I am pleased to announce that I have been elected board chair of the Corinth 13 Center located at Christ and St. Ambrose Church in Philadelphia. I loved my work at Episcopal Community Services, where I served as Head Coach from 2013 to 2023. It is an honor to work with the Rev. Joseluis Memba and his team and get back to the hands-on work. I don’t do well in retirement. C13C stands for the Corinth 13 Center—a missional revitalization model rooted in the theological framework

I recently attended a production of Rent. A powerful show and well done by the Bucks County Playhouse in New Home. One song invokes 525,600 minutes, the number of minutes in a year. The lyrics and the math got me thinking about time as a perishable commodity. When I was 21, I thought 73 was forever away. That changed when family and friends passed away too early. When our children had children of their own. When you bring home a puppy, and you realize it’s your third dog and

My grandchildren remind me that time moves with astonishing speed. Just yesterday, their parents were building sandcastles, playing in the waves, and falling asleep with sunburned noses. In this season of family vacation, we try to take a week at the shore together every year; I find a growing awareness that grandchildren mark the passing of the generational torch. It also reminds me that retirement does not mean you stop working. Working just gets redefined. We both find joy

A Muddy Boots reflection on freedom, responsibility, and the work still before us July 4 is a day for flags, families, parades, fireworks, and gratitude. It is also a day for memory. The promise of this country has never been a finished product. It has always been an assignment. The American experiment rests on an idea that is both simple and demanding: human beings have dignity, government has limits, law matters, and freedom carries responsibility. The Constitution is not a

A reminder that midterms are coming. “We shall fight on the beaches,” he said. “[W]e shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.” Winston Churchill. The constitution is the law. The separation of powers is real. And the current crisis in leadership is real. The rule of law and the duty to defend the constitution and serve the people, all people, is the core requirement for any elec

I spent the weekend attending my 50th college reunion, along with 94 other members of the Kenyon College class of 1976. I had the fun of being on the reunion committee, working with a solid college reunion team and some classmates I got to know much better over the 18 months of planning. Observations: 1. While the campus has changed much in the past fifty years, buildings, offerings, technology: the vibe of the place remains in tack. Specifically, the tone of the academic an

I was recently asked to give a presentation on best practices in board governance, with a focus on non-profits. It is a subject I have written about in Muddy Boots before, so you can review the blocking and tackling in prior posts. The best question I got was “how do you select a board member,” and the converse is “why join a board.” It starts with being clear about expectations. 1. Are you aligned with the mission? 2. Are you prepared to work, not just in a board m

I have attended church on Sundays for about 34 years as a practice. It started when I began my sobriety journey as a way to hold myself accountable, and over the years, it has evolved into a commitment to the tradition of service, self-reflection, community, and the exploration of a higher power built around a congregation seeking similar answers to the big questions raised in the gospel and life. There is power in a sacred space, regardless of your tradition. Comfort in the

This is the longest time I have gone without posting on Muddy Boots. The last being 12/26/2025. It has been 28 months since I stepped down from ECS, 12 months since stepping down from the Drexel board, the Academy, and several for-profit and non-profit boards. For the first time since I was twenty-three and could argue fourteen, I was not on a 40-60-hour workweek schedule or personally responsible for employees, customers, or an I-95 commute. Jacqui is clear that 47 years in,

I have been thinking about Governance a lot of late. Not just for the companies I work with as a board member for profit and non, nor just for my own company, Modern Group, Ltd. Rather, I have been thinking about the connection between good governance, impact, stakeholders, and best practices as a director or Chair. First, good governance at the fundamental level is the same for the public and private, for-profit, and non-profit sectors—my observations and scar tissue. ·

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, etal, and a Happy New Year. Jacqui and I hope you and your family are safe and that the year ahead is full of promise and opportunity. In this season of light, may we all bring some to those in need with our time, our treasure, and our talent. May we do so not just in this season but year-round, as the needs are tremendous and a hand up does so much more than a hand out. To quote from my ECS days," to go fast go alone, but

This post first went up on March 17 , 2024 the night my brother Chuck transitioned. Today I got the second call that my brother Alan, after a long battle with dementia, has also transitioned. The words I wrote then still stand. I was with him on Thanksgiving, and we had an hour alone. I know he knew I was there. His impact on so many was significant, and he set the bar for humble leadership and stewardship. I am the youngest of three brothers, between 16 and 12 years. So, fo

I have not written in a while. My recovery from heart surgery is going remarkably well, and your well-wishes, cards, and support have been received and deeply appreciated. Rehab is not just a physical activity. As I reflected and shared with you when I was in the hospital, I am feeling the challenges of creating version 2.0 for the back nine —or, as my forum buddies remind me, the last 4 or 5 holes. For the first time, the words “In the time I have left” carry real weight. At

I am sitting in the cardiac care wing of the University of Pennsylvania Hospital in my fashionable hospital gown, looking out the 9th...

I have been thinking lately about the connection between an organization's Mission, Vision, and Values, and its Leadership. One reads and...

This June, I experienced the gift and lesson of gratitude firsthand. I had reason to check in with my doctor, and he ran a quick...

“All that evil needs is for a few good men and women to remain silent, inactive, or look the other way.” In our tradition and those of...

When I was a kid, like 65 years ago, we watched the evening news on a black and white TV and depending on your preferences you listen to...

Today, forty-six years ago, I walked out of St John’s Episcopal Church with Jacqui McEwen. To quote the Beatles, “The long and winding...

Trochdoras Griffithii, a thorny catfish of the family Doradidae, is found in the Amazon basin and is named after me. The scientific crew...