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The Online Magazine for Alumni and Friends of Siena Heights University
Siena Heights Graduate Enjoys Distinguished Career as Director of Photography
Darryl E. Smith casts a long shadow standing 6 feet, 8 inches tall. However, that shadow pales in comparison to the one he has cast as a director of photography in Hollywood.
The 1985 Siena Heights graduate has an impressive list of credits and clients, including MTV, Disney, Coca-Cola, CBS, the NFL Network and HBO. The owner of his own production company, Darryl E. Smith Productions, for the past 14 years, he said his path to success was a winding one. And his starting point was Siena Heights University.
Originally recruited to play basketball at Siena by former coach Ben Braun, Smith said Siena Heights was the only school that showed interest in him as a student—not just as a basketball player.
“Rising Stars” is a regular feature in Reflections. It profiles Siena Heights alumni who have graduated within the past 10 years and who excel in their careers, occupations or community service accomplishments. To be considered for “Rising Stars” in an upcoming issue of Reflections, fill out the online form at www.sienaheights.edu/risingstars. Those who are selected to be included in an upcoming issue of the magazine will be contacted by the Reflections staff.
Rob Hemmig
Graduation year: 2007, 2009/MA.
Current title/position: Corporate Partnerships Executive, Michigan International Speedway, Brooklyn, Mich.
What Rob is Doing: He works at Michigan International Speedway alongside many other SHU alums. His role is to find ways for companies to utilize MIS’s assets when it comes to entertainment, marketing and activation. He started as a ticketing intern in 2007 and has worked his way up to his current position.
My favorite moment/story while a student at Siena Heights was: “I think my favorite memory outside of baseball would have to be seeing the students I recruited while coaching complete their degrees from Siena Heights University.”
My favorite person at Siena Heights was: “There are so many to pick from, but Joni LeMay and Melissa Growden were always there to make sure that things were going in the right direction.”
My ultimate goal in life is: “Be successful and happy.”
My best piece of advice for SHU students is: “Create your own experiences at SHU, don’t just follow the group. Each person will and should have a different experience while in college. Get involved in activities that you normally wouldn’t do. You never know, you may find a new passion.”
Fran Parker ’88 Leaves Retirement to Direct UAW Retiree Medical Benefits Trust
Fran Parker ’88 doesn’t walk away from a challenge—even one as big as creating and then leading a trust that manages the medical benefits of hundreds of thousands of United Auto Workers retirees.
Parker, after “retiring” in 2008 as president and CEO of the Health Alliance Plan (HAP), soon jumped back into the workforce. She was named executive director of the UAW Retiree Medical Benefits Trust, which manages the benefits of approximately 750,000 retirees of the “Big Three” automakers of Ford, General Motors and Chrysler.
“(The UAW) came to me to do this because of my background,” said Parker, who has more than 40 years of health care experience. “Taking the membership of three different organizations, Ford, GM and Chrysler, with no infrastructure, you had to create (the trust) from nothing. You knew that come January 1 of 2010, these retirees depended on you.”
When the trust launched in 2010, it became the largest non-governmental purchaser of retiree health care in the U.S. The trust is governed by an 11 person Committee of Directors. All of the retiree health care liabilities were transferred to a new independent Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association (VEBA). Parker said she is enjoying her latest challenge, and considers it one of her greatest career achievements.
“I kind of divide the day into thirds,” Parker said of her typical day on the job, which usually begins about 7 a.m. and ends around 6 p.m. “A third might be day-to-day running of an organization. Another third (is) trying to keep abreast of regulatory changes. And (then) some time on strategy. I try to interact with staff and others, and I spend time with our insurance carriers and medical providers.”
As a leader, Parker considers herself to be “fact-based” and “data-driven.” However, she said she also values the opinions of others in the decision making process.
