthday, May 23rd.

“(We must) foster a more just and shared

prosperity for future generations.” –Tim Tramble If past accomplishments are ever an indication of future achievement, with Tramble at the helm, SLF is clearly on the path to realizing its mission to achieve health equity by addressing social determinants of health for people in neighborhoods surrounding Saint Luke’s and throughout Cuyahoga County. Judging from his call to action upon exiting BBC, “… it is time that each of us look within ourselves to be at least a small part of what is needed to foster a more just and shared prosperity for future generations,” there is no doubt they will get there.

Montrie Rucker Adams, APR is the Chief Visibility Officer at Visibility Marketing Inc.

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