Snapshot

Tom Renier

Thomas Renier is the founding president of the Northland Foundation. Prior to joining the foundation, he was with the Arrowhead Regional Development Commission for 11 years, working primarily in economic and community development. In 1985, he was the founding president of the Northspan Group, a non-profit economic and business development organization, which still serves the seven-county region of Northeast Minnesota.

What is your most marked characteristic?
I’m not someone who wants or needs to be in the spotlight. Even being in this interview is a little out of character for me. I don’t need to chair boards or events. I think people can sometimes influence things better quietly, behind the scenes.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?
I’m really proud of what we’ve built here at this foundation over nearly a quarter of a century. Not only building assets, but also building a solid reputation for very good work and treating everyone we deal with respectfully.

When and where were you happiest?
I don’t every remember being happier than I am right now. I have what I’ve always told people is the best job imaginable; for my age I’m reasonably healthy, and I get to go home every night to a family that welcomes me.

What is your greatest regret?
I’ve always regretted not staying connected with old friends. Every year I resolve to do a better job of that and every year I fall short. I’ve always envied people who have all these great friends from high school, college and early career, but I’m just not good enough at staying in touch with people.

What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Watching my kids be themselves, playing soccer, chillin’ with their friends, hugging on their mom – it just makes you feel good.

What is your most treasured possession?
I’d have to say our home. We moved in two weeks after we got married 22 years ago. It’s a great oversized brick house in a wonderful neighborhood. My kids grew up there, can walk to school and back. I can never imagine giving it up.

Where would you most like to live?
The view out the window on this foggy day notwithstanding, right here. I grew up in the West End, went to UMD. I’m a true townie. I’ve had opportunities to live elsewhere, but I love this city. Even with its problems and its potholes it’s a pretty great place to live.

What is your greatest fear?
Losing the ability to take care of my family. Because of starting over again, I have kids I want to put through college, on and on, and that’s a scary thought.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
I’m really impatient. I walk fast, I talk fast, I eat fast and I listen fast. When I know where a conversation’s going, I really want to get through it. I should just let people catch up and tell me what they think but I don’t always do that.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Arrogance on the one hand, and incompetence on the other. And then those that have both traits—those are people you don’t want to deal with.

What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Assuming that it’s considered a virtue, when people say, “they’re so candid, so frank. They really tell it like it is.” There’s a place for that. I admire that in people but sometimes some subtle diplomacy and tact gets you to the same place without unnecessary confrontation or embarrassment.

What is your greatest extravagance?
I don’t travel as broadly as a lot of people I know, but because of my job and some of the things I serve on, I’m in the Twin Cities a few times a month. I like great hotels and great restaurants. It makes business travel bearable.

What’s on your iPod?
For listening, Chris Bodie, Michael Bublè, Dianna Krall, everything ever recorded by James Taylor. For working out, Santana, Clapton, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, Buddy Guy.

What is your favorite journey?
Leaving here late winter, going someplace a lot closer to the Equator and having the feeling of the sun baking my chest within an hour of getting off the plane, with a piña colada in my hand.

What is it that you most dislike?
I suppose this is part of the impatience thing. I rally just hate mindless chatter. There are so many interesting things to talk about, it amazes me the things people can talk about – on and on. I think that’s why when I go to parties I end up in the kitchen with the women rather than in the garage with the men.

What is the quality you most like in a man?
I really admire men who have real passion and conviction for what they do, but compassion for others. That’s a really nice combination and I have a few friends who really fall in that category. That’s probably why they’re friends.

What is the quality you most like in a woman?
Pretty much the same thing. I guess also, in a woman, self-assurance – the ability to be both strong and feminine without trying very hard.

What do you most value in your friends?
It’s pretty simple. That they are sincerely interested in my well being, in my work, in my family and that they understand that I am equally interested in theirs.

If you were to come back as a person or thing, what do you think it would be?
I’ve been saying this for a couple of years without ever seeing this question. I’d come back as my 15-year old son, Billy. He’s bright athletic, artistic, gorgeous, and he’s also sensitive and caring. Life is good for Billy Renier. The truth is I could say all the exact same things about my 17-year old daughter Emily, but after being a male for 60 some years, I don’t know that I want to learn another gender.

How would you like to die?
I would like to live as long as I feel truly alive, then I’d like to die doing something I truly love doing.

 

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