Outstanding Alumni of the Year Award & The Best Film about Attending MSU Ever Made!

Honored to receive this award from my alma mater & helped produce an AMAZING film from my friend Jonah.

Last night was very special to me. I was awarded the Holt Public Schools outstanding Alumni of the Year Award. I got to celebrate with friends, family, and educators and community members. I’ve included the video above and the transcript of my acceptance speech below.

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Jonah Brown’s New Film!

I helped produce my dear friend Jonah Brown’s short film about his last year at Michigan State University. He is one of the most talented people I know and I’m so impressed by this film. I think you will love it. It makes me wish I graduated from MSU!

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Transcript of my acceptance speech for the Holt Public Schools Outstanding Alumni of the Year Award.

Thank you for this recognition and Thank you to everyone that made this possible including all the staff at Holt Public Schools now and in the past. I want to specifically thank Coach Mike Smith Rest in Peace, Mr. Kreft, Mrs. Strong, Mr. Pulver & Mrs. Pulver, Mr. Earnest, Mr. Woolstein, and Mr. Northrup

And it goes without saying that I want to also thank my mom Mary Jo, dad Tom, brother Steve, wife Laken, best friend Ryan, sister in law Ashley, and my wonderful son Lane Stoliker.  

Lane became a YouTuber Yesterday and he would like you all to go to his videos and as Lane would say, “Smash that like button bro!”  I love you Lane.  

I only have 5 minutes so I’ll keep this very short.  

I don’t think anyone at Holt, including me, would have predicted I would be up here receiving this very kind recognition. Probably the thing I was most known for was nearly having my head cut off by a hockey skate during a Holt hockey game.  

I was not a great student. I didn’t get straight A’s. Heck, Ryan can personally attest to me literally sleeping through the ACT test.  

And in my senior year, my grades were so low that I got put on academic probation and wasn’t allowed to play with the Holt Hockey team

I’m not saying this with pride, but as a reminder to myself.  

See, I now serve on the School Board in Haslett and I’m a new father.  

I see myself and the parents around me obsess over every aspect of their kids' lives worried that any failure early in life compounds and sets the child on a course to failure.  

I see parents terrified that their child started to read too late.  Or their child didn’t make the Travel team.  

Or THEN there is the comparison game.  We judge ourselves as parents because our friend's child seems smarter or more advanced than our own.  

As a school board member, I once had a well intentioned parent argue for canceling field trips because the kids should be back in class using every minute for Math and Science instruction….

I’m not judging these parents.  I AM these parents!   I too obsess over Lane's performance.  I get worried that I am failing him all the time.  I get worried that I’m putting too much pressure on him, or then a moment later, I fear I’m not putting enough pressure on him.  

So I wanted to use this opportunity to use my life as a tiny example:  

Your past does not predict your future.  Even though I was a poor student, my life ended up better than I could have ever imagined. 

I’m not in any way suggesting that someone follow my blueprint.  It’s not the smart path to go down.  

But what I am trying to stress is: 

Parents: go easy on yourself!  If you’re trying your best, you are loving your children, fight the temptation to predict your child’s future based on their perceived lacking’s today. Your kids will surprise you.  

And, parents, go easy on your child’s teachers. I assure you, they care about your child a great deal.  

Remember: comparison is the death of joy.  

Give yourself some Grace (my wife’s favorite word) and most importantly, give your child some grace.  They don’t need to have it all figured out at 5 years old.  (This of course is actually just a reminder to myself)

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Now for an entirely different topic.  

I had the great privilege of growing up Nextdoor to and being best friends with Matthew Hill. We walked to Sycamore together most days growing up. Mat founded LiquidWeb out of his parents house in Huntley Square when he was 15 years old.  

Matt went on to sell that company in 2015 for $224million.  One of the great joys of my life was helping Matt, his father Greg, brother Jer, and our dear friend Chris Strandt grow Liquid Web to nearly 500 employees and $80million in annual recurring revenue.  It was a blast.  It was some of the most fun I’ve had in my life. 

Matt tragically died of a heart attack about 2 years ago at the young age of 41. He had an 80% blockage in an artery in his heart. You’ve probably heard it called the WidowMakers Heart Attack.  

I urge anyone over the age of 40 to please get a CT Calcium score done to check the blockages in their heart. It’s quick, painless and will cost you less than $200.  Please do it for Matt.  I just got mine today in Matt’s honor.  

So today, I want to dedicate this award to the memory and legacy of my dear friend Matt Hill because he’s the best example of what it means to be a Sycamore Superstar.  

Thank you so much.