Rick Willinger

Spent two+ years in college then went through a carpentry apprentice program. Married in 1971 and later divorced in 1981. Remarried in 1983 to my wife Susan. After working as a carpenter for 7+ years I decided to pursue an architectural career I always wanted and became a Registered Architect in 1989. The first firm I worked for was SSOE, (Samborn, Steketee, Otis and Evans) in Toledo and later moved to Grand Rapids, MI where I worked for a several other firms while continuing to sharpen my carpentry and builder skills working part time and also full time as a self employed design/build contractor for a few years. I was laid off in 2009 when the economy went south and later founded The Laminin Group in 2012, a nonprofit corporation devoted to establishing an inclusive, collaborative and intentional community for families and their children and adults with and without developmental disabilities which consists of single, mufti-family and assisted living residences, retail training center, research and development, recreational facilities and a non-denominational spiritual center. My wife retired from teaching in 2014 when we decided to journey to Prescott, Arizona and pick up where we left off in Michigan with The Laminin Group.

I think my most memorable school story, (not that it is necessarily a good memory), is that I was cut from the football team when I was a sophomore at Bowsher because George M. said I was too small. Well I think George would be quite surprised if he saw me today. For some unknown reason I don't think George was very fond of me, (?), as I was also chosen to be the unfortunate guinea pig to feel the wrath of his new paddle. I think I still have welts on my rear end. I'm not sure where George is now but for the record, "I forgive you George", and if you have passed may you rest in peace (a....h...)!