A Rare Opportunity

By John Darr

(Louisville, KY) A very rare, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity came for a number of ResCare employees on July 22, 2008. China’s Ambassador to the United States Zhou Wenzhong flew in from Washington, DC at ResCare’s invitation to learn more about what we do.

From left, ResCare Chief Executive Officer and President Ralph Gronefeld and Chairman Ron Geary greeted the Ambassador, China and Asia Business Development Consultant Dottie Li, and the Ambassador’s wife Xie Shumin.

Storms in Lexington the night before had made their way to Washington DC that morning, delaying the ambassador’s flight by two hours. But once here the Ambassador, his wife and two aids were ready to learn as much about ResCare and this region as they could pack into two short days.

Ambassador Zhou (pronounced ‘Joe’) started the first day with lunch. He, his party, ResCare Chairman of the Board Ron Geary and ResCare President and CEO Ralph Gronefeld were invited to dine with Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear at the Governor’s Mansion in Frankfort where they talked about Kentucky’s growing partnership in business and industry with China and ResCare’s valuable services to people in need.

Then they headed to Cincinnati, OH, to visit Super Jobs, a ResCare Arbor E&T workforce services operation.

Lunch at the Governor’s Mansion in Frankfort Kentucky. Seated at the head of the table is Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear who is speaking to Ambassador Zhou. On Gov. Beshear’s left is ResCare Chairman Ron Geary. ResCare Chief Executive Officer and President Ralph Gronefeld is seated near the middle of the table, on the right side of the photo.

“Ambassador Zhou's visit to see all the great work we do here in Cincinnati is an honor and a rare opportunity,” the Cincinnati Enquirer quoted Super Jobs Center Director and Arbor E&T employee Michael Blackmon in its July 22 edition. “We're going to show Ambassador Zhou how the Super Jobs Center helps people achieve their highest level of independence and how vital our services are.”

After stepping out of the elevator on the second floor of Super Jobs, Ambassador Zhou and his entourage were greeted by Mr. Blackmon and a troop of staffers. A cameraman from WLWT, a local Cincinnati television station, was there to capture their handshakes and smiles.

The group, which included ResCare President and Chief Executive Officer Ralph Gronefeld and others from Super Jobs, were treated to a swift tour of the facility and some tea and cakes. The Ambassador showed he had done his homework and asked a lot of questions about Super Jobs – how large of an area they serve, how many people they help annually, the benefit of their services. He also quoted unemployment and job statistics for the state of Ohio, impressing people with his knowledge of the local area. As is the custom in China, small gifts were exchanged at the end of the visit. The Ambassador presented the center with a collection of colorful Fuwa pins, the Olympic mascot, welcoming the world to the Olympics in Beijing.

“An Olympic gift for Olympian public servants,” Ambassador Zhou said with a smile.

Senior Vice President of Support Services Mike Reibel, far left, stands next to a painting he created as a gift to the Ambassador. With Mr. Reibel are, from left, the Ambassador, ResCare Chief Executive Officer and President Ralph Gronefeld and the Ambassador’s wife Xie Shumin.

Later in the day, Ambassador Zhou attended a dinner with ResCare’s leadership team at the Kentucky Derby Museum in Louisville, KY. Senior Vice President of Support Services Mike Reibel presented the Ambassador with an oil painting he had created of a horse and foal. Mr. Reibel explained that when a horse is born, there is a lot of excitement and hope and aspirations. No one knows for sure how that foal will grow and what it will become. Only time will tell. Mr. Reibel compared that to ResCare’s relationship with China. It is just beginning and only time will tell how it will grow.

Job Corps Center Director Michael Blackmon demonstrated to the Ambassador how technology helps job seekers get matched with employers.

The following morning, the Ambassador enjoyed a presentation about more of the services ResCare provides with a demonstration of the Rest Assured®; how ResCare helps individuals achieve their highest level of independence with web-based technology.

“I’m confident that now the Ambassador is aware of how we can be of service to China and their neediest populations,” Mr. Gronefeld said. “Our move to that market may be years away but we laid the foundation for a future friendship.”

After breakfast at the Resource Center the Ambassador met with the editorial board of The Courier-Journal. The interview was broadcast live over the newspaper’s web site and rebroadcast on public radio. One of the interviewers was an exchange student from Sichuan Province in China, impressing the ambassador with his questions.

Ambassador Zhou spoke to the World Affairs Council in Louisville about developing the relationship between the U.S. and China.

The ambassador was the honored speaker at a special World Affairs Council luncheon planned specifically for his visit. He spoke to the more than 150 people attending on the relationship between China and the United States in the New Millennium. He fielded questions from the crowd and the media about the Olympics, human rights, trade and Tibet. 

Then at the ambassador’s request, he had some fun time touring the Muhammad Ali Center and the Louisville Slugger Museum. He learned that while the wooden Louisville Slugger bat has and will always be made in Louisville, the Hillerich and Bradsby company that has manufactured the Slugger for more than 150 years also produces aluminum and composite bats and other sports equipment at factories in China.

It is a small world. The Hillerich and Bradsby CEO now has Fuwa pins and the ambassador took home a Slugger with his name on it.