Jim Buford will need to return home to St. Louis next Thursday, November 14 to accept a Lifetime Achiever in Community Service Award from the St. Louis American Foundation at its 2014 Salute to Excellence in Business Awards & Networking Luncheon at the Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis.
The ostensibly retired Urban League executive – for 28 years he ran its flagship affiliate in St. Louis – will be returning from New York, where he has been invited to attend the National Urban League’s Board of Trustees meeting.
Buford tried to get out – but the Urban League keeps pulling him back in.
“I expect I’ll work with the National Urban League in some consulting capacity, moving forward, and that’s why they’re bringing me to the board meeting,” Buford said.
This allegedly retired nonprofit executive recognizes there is work to be done – as much as ever. “Nonprofits are going to have a hard time moving forward,” Buford said, “with the tone of the country and what Congress is doing with funding and entitlements.”
Buford left the St. Louis affiliate of the Urban League in the capable hands of Michael McMillan when he retired in May after leading the agency for 28 years. In that time Buford grew the local affiliate from a $2.5 million annual budget to an agency with an annual budget of more than $20 million that annually serves 40,000 people with a variety of social services and programs.
“He committed himself to growing the programs and scope of service to our region,” Deborah Denham, board chair of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, said of Buford.
The St. Louis American Foundation’s Lifetime Achievement honor recognizes this accomplishment, among many other achievements. In fact, Buford is a co-founder of the Salute to Excellence in Business event where he will be honored, which is co-produced by the St. Louis American Foundation, the St. Louis Regional Chamber and the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis.
“The St. Louis American Foundation is appreciate of Jim Buford and Dick Fleming for being good partners in co-presenting this event for the past 14 years,” said Donald M. Suggs, president of the foundation. “We are proud to continue the partnership working with Michael McMillan and Joe Regan.”
Buford’s lifetime of achievement also includes past service on more nonprofit (and corporate) boards than probably even he can remember at this point. But his community service is hardly a thing of the past.
“I’m still busy – much more busy than I thought I would be,” Buford said, with a sigh.
He still chairs the Board of Trustees at the Metropolitan Sewer District, though that term expires in March. He still serves on the St. Louis ConnectCares board, though that organization will be phased out with the changing landscape of health care.
But he also has new commitments, having recently joined the Casa de Salud board and the search committee for the new director of the Missouri History Museum. And he has trimmed down to a mere dozen or so other nonprofit board commitments.
Why can’t he, actually, retire?
“It’s just my makeup, my composition,” Buford said. “I’ve been involved for over 45 years of my life in community activities. I don’t want to run anything anywhere anymore. That’s why I stepped down. I wanted to decrease the tension and pressure. But I want to contribute. I am tired of the day-to-day grind, but I am not tired of contributing.”
He did take one break, recently, spending 10 days in Mexico with his wife, Susan Buford, who is recently retired from AT&T. In Cabo San Lucas, he did something very unusual for Jim Buford. “I laid around and did nothing,” he said.
He did partake of one leisure activity that promises to loom large in his retirement. “The golf in Cabo is fabulous but difficult,” Buford said. “They have obstructions and hazards that don’t exist here. I won’t tell you how well I played.”
Buford enjoyed Cabo, looks forward to future European travels and expects to be kept busy in New York at the National Urban League meeting. But he’ll be looking forward to getting back to the Salute to Excellence in Business in St. Louis and seeing some friendly faces from home.
“Of course, I have been overwhelmed by the accolades and honors, but it means even more to me that so many people are staying in touch and asking me to do things,” Buford said. “Just staying in touch – that makes me feel good.”
The man they are keeping in touch with is the same man they have been knowing all these years. Buford said, “I’m still up most mornings, putting on a bow tie and going out there and getting things done.”
Buford said his friends and the community are welcome to stay in touch via his personal email address, jameshbuford@yahoo.com.
The 14th Annual Salute to Excellence in Business Awards & Networking Luncheon will be held Thursday, November 14, 2013 at the Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis, networking reception at 11 am, luncheon program at noon. Tickets are $100 for VIP/Preferred seating, $75 for general admission. Call 314-533-8000 or visit www.stlamerican.com for more information or to purchase tickets.
