Lenawee Leadership Award

2025 Lenawee Leadership Award Recipient –
Robert L. Vogel

Robert L. Vogel is the recipient of the 2025 Lenawee Leadership Award.

Vogel graduated as salutatorian from Clinton High School. He worked at Hardwoods of Michigan in the village of Clinton for 43 years, serving as vice president for nine years and president for 20 years, while also serving as president for Walker Lumber Bigler, PA, and vice president of Kansas City Hardwoods, MO. He was named one of the 50 most influential people in the hardwood industry in North America in 2010.

Vogel has served the Lenawee community on numerous boards and committees. He served on the Herrick Hospital Development Board, the ProMedica Herrick Hospital Board, and the ProMedica North Region Board, Lenawee Intermediate School District Board.

He currently serves on the boards of Hospice of Lenawee (since 2013), Habitat for Humanity of Lenawee County (Treasurer), Sam Beaufort Woodworking Institute (charter board member), and the Lenawee Community Foundation (since 1999).

Vogel is a member of the Lenawee Cares Pillars Club and helped start the Clinton Area Fund. He is a charter member, active participant, and donator to the Hunters Helping Lenawee initiative which donated a record 5,185 pounds of venison to the Lenawee community for the 2024-25 hunting season.

Vogel believes you can go far in life without leaving town through involvement in your community and its causes. He works hard for our community and quietly lives each day as an example of the quality of leadership that determines a positive future for our county.

The Lenawee Leadership Award honors a person or couple, who exemplify the underlying principle that the future of our county will be determined by the quality of its leadership.

Formerly known as the Maple Leaf Award and established in 1953, previous recipients continue to be recognized as recipients of the Lenawee Leadership Award and are listed on the Foundation’s website.

“We are honored to be given the opportunity through The Lenawee Leadership Award to recognize outstanding community leaders, and the impact they have on our community and its future,” stated Dave Hickman, Chairman of the Lenawee Community Foundation Board of Directors.

The award has a county-wide focus that mirrors the Lenawee Community Foundation’s mission: to connect people who care with causes that matter, bringing HEALTH, HAPPINESS, and HOPE to our community, now and forever.

The Lenawee Leadership Award, presented by the Lenawee Community Foundation, honors individuals or couples, who exemplify the underlying principle that the future of our county will be determined by the quality of its leadership.

The award was formerly known as the Maple Leaf Award and presented by the Lenawee Economic Development Corporation (LEDC).  Because the award no longer fit the core business of the LEDC, the Lenawee Community Foundation agreed to accept responsibility for the award.  Former recipients of the Maple Leaf Award, established in 1953, continue to be recognized as recipients of the new award.

The prestigious award was renamed The Lenawee Leadership Award to acknowledge the county-wide focus, and encompass all aspects of the quality of life in Lenawee.  The award is a perfect fit with the Lenawee Community Foundation, its philanthropic leadership, and its mission to enhance the quality of life of the citizens of Lenawee in the areas of civic projects, culture, health, education, and social services.

“We are honored to be given the opportunity through The Lenawee Leadership Award to recognize outstanding community leaders, and the impact they have on our community and its future,” stated Dave Hickman, Chairman of the Lenawee Community Foundation Board of Directors.

The focus of the award on the future mirrors the Foundation purpose, as the only local nonprofit to focus primarily on the future of the community.  The Foundation is similar to a community savings account, permanently investing gifts and utilizing the earnings to make grants that benefit our community.

Nominations

Nomination forms for the 2026 Lenawee Leadership Award will be available in October.

Recipients of The Lenawee Leadership Award (Formerly the Maple Leaf Award)

For more information, contact Kirsten Stiver.