John Haigler, a financial advisor at Wachovia Securities, was sworn in Friday as the 14th president of 100 Black Men of Metropolitan St. Louis at the Urban League in Midtown.
“He’s definitely going to lead this group of great men to the next level,” said immediate past two-term president Jacque Land.
“He is a bold, courageous, visionary with solid work ethic, good follow-through and execution,” Land said, applauding Haigler’s frequently uttered words: “Let’s get it done.”
Other board members sworn in on Friday were: Phil Luster, president-elect (or vice president); Tom Bailey, corresponding secretary (current national executive committee member); Randy Sanderson, CFO; Darius Chapman, chaplin; Joe Anderson, treasurer; Jason Ware, recording secretary; James Tatum, member at large; and John Nathan, member at large.
Land also remains on the board as immediate past president.
Haigler called his appointment an awesome opportunity to pursue his brand of edifying youngsters.
“We got so many ills in our community,” he said noting that the incarceration and high-school dropout rates are alarming without even mentioning health and wellness disparities.
“A lot of times it starts with a lack of education, which leads to lack of jobs or viable jobs, which a lot times leads to incarceration,” said Haigler, a Washington, D.C. transplant.
“Because a lot of brothers feel like they don’t have any other alternative but to turn to crime.”
If those young black men earned a decent wage they wouldn’t commit crimes, Haigler believes.
“We have to get them back on track and see more brothers graduate from college,” said Haigler, who holds a Bachelor’s degree in business from California State University and MBA from Webster University.
Haigler certainly has the credentials to assist youngsters in developing themselves economically. He has netted nearly 20 years in corporate America. He spent 16 years at May Company (now Federated), a stint that culminated in a senior level executive position. He moved here with the company in 1996, joining A.G. Edwards (now Wachovia, soon to be Wells Fargo) here in 2006.
Haigler sits on several other boards: United Way, Forest Park Southeast, King Development Company and the Neighborhood Accountability Board, a juvenile court initiative by Judge Jimmie Edwards that helps drive minor offenders back on the right track.
He spent five years with the Urban League Young Professionals and is a past master with the Masonic Order and member of the Shriners’ Lone Star No. 2.
Haigler keeps a full schedule.
“I have a lot of energy and I try not to waste time,” Haigler said, noting that he can grind on just five hours of sleep.
“You have to have good organization structure and make every second, minute and hour count,” Haigler said.
“I have a regimen and stick to it.”
100 Black Men, a non-profit organization, is the largest male mentoring organization in the United States. Along with mentoring, education and economic development, it offers scholarship assistance and overall support for community development.
