Vicki Hamilton-Allen covers the topic of COVID-19's Impact with Jerry Norris the CEO and Founder of the Fledge located in Lansing MI. Especially looking into the Impact of COVID19 on community programming.
Jerry now serves as the CEO of the Fledge, a radically inclusive ideation and maker space, incubator, and accelerator located in Lansing, MI. He also serves as the Chairman for the GAIA, Solutions, Power in Passion, and the Fledge Music Group.
Listen below to Vicki Hamilton-Allen and Jerry Norris discuss COVID - and how The Fledge has served the community over the past year-and-a-half.
Jerry obtained a B.S. in Statistics from the University of Michigan, with a focus on Computer Science. He began his career with the Unisys Corporation as a Quality Engineer and ISO 9000 Lead Auditor in 1988. Throughout the years, he moved up through the ranks of the quality profession (i.e. Quality Manager, Director of Quality, and VP of Quality).
In 1988 as a Quality Engineer and Lead Auditor, he began developing a software product to help manage compliance activities. He served as the CEO of GAIA, LLC, which operated globally with customers in over 50 countries to help members connect based on expertise and vicinity. GAIA evolved into a software company supporting start-ups with an emphasis on mapping.
Jerry also spent 5 years as a “Gatekeeper” for the Business Acceleration Fund working with the Lansing Economic Area Partnership.
Jerry’s expertise includes software development, quality management, food safety management, automotive and aerospace-related quality management, environmental protection and management, and safety systems. He also enjoys reading standards (e.g. ISO 17021, ISO 9001, GFSI) and following the industries that are moving from prescriptive systems (e.g. customer-based, GMPs) to more agile and adaptive management systems.
Specialties: Quality Assurance, Statistics, Software Engineering, Sales, Food Safety, Compliance Management, Auditing, Inspections, International Business, Entrepreneurship, building Brands, start-up assistance, talent acquisition, funding. He has worked in the following fields: telecommunications, automotive, furniture, food safety, environmental management, economic development, human rights, labor law, life sciences, advanced manufacturing, plastics, consulting, organizational development, and more.
Conversation summary:
Vicki Hamilton-Allen chats with Executive Director, Jerry Norris about the increased need in the community during the COVID-19 pandemic and how the Fledge has become a center point in the community to provide much-needed opportunities to marginalized communities. Norris is an innovator and creative thinker, tune in and let him inspire you!
