JANE McNAMARA:
 
JANE McNAMARA




 
 
 
 
 
President and CEO of GreenPath Inc. in Farmington Hills. Doing business as GreenPath Debt Solutions, the company is a nationwide, nonprofit financial organization that assists consumers with credit card debt, housing debt, and bankruptcy concerns. It operates 60 full-time branch offices in 12 states and licensed services throughout the United States via online and telephone. Under McNamara's leadership, GreenPath has grown from $8.87 million in revenue in 1996 to $45.5 million in 2010. McNamara's experience includes 30 years in executive leadership, strategic planning, financial management, quality improvement, financial education, and one-on-one counseling. She was COO of GreenPath before becoming president and CEO in 1997. Prior to that, she worked as director of education as well as being a counselor in branch operations, working directly with consumers. She serves on boards and committees of Hospice of Michigan Fiduciary, Lighthouse of Oakland County, National Foundation for Credit Counseling, and Council on Accreditation. McNamara is past president of the Society of Consumer Affairs Professionals in Business, a national consumer affairs organization, and is also past president of its Great Lakes chapter. Her numerous recognitions include the Philip A. Hart Award for outstanding work in the education and counseling of consumers. She is a graduate of Leadership Detroit XXIX. McNamara received her bachelor's degree in consumer services and master's degree in family economics and management, with a specialty in family financial counseling, both from Michigan State University.


WHERE BORN: “Jackson.”

MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSONS: “My major professor from Michigan State University, Dr. Marilyn Nagy, and my grandmother Edith McNamara. Marilyn really helped me sort out what I wanted to do when I got my bachelor's and had gone to work at the county health department. She and I put together an interdisciplinary master's program that set the direction for my entire career. My grandmother was an independent yet nurturing person. At one point, she had the post office in the basement of her home until an actual post office was built. She was ahead of her time. She taught county normal, which was like junior college at the time.”

LAST BOOK READ: “How the Mighty Fall by Jim Collins. It talks about great companies and what they did to cause their downfall.”

WORDS THAT DESCRIBE ME: “Intense, tenacious, focused, energetic, independent, and organized.”

WHERE MY FIELD/INDUSTRY IS HEADED: “It's consolidating. The smaller community-based organizations that serve primarily one community or a few are no longer able to compete with those that are licensed to provide services throughout the United States, have sophisticated technology, and deal with regulatory requirements and have relationships with national credit card grantors that make referrals to us. Small agencies have to align with larger organizations or close.”

FAVORITE TECHNOLOGICAL GADGET: “My iPhone 4G. I love it because of the versatility – GPS, compass, email, text, pictures, talk.”

FAVORITE PLACE: “Any place with water. If I had to name one city, it would be Traverse City.”

FAVORITE HOBBIES: “Boating, fishing, and baking.”

FAVORITE FOOD: “Only one? It's a toss-up between salmon and dark chocolate.”

MY HIDDEN TALENT: “My seamanship ability.”

HOW I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED: “A leader who made a difference in the lives of many.”


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.