NEIGHBORnotable

Teresa Holderer

SCS resident for 2 years

Favorite Spot in SCS: Mike’s on the Water

Occupation:

International Attorney, retired

Hobbies: Hiking, travel, piano, handbells, choir, reading, puzzles, boating

Guilty Pleasure: Bubble baths with a book and a glass of wine

Last Books You Read: Edge of Eternity by Ken Follett, Beach Read by Emily Henry, Emma by Jane Austen

Brings Me Joy: Spending time with my family, beautiful nature or scenery

Proudest Moments: Completing a major investment in Uzbekistan, graduating from University of Michigan Law School first in class with three small children.

Personal Motto: Happiness is a choice.

Three Words That Describe Me: Compassionate, hardworking, positive (cup almost full)

I Can’t Live Without: Music

I Will Never Forget: Our son was killed in a car crash when he was 19. He was in Michigan, but we lived overseas. I will never forget his presence in our lives.

Obstacle I Overcame: Going to University of Michigan Law School full-time with three small children

Even though Teresa Holderer has traveled to 50 countries and lived in Chile, Switzerland and England, Michigan feels more like home than anywhere else. She and her husband of almost 42 years, Steve, first moved to the state in 1986. The couple raised their three children Justin, Julie and Janna here. And in 2021, after Teresa retired from Enterprise Holdings as an international attorney, they settled in St. Clair Shores.

Despite never living in the Shores, it checked all the boxes: proximity to the lake, walkability to bars, restaurants and events, close to a major airport, world-class healthcare and a community vibe.

Even though Teresa is settled stateside, her life still encompasses her passion for embracing other cultures. One way she does that is as a board member of Global Ties Detroit, a nonprofit organization that hosts international exchange programs and connects Detroit professionals with emerging leaders from around the world. Through Global Ties, the Holderers enjoy serving as a homestay host family and will welcome visitors for five days this summer. They also provide meals in their home for guests.

“You can’t hate people when you have them over for dinner and break bread together. You really gain an appreciation of where they come from.”

The Holderers also hosted a “very smart, capable and selfassured" 17-year-old exchange student from Kazakhstan for about five months of the 2022-2023 school year through World Link. Teresa says the organization teaches their students a motto: “It's not better or worse, it’s just different.”

She can apply this to her own experiences living abroad: “We’ve enjoyed every place we’ve lived. Some parts are great, some parts are frustrating. We’ve gone out of our way not to be the ugly American.”

Teresa serves others locally too – including activities with Shorewood Kiwanis and volunteering at a local women and children’s shelter.

The Shores

St. Clair Shores

Volume Two • Issue Two

PUBLISHER

Kimbriel Towar

EDITORIAL

Editor: Anna Swartz

Copy Editor: Patricia Austin

Assistant: Mary Ann Simmerer

Contributers: Dr. Jason Banaszak, David Femminineo, Sandy Kravitz, Jimmy Mazzola, Christopher Redziniak and Nicholas Spens

DESIGN

Creative Director: Stephanie Zeoli

Graphic Assistant: Elaine Nesom

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Steve Foulkrod, Katy Marie Photo, Anna Swartz, Scott Whiteman and Mandi Wright

SALES

Account Executives: LeighAnn Hildinger, Jessica Zachara, Rebecca Reyes

DISTRIBUTION MANAGERS

Dave Colton, Mary Ann Simmerer

Office Manager: Mary Fitch

The Shores Magazine (313) 882-0702 getshores.com editor@getshores.com

The Shores Magazine is published six times per year by Towar Productions, 19803 Mack Ave., Grosse Pointe Woods, MI 48236. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the Publisher: The Shores Magazine reserves the right to reject any advertising.

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