Junior boards are a rarity. I’m not referring to the junior boards consisting of 35-to-45-year-olds being groomed for future leadership roles. I’m talking about boards that offer seats to literal schoolchildren. One of the first companies that made this innovative move was Domino’s Inc., founded and led by the “Comeback Kid of Ypsilanti,” Tom Monaghan.
I first met Tom in the late ‘70s while serving in one of my volunteer roles as vice president and president-elect of the Ypsilanti, MI Chamber of Commerce. Tom has battled back from more than his share of hardships. He was orphaned as a child, dropped out of college at an early age, and initially failed in the pizza business. His enlistment in the U.S. Marine Corps eventually taught him organization and discipline. Driven by an innate curiosity, he studied the actions of successful leaders in hopes of discovering what they were doing right. He has always sought to innovate.
