 1981 Lumen Christi graduate, John Campau, was recently
awarded the honor of being named the Jackson Citizen Patriot’s 2006 Citizen of
the Year, for his community service work, which include most notably, his
efforts this year to save the John George Home for elderly men. John was an
all-state football player at Lumen Christi and a 1985 graduate from the
University of Michigan with a degree in business.
John is president and chief executive officer of
Comtronics, a Jackson-based security and communications company with 125
employees serving more than 30,000 customers in nine states. From bank security
to cell phones to video surveillance systems, Comtronics is a diverse company,
growing at a staggering rate. He has taken the company from 300 alarm customers
in 1986 to over 6,000 and has expanded the service area from Jackson County to
include Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, and
Florida today.
Campau’s thirst for community involvement seems to
match or even succeed his commitment to growing his business. He is a
contributor to and involved in more that 20 agencies or organizations with
interests in making Jackson a better place. Among the list of community
involvements includes serving as a sponsor of the Hot Air Jubilee and the
Western Schools Job Shadowing Program, a corporate and team sponsor of the
Wendy’s LPGA Pro-Am Charity Classic Adoption Benefit event, a corporate and team
sponsor with Junior Achievement, and a five-year Partner with Youth sponsor at
the YMCA.
Campau likes having a diverse reach in the
community as opposed to championing one cause. If there is a common denominator
to Campau’s community outreach program, it seems to be kids, from adoption
support to education.
One big exception to that theme is Jackson’s John
George Home. The John George Home fell on hard times in recent years, and John,
a 14-year member of the shelter’s board of directors and current board
president, became the one to save it from closing. He knew if the John George
Home closed there wouldn’t be another, and the 35 residents would not have
another place to live. Campau replaced staff, launched fund-raising efforts and
mounted a publicity campaign to enlist community support. His efforts were
largely successful and now with the fund-raising pressure taken off the Home, it
can focus on long-range planning to ensure its financial well-being. |
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