CAMERON HOSNER:
 
CAMERON HOSNER




 
 
 
 
 
President and CEO of Vista Maria in Dearborn Heights. Vista Maria is Michigan’s largest nonprofit residential and community-based treatment agency for abused and neglected girls. For the past nine years, Hosner has led the effort to reengineer Vista Maria’s core programs and transform them into statewide models for gender-responsive care. Previously, Hosner directed multidivisional operations of a major home health care and temporary staffing agency with annual sales of $80 million. He received his MBA from Lawrence Technological University and a master’s in social work from the University of Michigan. He began his career as a substance abuse counselor, social worker, and clinical therapist. He is a graduate of Leadership Detroit.


WHERE BORN: "Mt. Clemens."

MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSONS: "My father was a chief federal probation officer for Michigan and worked in the federal courts for 37 years. He showed me how to make a difference in real life and that using your abilities and talents to contribute to your community was essential."

LAST BOOK READ: "The Business of Winning by Robert Evangelista."

WORDS THAT DESCRIBE ME: "Direct, passionate about quality and my work, highly focused, mission-driven."

WHERE MY FIELD/INDUSTRY IS HEADED: "We're in the public children’s service sector. In tough economic times, we’re trying to provide the most value and be the most effective where we can. We’re serving high-risk families and children so we’re embracing effective business practices and principles, including consolidation and mergers to stretch limited public funding and make the greatest difference. Nonprofits will integrate to eliminate redundancies to make the most important impact for our children and families. There’s a constriction of funding, and I believe it will lead to a contraction in services, including nonprofits. It’s very volatile and competitive now. We need to be value-driven so we can approach major funders and be able to assure them that they’re getting the ‘biggest bang’ for their support. We also have to raise private dollars because public dollars are not there, and we’re spending more time raising funds."

FAVORITE TECHNOLOGICAL GADGET: "My PDA."

FAVORITE PLACE: "Castalia, Ohio. There's a private trout club. I’ve gone as a guest and it’s an unbelievable place if you're a fly-fisher."

FAVORITE HOBBIES: "Fly-fishing and game hunting, golf and hanging out with my family."

FAVORITE FOOD: "Cajun."

MY HIDDEN TALENT: "I’m an outstanding cook, and I’m a terrific gardener, both flower and vegetable. I had a stint in my childhood working in greenhouses."

HOW I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED: "It goes back to a tribute to my father. It’s not about how many years I’ve had in my life; it’s about the years I’ve spent here making a difference. It’s about making a difference in the lives of the children and families I’m privileged to help."

Grant Thornton Website At the annual awards reception in April 2014, one Leader & Innovator from the previous 12 months will be selected as the Grant Thornton Leader & Innovator of the Year.