13 minute read
Faces of WMA: Erik Kindblom
fAcuLTY SpoTLIghT
Erik Kindblom
BY BrIAN p. EASLEr Head of School
E
Erik Kindblom started working at Wilbraham & Monson Academy in 1997 as a mathematics teacher and dorm parent living in Wallace Blake with his lovely wife, Anne. He also served our students as a Boys Varsity Basketball assistant coach and Junior Varsity Baseball head coach. During Mr. Kindblom’s first few years, he distinguished himself by how quickly he learned the inner workings of life at WMA as a triple-threat faculty member: teacher, coach and dorm parent. Letters of praise and encouragement from former Head of School Dick Malley attest to this.
I arrived at WMA the year after Erik, so I also witnessed the quality of his character first hand. Because we are similar in age and interests, and despite the fact that our roles didn’t really overlap, we quickly connected at faculty meetings and over meals in the dining hall. I was immediately impressed with Mr. Kindblom’s gregarious sense of fun and camaraderie and his passion for work—not just his work here at WMA, but work in general. Mr. Kindblom’s work ethic is truly impressive, and it is the foundation of his 25-year impact at Wilbraham & Monson Academy.
In 2001, he started his new role as the Dean of Studies. Through a lucky turn of events, I had become the Dean of Students the year before. Now that we were working together at opposite ends of the Deans Office, I had the privilege to witness for myself, for many years, the extreme dedication and commitment of Mr. Kindblom to the students and staff of the Academy.
It was during those years together that I learned he is one of those rare boarding school people who will literally do anything, on any day and at any hour, for his students, his colleagues and his community.
I learned much from Mr. Kindblom during those years and in the course of our Deans Office duties, naturally connected by our work, but also during on-campus adventures and crises. The year 2011 was a particularly noteworthy time, with the tornado and the historic October snowstorm. Crises like that can test people with both diligent action and days of sleepless stamina, and there is nobody better to be at one’s side than Mr. Kindblom. He has a sense of duty and loyalty that I have seldom seen outside of the military.
It was predominantly for those reasons that I asked Mr. Kindblom to accompany me on a student trip to the Amazon Rainforest in Northern Brazil. It was a risky trip with great uncertainty, unprecedented at any school we know of, and I needed a co-leader I could trust implicitly at my side. It was a hugely successful trip, but certainly not for the faint of heart. Not only did three students from that first trip return on a second trip a few years later, but so did Mr. Kindblom and then two more times after that.
From 14-hour bus rides and remote vehicle breakdowns to swimming with piranha to bushwhacking through the jungle with Kamayura tribal scouts to the Sacred Lakes, Mr. Kindblom’s steadfast leadership and dependability really made all of those trips the success they were.
My wife and I became fast friends with Mr. and Mrs. Kindblom (she also teaches at the Academy), and we watched their children Emma ’17 and Charlotte ’21 (non-grad) grow up on campus. I have such fond memories of those years, watching the Kindblom family walking from their campus home beside Rich Hall to the back yard of Lak House, where my wife and I lived, for a bonfire and s’mores. Or being invited with other faculty families to the annual traditional holiday smorgasbord at the Kindblom house, complete with homemade glögg.
One of Mr. Kindblom’s most exciting achievements at WMA was his leadership for many years as Head Coach of the Varsity Softball Team, culminating in a WNEPSSA Class B Championship in 2016. This is no easy feat for any team, even under normal circumstances. But for softball, where recruiting odds are stacked against us in favor of travel-team participation, it’s even
more difficult. Watching the team grow during those years, driven by his relentless effort, and then seeing the girls in 2016 bring home the trophy to WMA was a truly memorable experience.
In 2019, and in concert with some other staff changes, Erik transitioned from the Dean of Studies to the Dean of Academics. This meant that his focus, which had been almost entirely student-facing as the Dean of Studies, now became more acutely directed at the academic program as a whole. It was in this role that Mr. Kindblom shepherded the Academy, as part of a small team of administrators, through the critical COVID-19 transition to an online program for the spring of 2020 and then a hybrid program, in-person and online, for the two subsequent years. Without his leadership in this crisis, we would not have been able to transition as successfully as we did. The entire school owes Mr. Kindblom a debt of gratitude for his significant influence, which served as a culminating outcome of his tireless work ethic and love for WMA.
During the Spring of 2022, Mr. Kindblom decided to step away from his role as a Dean. Similar to other former administrators and current faculty like Don Kelly and Charlie D’Avanzo, Mr. Kindblom was ready for a change and wished to commit himself entirely to being in the classroom with his students.
“Erik is tireless in his desire and efforts to support Academy students,” Dean of Faculty Wally Swanson said. “He understands the full range of students we have here and strikes the perfect balance between challenge and support.
“Students know that he is in their corner, doing everything from walking up to their room in Rich Hall 4 to make sure they make it to class on time, to giving extra help in AP Economics. He is a valued educator and our students have benefited tremendously from his support.”
Those students who enroll in Mr. Kindblom’s classes will be truly fortunate, and so are we, that he is still fully invested at WMA in positively impacting the lives of our students—hopefully for many more years to come.
NEw mEmBEr profILE
John Baker
What do you like to do when you are not working? “I’ve been blessed with terrific family and friends, so I try to keep up with everything they’re doing and get on their calendars. Family time is critical. We try to plan for it. My dad’s passing in February has only underscored the importance of that for me. I also enjoy travel, golf, fishing and a nice glass of wine, not in that order. And I’m much better at some of those than others.”
Involvement outside of work: “I’m currently on the board of the Humane Society for Hamilton County, one of the few truly no-kill shelters in the country. We just raised money, built and opened a new, state-of-the-art animal care and adoption facility in Fishers, Indiana. It’s been great to be a part of that.”
If you could visit one city in the world, where would you go? “I’ve been fortunate to travel a bit, enjoying (almost) all our trips, for business or pleasure. No matter where we go, I’m always more appreciative of living in the U.S. and being an American upon my return. That said, next on my travel target list is probably Beaune, France. We’ve really enjoyed our visits to smaller European towns and villages over the years. I know the food and wine from the region is amazing. We just need to find a slot on the calendar, but probably not until after the European travel surge bubble works its way through. Hopefully the cheap Euro opportunity continues.”
What’s the most interesting thing about you most people don’t know? “Brad Stevens (President of Basketball Operations for the NBA’s Boston Celtics) and I were in the same Indianapolis Business Journal 40 Under 40 class. I think he’s pulled away from me since then.”
What extracurricular activities did you do in school? “I was probably overscheduled in school, but there were so many great activities and clubs; coming from a small elementary school, I couldn’t resist. I had minimal roles in a couple plays, was an officer in Student Council and Spanish Club, rose to Lt. Governor in Key Club and was a Fine Arts teacher’s aide. I served as National Honor Society Vice President, lifeguarded, finished off my Eagle Scout Award (with three palms), graduated Salutatorian and spoke at graduation. In sports, I loved basketball, but dropped it after freshman year as my 5-foot-11 became ‘short,’ and I wasn’t particularly quick. I focused on distance running and was able to letter in cross country and track all four years, becoming team captain and setting a couple school records in the process. Later I started doing triathlons, but that was a long time ago.”
Accomplishments during adulthood: “I’m not much for formal awards and hardware. There’s some on my shelves collecting dust. I suppose the recognition is welcome, but the accomplishments that I’m the proudest of are in my head and heart, like a great marriage of 28 years and kids that will gladly come home or meet us for holidays and vacation. Delivering my dad’s funeral remembrance was one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done. Career-wise, I’m pleased to have played a key role in the expansion of our core business into Michigan, where it’s become a $1.4 billion wholesaler from nothing 25 years ago. Later, I was selected as the first non-ownership family member to Chair the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA) national trade association in an $80 billion industry, where we passed important legislation and evolved the organization. Today, I’m fortunate to oversee the LaCrosse Family Office and operate as the Special Asset Trustee.”
Why are you interested in joining the Board of Trustees? “(Board Vice Chair) Jim LaCrosse ’50W dragged me to Wilbraham from Indiana while on a business trip over a decade ago. I saw WMA is a special place and means a lot to many people. I can help continue the great progress the school’s experienced over the last decade.”
As a Board of Trustee member, what is your goal? “We need to make this next phase of the capital campaign happen. The facilities arms-race is on, and WMA must be competitive.”
current hometown
Carmel, Indiana
family
Wife, DeAnn (Master of Social Work), daughter Emma (first grade teacher) and son Jake (senior at Purdue University)
place of employment
NWS Holdings, LLC & National Wine & Spirits, Inc.
job title
Chief Operating Officer
colleGe education and deGreeS
B.S. in Economics & International Business from Miami (Ohio) University; MBA from The Owen School at Vanderbilt University.
hiGh School
Cambridge High School, Cambridge, Ohio
NEw mEmBEr profILE
Steff Robbins ’10
What do you like to do when you are not working? “I love to ski and play paddle tennis in the winter and enjoy hiking in non-snowy months. Additionally, I appreciate working my way through various cookbooks and am trying to master my French pastry technique.”
If you could visit one city in the world, where would you go? Portillo, Chile. “The skiing is supposed to be amazing.”
What is one of your greatest memories of WMA? “Being a part of the first WMA trip to the Amazon. It was my first time traveling outside North America and was such a fun, adventurous experience. I was very lucky to have had an opportunity like that so early.”
What’s the most interesting thing about you most people don’t know? “The job that prepared me most for my current role/career was my summer job as a camp counselor at The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in Ashford, Connecticut. The camp was founded by Paul Newman, as a place where children with severe illnesses could have a ‘normal’ camp experience. The mix of serious and fun, building relationships and empathy, and being in charge of a team helped me hone the exact sort of skills I use every day with clients and their customers to creatively design new products or experiences.”
What extracurricular activities did you do at WMA? Varsity Field Hockey, Varsity Skiing, Varsity Lacrosse, Bicentennial Scholars, Model UN, Writing Center Tutor, Gold Key, Peer Counselors.
Which faculty member(s) did you rely on during high school? “Brian Easler was my advisor for the latter part of high school, and I relied on him for the ‘big picture’ stuff. His ability to help me see what was most important and not get hung up on the minutia was incredibly valuable. He also taught me the most about leadership; anyone who knows him knows that he leads by inspiring others to rise to the occasion. Additionally, Gary Cook, both through history classes and Model UN, helped me improve my writing and public speaking. Both of those have served me well.”
How did WMA prepare you for your future? “This sounds small, but the endless opportunities I had while in school to think critically, meet new people, converse with adults with impressive backgrounds and resumes, and participate confidently in any activity or discussion is something I use every day and am grateful to have learned at an early age.”
What’s your lasting impression of WMA? “The Academy gave me so many opportunities that opened a lot of doors. I often think about how special a place it is and how none of it should be taken for granted.”
During your time in high school, if there were one thing you could have changed at WMA, what would it have been? “Apart from some history classes, politics weren’t discussed much on campus or among students when I was in high school. I wish there had been more opportunities for discourse.”
What would you tell someone who knew nothing about WMA? “The first thing I always mention is how well the school prepares you for the ‘real world.’ It truly is a place unlike any other in terms of the people, the travel opportunities, the speakers, and more.”
Why are you interested in joining the Board of Trustees? “I was so fortunate to have gone to the Academy and have had the opportunities that I did; I want to be able to do anything I can to ensure others have similar opportunities while giving back to the place that was so formative.”
As a Board of Trustee member, what is your goal? “Having volunteered as a Co-Chair of the Atlas Fund the last few years, I have a lot of passion around increasing alumni engagement. I hope to be able to connect some of the more recent graduating classes back with the Academy.”
nickname
Steff
wma claSS of
2010
current hometown
Williamstown, Massachusetts
family
Parents, Ted and Cathy; brother Mark ’05
place of employment
C Space
job title
Associate Director, Creative & Strategy
colleGe education and deGreeS
Boston College, B.S. in Business Management
of note
Was chosen as one of eight individuals for the 2017 MITX (Massachusetts Innovation & Technology Exchange) Future Leaders Group (FLG) based on leadership skills, entrepreneurial spirit and early impact on the Massachusetts innovation ecosystem.
Selected to be one of five core
employees across the company to develop C Space’s Ethical Framework in 2021.
