Published: April 3, 2018
LANSING, MI - The polls are open for the most eagerly awaited balloting of the year, the Sparrow Foundation's 9th Annual Dapper Dads Challenge, sponsored by the Sparrow Foundation and its Women Working Wonders (W3) committee.
The public is invited to join the fun by voting for their favorite Dapper Dad, choosing from a roster of prominent mid-Michigan business leader and professionals. Each vote costs $5 and represents a donation to the Sparrow Foundation in support of women's health. Last year's event raised more than $600,000.
The Dapper Dads Challenge culminates with a fun fashion show on Thursday, June 7, when the top vote-getters will be revealed. The event is co-sponsored by LaFontaine Automotive Group, The University Club of MSU, and Kositchek's.
To cast votes, buy tickets to the fashion show, or view a complete list of this year's models, go to SparrowFoundation.org/DapperDads.
This year's competitors and their companies are (in alphabetical order): Mike Abel, Allegra Marketing of Okemos; Martell Armstrong, Lansing Housing Commission; Joe Arnold, Clean Team; Gary Baxter, WSYM Fox-47; Bryan Bogardus, AF Group; Tomas Brown, Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood; J.P. Buckingham, Triterra; Kris Burak, Rehmann; Joe Campbell, Lansing Automakers Federal Credit Union; Chaz Carrillo, Holt and Dimondale Agency; Patrick Dean, Dean Transportation; Scott Duimstra, Capital Area District Libraries; Robert Easterly, Foster, Swift, Collins & Smith; Joe Ford, Netvantage; Jason Hanselman, Dykema; Andy Hedberg, The Production Department; Bob Hedlund, Hedlund Plumbing; Joe Heinzelmann, Neogen; Grant Hendrickson, Brogan, Reed, VanGorder; Tom Hoatlin, Center for Independent Living; Paul Jaques, Spartan Innovations; DeYeya E. Jones, Sutton Advisers, PLC; Jackson Kaguri, Nyaka AIDS Orphans Project; Scott Keith, Lansing Entertainment & Publlc Facilities Authority; Jason Kildea, Kildea Real Estate Development Services, LLC; Phil Knight, Food Bank Council of Michigan; Kevin Korpi, Acuitas; Ryan LaFontaine, LaFontaine Automotive Group; Jon Lauderbach, Warner, Norcross, and Judd, LLP; Douglas Mains, Honigman, Miller, Schwarz and Cohn; Ryan Mellott, Jackson National; Scott Norman, Sparrow Physicians Health Plan; Patrick O'Keefe, O'Keefe Law, PLLC; Keith Pfeifle, Maner Costerisan; Scott Reschke, Strength in Numbers Studios; Tony Robinson, Delta Dental; Tom Ruis, Fifth Third Bank; Jeremy Sampson, Lansing United; Jim Schmelter, PNC Wealth Management; Gordan Srkalovic, M.D., Sparrow Herbert-Herman Cancer Center; Evan Winters, The Hills Magazine/The Lakes magazine and Able Eyes; and Ryan Wohlfert, Total Health Spine + Nutrition.
Online voting concludes at 3 p.m. on June 6, but final votes may be cast in person at the June 7 fashion show at Kositchek's in downtown Lansing.
The Dapper Dads Challenge is organized by W3. Now in its 16th year, W3 has raised more than $3.1 million for equipment and resources that have improved the health and psychological well-being of thousands of mid-Michigan women.