MEET THE FOUNDER
Kenneth B. Woodrow (Ken)

Born in 1944, Ken is a child of immigrants. His grandparents and parents emigrated in the aftermath of WWI in search of opportunity and a better life. The family settled first in Canada, later relocating to Detroit, where Ken and his two brothers were born. The boys grew up in a household of moderate means where the importance of embracing enduring values was stressed. Those values - hard work, integrity, education, and respect for others - have guided Ken his entire life.

 

In 1971 Ken met and married Nancy, the love of his life. The two spent the ensuing 50 years raising two boys, building two careers, and engaging in community service. Later in life, Ken and Nancy traveled the world extensively, delighting in learning about different cultures. After Nancy’s death in 2022, Ken would say that Nancy and he had been blessed to experience a life well led.

Today, Ken is an accomplished American business executive best known for his leadership at Target Stores, where he served as President from 1994 to 2000.  A graduate of Yale University with a BA in Economics (1966), he went on to earn his MBA from Harvard Business School (1970). Ken began his career with Bankers Trust Co. before joining Target Corporation in 1971, where he held a range of senior roles over the next three decades, including Assistant to the Chairman and Executive Vice President of Administration, ultimately helping shape the growth and evolution of Target.

 

Beyond his corporate executive roles, Ken contributed his expertise as a board member to a number of organizations including Delta Airlines, Duane Reade, Visteon, E-Z Gard, Twin Cities United Way, and Cricket Theater. He also pursued a passionate interest in primary and secondary education serving as Trustee of Groves Academy, Trustee and Board Chair of Hamline University, and contributor to the founding of numerous charter schools around the United States.

 

In 2024, drawing on the same strategic vision and thoughtful decision-making that defined his corporate career, Ken created the Macatawa Foundation to channel resources into causes that promote long-term, desirable change that further empowers Americans to seek civic virtue and lead a good life.