In uncertain times, a leader emerges

Mike Huhn, president of Legatus’ Cincinnati Chapter, was honored as the 2021 National President of the Year at the Legatus 2022 Summit East in Amelia Island, FL, last month. He is president of Contractors Choice, Inc., a family-owned supply company based in Cincinnati that specializes in the industrial electrical, mechanical, and pipe-fitting fields.

Mike became president of the Cincinnati Chapter during the onset of the pandemic in 2020, when membership fell by eight members and the Chapter struggled to survive.

Under Mike’s leadership, the Chapter rebounded in 2021 by adding 10 new members attracted by the Chapter’s outstanding events and quality membership.

Mike and his wife, Lora, have four adult children. A lifelong Catholic, he started his business in 1993. The company employs 34 and serves clients throughout the Midwest.

How did you get involved with Legatus?

Eleven years ago, a friend invited my wife and me to a Legatus gathering. We joined after meeting members who were welcoming, successful, and faith filled. The events featured speakers who had messages that really stick with you. We were always active in our parish, so our membership was a natural outgrowth. It’s been a terrific experience; Legatus is an organization unlike any other to which I’ve belonged.

2020 was a rough year for the Chapter. Everything was falling apart. Normally, you lose about three members per year due to deaths, people moving out of the area, or other reasons. The pandemic lockdowns combined with these traditional factors, and we lost eight. Our membership committee met and asked, “How can we change this?”

We learned how to use Zoom, and in April 2020 we coordinated our first online dinner. It was memorable. At 6 p.m., we all got together online and had Domino’s Pizza delivered to each member’s house as well as to our speaker in Denver. You could hear the pizza deliverymen ringing the doorbells in the background. 

Additionally, Archbishop Dennis Schnurr of Cincinnati has always been a big Legatus supporter and did not cancel our annual Mass with him. We were able to meet in person and spread out in the cathedral, which was huge.

How did your membership rebound in 2021?

Our members invited guests to our events, and we advertised with a 30-second spot on Sacred Heart Radio. Prospective members started coming to our events, which were again in person, and enjoyed such outstanding speakers as Teresa Tomeo, Father Nathan Cromly, and University of Cincinnati football coach Luke Fickell. Claudia Kimura, our Chapter administrator, was skillful in arranging our table settings so that our guests met our membership and did not sit alone. I think after months of lockdown isolation, people wanted to get out and meet in person with others as well as connect with God.

Do you have any new programs planned for 2022?

We are restarting a daylong retreat program that has been popular in the past. We meet at a retreat center for breakfast, listen to speakers, have Mass and Confession, and conclude with the rosary.

Any other thoughts?

I’m grateful for the President of the Year Award. It was unexpected. I must share it with our board members and membership who made our Chapter’s rebound possible as well as with Legatus’ vice president of the Great Lakes Region, Nate Wine, and with Claudia Kimura. They all work so hard and make me look good. I’m also grateful to my family, who are always ready with a compliment even when things are not going well, and to the Blessed Mother. We spent a lot of time in prayer, and I’ve seen the power of the rosary.