SXU Alum Dedicated to Being Good Steward
Saint Xavier University (SXU) business alum Eric Holtrop '13 is committed to making a positive impact on individuals, their families and the community as the director of the Ozinga Foundation.
Before beginning his career with Ozinga, Holtrop graduated from Trinity Christian College in 2006 and worked for their advancement office as the director of development, sharing his positive college experience with fellow alums and local business leaders. He then served as the vice president of treasury management for Providence Bank & Trust, primarily working with nonprofit organizations to help them improve efficiency in the disbursement and collection of cash along with fraud prevention. Both positions provided him with the experience necessary to become the foundation director for Ozinga, where he now works with several Trinity and SXU alums, and Ozinga's giving supports both his alma maters and many charitable organizations.
Ozinga, a fifth-generation, family-owned American business providing concrete, materials, energy and logistics solution, has a mission to make a positive impact by being good stewards.
"For the foundation, being good stewards mean we use the financial resources God has blessed us with. Our family mission statement is, 'We are here to honor and glorify God and to serve the crown of his creation, our fellow man.' I am privileged to find and support local organizations fulfilling that mission. I am uplifted learning about a ministry transforming the lives of individuals where we do business and sometimes across the world. SXU does that as it prepares the next generation of leaders to become successful, productive and compassionate members of society," said Holtrop.
Holtrop found that SXU's MBA program was designed perfectly for a busy adult.
"When I started the program, I already had a full-time job living in Orland Hills. I wanted to find a local school with flexible class schedules. I enjoyed the in-person learning experience and I also really liked the campus and found it to be very clean and well-maintained," said Holtrop.
Holtrop finds he continues to draw on the skills he learned throughout the MBA program today.
"Working on group projects was challenging, but that's how the real world works. You have to learn to work well with a diverse and talented team. The coursework and projects prepared me for situations in my career and life in general. Some classes were more enjoyable than others, but all served a purpose," said Holtrop.
Holtrop was a student in 2010 when the Chicago Blackhawks won their first Stanley Cup, and one of his favorite memories was coming back to class to celebrate the Cup with his peers and professor. As cherished as his SXU memories is his connection to the Mercy mission.
"Christ is the epitome of service and compassion. How he lived when on Earth was a life of service and love. One of our foundation's giving principles is service to our fellow man and protection to the least of these. Living out SXU's Mercy mission separates us from a selfish worldview of people only looking out for themselves. We are called to use our gifts to serve others as faithful stewards of God. Living out this mission, we can transform not just SXU and Chicagoland, but the world," said Holtrop.
Holtrop hopes to be part of Ozinga for a long time and is on track to supporting 600 organizations this year. In the future, he plans to golf more and looks forward to testing his skills at SXU's next Golf Classic.