John Winter

Joe Czapiewski is a very talented young man. After working 30 plus years at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources in State Parks, I retired and was hired as the Park Director for Beltrami County. At the DNR I held 6 different positions including Assistant State Park Director and State Park Planning Manager. In my many years of working, I find Joe Czapiewski to be the type of planning and fundraising talent that a community in Northern Minnesota is looking for to achieve their goals. When I took over the Park Director position for Beltrami County, our first priority was to prepare a total recreational plan for Beltrami County. Joe and I worked closely together on this plan that was completed and has now been 80% implemented. Our plan was realistic and within reach; it designated all parks and trails identifying grants and funding resources to achieve the county’s goals in recreation.

Ann Long-Voelkner

I have worked with Joe over the years on many different projects. He has proven to be very skilled in working with a variety of people that passionately bring different interests and priorities to the discussion and he will bring the group to a consensus proposal and/or decision. He works equally well with professionals and lay people. I would recommend engaging Joe and his skills in strategic planning and facilitating team outcomes as you work toward your goals.

Robert Milne

My experiences working with Mr. Czapiewski were specific to natural resource planning projects. These projects were strategic plans for both natural resource management as well as an extensive recreational trail use plan. Each of these plans required facilitation input from a wide and diverse group of interested parties including county commissioners, local units of government, staff, forest industry interests, and recreational interests to name a few…

If you are looking for a consultant to help you through a strategic planning effort that will have a positive impact on your business or company, I believe Mr. Czapiewski is the person who can make a difference with your company

Anne Sand

I was most impressed by the fact that Joe was always able to learn and adapt to whatever he was assigned. He would throw himself into a project, learning the nuances of the subject and developing relationships and partnerships with the parties involved. He seemed to give 100% to whatever he did. Additionally, I always appreciated his sense of humor and kind manner.

John Carlson

I had the great fortune to have Joe serve as finance chair in my 2010 campaign for the Minnesota Senate. He did an outstanding job raising money and spending it wisely. In typical fashion for Joe, always going the extra mile, he did way more for the campaign that just be the finance chair. He knocked on doors, walked in parades and made phone calls. Once Joe decided to join the campaign, he was all in. He gave 110% effort to make sure I got elected. I have no doubt the result of that campaign would have been significantly different without Joe on board.

If you are looking for assistance with strategic planning, program assessment, project development, grant writing, philanthropy, board development or even running a political campaign, Joe has the knowledge, experience and drive to help you accomplish your goals.

Msgr. Mike Patnode

Joe Czapiewski worked for St. Philip’s Parish, Bemidji, from 1997 – 2000, helping us to set up and direct our first development office and program.

He worked well in collaboration with other staff and volunteers. He is a good listener and is open to others’ ideas. Joe was an effective communicator and planner. He assisted in organizing a major stewardship campaign and renewal. We are grateful for his commitment and his service.

Dr. Del Lyren

Joe and I worked closely on many projects, including the hosting of the International Trumpet Guild conference, numerous fundraising efforts at BSU, community projects, and more general day-to-day activities.

Joe has a personality that endears him to his colleagues. He is welcoming, cheerful and positive, and reliable. He is always willing to find solutions that reap results – rather than saying an idea is impossible, Joe will find a way to make it work successfully. He is innovative and creative, and a problem solver. During his time at BSU I relied on him countless times.

Penny Echternach, Executive Director

I have had the fortunate opportunity to work with Joe on many professional occasions. The expertise, critical thinking, experience and vision he brings to the table are priceless. His skills are a wonderful addition to any organization who has the desire to see beyond today, capitalize on potential growth and ensure a successful future. Whether it’s strategic planning, fundraising, a specific project, or convening leaders around the table to impact a special issue, Joe is artful at the ability to listen, see, plan and do.

Rebecca Schueller, Executive Director

It is my pleasure to submit this recommendation for Joe Czapiewski and JFC Strategic Services. My experience with Joe over the past 10 years is that he is focused and strategic. Joe has an ideal skill set in that he pairs a community development framework with strong resource development capacity and organizational skills, as well as a commitment to helping organizations become better and stronger. . .

Joe provided essential strategic planning services for our Board of Directors during Evergreen’s process of developing a new youth services site that is now co-located with youth housing units. As a result, Evergreen rebranded itself and developed important new marketing strategies. Three years later, we are now in the new site, which has produced programmatic, marketing, and funding benefits for the agency.

Choosing a consultant can be a risky process. I feel confident in saying that you will find working with Joe to be a very low-risk endeavor. In addition to his strong organizational skills, he is very straightforward in communicating ideas, concerns, and requests. He is both diplomatic and direct, and you will receive excellent value for your investment in JFC Strategic Services.

James F. Hanko

You were one of the first persons I met when I moved to Bemidji as the (now retired) President and Chief Executive Officer of North Country Health Services. Over these some 15 years, I feel fortunate to have worked with you in so many capacities. Each opportunity confirmed the strong initial first impression you made on me. I am especially appreciative of the leadership you provided the Drug-Free Coalition of North Central Minnesota. . .you can be justifiably proud that you were instrumental in curbing drug abuse and misuse among our area’s youth. That the Coalition is still in existence today – 13 years after it was initially formed in 2001 – is a testament to your early efforts.

As your consulting business evoves, I wish you every possible success. Organizations that contract with you will be well served and all the better for using your well-hone skills. All the best to you.

Kevin Jackson

I’ve been impressed with Joe’s ability to envision an event AND implement the many small steps necessary to make such an event happen. Most people I have dealt with (myself included) are good at one or the other. Seldom do you have someone with a vision who can also dot the i’s and cross the t’s.

We have seen BSU’s Community Appreciation Day grow from an idea to a huge annual event that draws thousands to the campus. Joe is a huge reason why that happened. Similarly, the BYAC Youth Rally has been a significant part of summer in Bemidji. Joe has shown that he can work with a diverse group of youth to make something exciting happen. Amazingly this event has been hugely popular with youth and is something parents feel good about, too. That is no small accomplishment.

Sheriff Phil Hodapp

FEMA requires counties to develop Hazard Mitigation Plans and the thorough review of these plans every five years. Approximately 10 years ago this requirement was instituted and grant money was attached to this requirement. Due to the requirement being in its infancy this project began with virtually no information and no idea of where to start. Mr. Czapiewski was tasked with designing the project, gathering and organizing the information and creating and finalizing the plans. Data needed for the project included flood studies – which were incomplete or non-existent, infrastructure documentation, resource requirements and a myriad of other data and information which was compiled and analyzed. A number of public meetings were facilitated and the information from these meetings compiled and collated. Through it all Mr. Czapiewski remained a tremendous leader and resource. The finished proect at the conclusion of this year long process was excellent and meta ll the FEMA and HSEM requirements for approval. His studies were the basis for the next round of a required Hazard Mitigation Planning updates recently completed by our Emergency Management Director in December of 2013.

Geri Hickerson, Executive Director

I have known and worked with Joe for many years in various capacities and have found his understanding of and dedication to community development, and more specifically, the nonprofit sector, remarkable. Joe brings professional leadership and quality of service to every aspect of the project at hand. His thoughtful consideration provides highly effective results in an efficient manner. Without reservation, I would hire Joe to provide the services offered by his new consulting firm, JFC Strategic Services.