Tim Mailley, Global Head of Ford Business at Yazaki North America, Joins Board of Directors
March 24, 2022 Announcements
We are honored to welcome Tim Mailley, vice president - global head of Ford business unit at Yazaki North America, to our Board of Directors. “There’s very little that separates people, but circumstances and available resources can make a difference,” said Mailley. “I’m inspired by the opportunity to be part… Read More
2022 Corks & Forks a Smash Hit!
March 17, 2022 Event
Our annual Corks & Forks gala was a smash hit this year! After a brief COVID-related hiatus, we returned to The Townsend Hotel in Birmingham on March 12 where we were joined by a sold-out crowd of 200 guests. The event was chaired by Pete Hockey, global commodity director –… Read More
The Surprising Benefits of Being a Volunteer
February 14, 2022 Mentor
Nonprofit organizations, like Winning Futures, depend on the giving nature of volunteers. By donating your time, knowledge, and experiences you can help others feel empowered, facilitate change and help reduce costs. All this because of who you are and what you can offer. Of course, at its core, volunteering is… Read More
Celebrating our Awesome Mentors this National Mentoring Month
January 3, 2022 Mentor
National Mentoring Month brings us the opportunity to recognize the power of one-on-one relationships that help young people find and follow their passions, identify interesting career paths, and pursue their dreams. While our mentors all come from the Metro Detroit community and represent a wide range of industries, there’s one common thread… Read More
Student Spotlight: Thai Morris, Entrepreneur and Full-Time Web Developer
January 3, 2022 Sponsor/Donor, Students
When Thai Morris, web developer at Walker-Miller Energy Services, graduated from Cass Tech in 2014, he had a plan and a strong passion for computer programing. Did he know that he would continue on to become an entrepreneur and full-time web developer? Maybe. But what he didn’t know is that… Read More
Julie Rayes – Leaving a Legacy!
January 3, 2022 Announcements, News
In December as we celebrated Julie Rayes' retirement from Winning Futures, Julie did not realize that we had a surprise in store for her. As a slide show finished that captured her 10 years of service, the final slide stated: 2021 Sam Cupp Legacy Award, presented to Julie Rayes. As… Read More
Todd Kennedy, Vice President Global GM Seating at Lear, Joins Board of Directors
December 13, 2021 News
We are pleased to announce that Todd Kennedy has joined our Board of Directors. Todd is the vice president global GM seating at Lear. “Being a father, I understand the importance and desire to prepare teens to be self-sufficient, productive members of the community. Through education and mentoring we can… Read More
Our Students Are Excelling – Your Support Matters, Donate Today!
November 8, 2021 Fundraiser
With help from donors, students from our Workforce Prep program are excelling. Make your 2021 donation today! Amaya Davis (left) with her mentor, Kelly Savela, senior connections manager at Tier 3 Social Media. Amaya Davis was in our program at Warren Mott High School for three… Read More
Rain proves no match for positive attitude at the 2021 Golf Classic.
October 14, 2021 Event
The day started great. 260 golfers convened at Indianwood Country Club in Lake Orion for some golf, networking, and a whole bunch of fun while raising support for students in our Workforce Prep program. See pics from our 2021 Golf Classic! Guests started arriving by 8:30 a.m. After checking in, getting their complimentary dozen… Read More
Empowering, Zoom Conquering – These are our Mentors
September 16, 2021 Mentor
Our mentors come from every nook and cranny in the Metro Detroit business world. From small mom and pop shops to large international corporations, you’ll find in our ranks everything from entrepreneurs to presidents. One thing they all have in common is this – they’re making a real and… Read More
Another Very Special Night, Corks & Forks 2025
On March 8, 2025, the ballroom at The Townsend Hotel shimmered with elegance as we hosted our 17th annual Corks & Forks gala. This year’s event, chaired by Teresa Thiele, Senior Vice President of Global Purchasing Programs at Stellantis, brought together community leaders, business professionals, and passionate supporters to celebrate ... Read More »
From Medicine to Tech: Shanaz Munni’s Winning Futures Journey
When Shanaz Munni joined our Workforce Prep Mentoring Program at Warren Mott High School in 2018, she thought she had it all figured out—she was going to be a doctor, but she really didn’t know how to make that dream a reality. Now, at 22, she’s preparing to graduate from ... Read More »
Student Spotlight: Durell Thomas Jr. Makes it to the Big Leagues
When I last wrote about Durell Thomas Jr. he was going into 12th grade (Year 3 of our Workforce Prep program) at Harper Woods High School. He was dreaming about becoming a professional sports photographer and learning how to put together academic and career plans. Read 2021 blog about Durell. ... Read More »
Scott Rice transitions to Chair Emeritus of BOD, Matt Joshua elected Chair
A personal note from Kristina Marshall, President and CEO, Winning Futures: Fifteen years ago, Scott Rice, president and COO of Powerlink Healthcare Support Services, joined our Board of Directors after attending our golf outing and visiting a Workforce Prep mentoring session. Words cannot describe how grateful I am that he ... Read More »
Forvia Group Vice President of Supplier Diversity, Lawrence Williams II, Joins Our Board of Directors
We are very pleased to announce that Lawrence Williams II has been elected to our Board of Directors. Williams is a transformational leader with over 28 years of success in the automotive and commercial vehicle industries driving growth, innovation, and operational excellence. In his role at Forvia, Williams leads strategic ... Read More »
Winning Futures offers CMA students, mentors, opportunity to grow
Note: Below is an article written by Korey Colton for his high school paper, The Communicator. Korey attends Communication & Media Arts High School in Detroit and is in our Year 2 (11th grade) Workforce Prep program. With permission, we have re-published it here. Learn more about our seven-year Workforce ... Read More »
Our 2024 Golf Social at Topgolf was a “hole-in-one” kind of success!
We held our first ever Golf Social on September 25, 2024, at Topgolf in Auburn Hills. Replacing our traditional golf outing of years past, the Golf Social at Topgolf provided much more opportunities for guests of all golf skill levels to participate, have fun, and network with senior business executives. ... Read More »
Marcus Sumrall is in our Year 2 (11th grade) program and wants to be a real estate agent and home renovator.
Marcus Sumrall is looking down the road, preparing for what’s next, and getting his work done well and on time. Marcus participated in our Year 1 (10th grade, life skills development) Workforce Prep program last year at Cass Technical High School in Detroit. He was mentored by Joshua Friday, battery ... Read More »
The Career Mentor Experience
“It has been so fulfilling to me to be able to share my experiences and see that it matters and that students are taking the information I’ve shared with them and doing something positive with it. It has been a blessing and a wonderful experience.” This past year we had ... Read More »
Nazifa Kadir is in our Year 6 (continuing education) program and attending the University of Michigan, studying for a degree in pharmaceutical science.
If you knew Nazifa Kadir back when she was in high school, you might be surprised to see the person she is today. Nazifa is a junior at the University of Michigan studying for a degree in pharmaceutical science. She is more assertive, outgoing, and confident in who she is ... Read More »
Rei Struga is in our Year 4 (continuing education) program and on his way to Wayne State University where he will study computer science.
“High school is a confusing and stressful time. You need all the help you can get.” These are the words of Rei Struga. He just graduated from Warren Mott High School and is on his way to Wayne State University where he will study computer science. He has a vision, ... Read More »
30th Anniversary Awards Celebration: $30,000 in scholarships awarded to 16 students; Seven students celebrated for graduating from college; 16 volunteers honored for their five or ten-year career mentoring anniversary.
Our 30th Anniversary Awards Celebration was absolutely loaded with good news. Held at Club Venetian in Madison Heights on June 10, more than 200 people gathered to bear witness to the amazing accomplishments our students have achieved and the generous support we receive from our volunteer career mentors and annual ... Read More »