Pastor, Community Relations & Development

Meet Eric Haven, one of the newest members of PGRTSEM, who is serving his community as Director of Development at Woodside Vision Foundation in Troy.  Eric is married to his lovely wife, Nancy, and is the father of two children and grandfather of five.  He has been in the fundraising profession for three years.

Seems like a simple and straightforward introduction, but what about the real story, the more interesting one, the one that lies behind the person, his goals in life, his values and his priorities.

Eric is a thoughtful person.  Happiness to Eric is when he has time to think. He subsequently finds his passion in reading, writing, and mountain biking, taking second place only to spending time with his wife and family.  Unbeknownst to his friends, Eric appreciates symmetry, a perspective that is reflected in his ability to see, reassess and make the necessary changes whether in his personal or professional life. In quiet moments, Eric finds himself thinking about his latest challenge and how to overcome it artfully.  Taking time for more focused thought affords Eric the opportunity to employ art and skill in developing solutions that are unlike climbing the hill just to get to the other side.

Eric did not arrive at his position at Woodside Vision without thoughtful consideration of the organization’s mission and his role.  Would this cause fit with the overall values in life that he holds close namely God, family and being genuine?  Eric truly believes in what he does.  It is one of his passions in life and one that seems to align very closely with his belief in serving others.

A favorite quote by Helen Keller seems a reflection of Eric’s thoughtful observations about life in general:  “The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision”.  In the non-profit world what can be more important than an organization’s mission and vision.