Meet Matthew
I'm incredibly grateful for the people in my life who make each day a joy. They remind me of what's important and they inspire me to be a better husband, father and friend.
Recently, I served as the COO & part owner of Windmill MHP Inc., a 400 lot residential community located in Holland, MI.
Housing has always been a cause I've been passionate about, so when my father suggested the opportunity, I jumped right in. I sold my house, left my job, and invested most of my net worth into the property, assigning myself the general management role with full responsibility for both operations and financial performance. My duties ranged from hiring, training, and managing staff to overseeing the operational budget. Together, we rehabilitated over 30 homes, planted more than 100 trees, upgraded the community’s sewer, electrical, and lighting systems, and created additional storage for tenants. I also led all marketing communications and made resident well-being a priority. The result was a vibrant community I was proud to both manage and call home.
Additionally, we got into the self-storage industry - owning a 1,000+ unit portfolio, comprised of Missouri and Wyoming. I managed the largest entity, Security Self Storage, and brought the occupancy to 93%, increased profitability to 18%, and implemented streamlined operations that reduced overhead, improved tenant retention, and positioned the facility for a successful acquisition.
I left a great position to join Windmill, after serving nearly four years as Public Relations Manager for North Kansas City Hospital. Reporting to the VP of Marketing and later working in Community Relations, I led brand, publicity, and media relations efforts for the hospital. I co-created and produced Healthy KC, a monthly television program on WDAF FOX 4, and played a key role in developing and launching community health initiatives and promotional campaigns for more than 60 public health programs and events each year. My responsibilities included crafting a proactive PR strategy, developing a comprehensive crisis communications plan, executive speechwriting, media training, and producing the annual community benefit report. I also managed third-party consultants and external partners to maintain consistent, high-impact messaging.
Modern CE Program for CPAs | Small Business Research Institute
Earn an Industry Certification | CE Credits for CPAs | Small Business Research Institute offers a modern CE program for CPAs and business advisors.
The first project I undertook with my father was founding the Small Business Research Institute (SMBRI). Together, we developed the Certified Entrepreneurial Advisor (CEA) program, designed to provide accountants and lawyers with advanced advisory skills and continuing education credits. The program was a success—we produced over 300 educational videos covering a wide range of business topics. Check it out our videos and sign up for free.
Previously, I worked in public affairs with H+K Strategies, embedded in-house with AT&T. There, I developed and executed public affairs strategies to support AT&T’s legislative, regulatory, and external affairs teams, with a focus on telecom policy. My responsibilities included creating press releases, newsletters, web content, and campaign materials for external affairs managers. I also analyzed economic, political, and industry trends to guide messaging and stakeholder engagement, contributing to successful outcomes across five legislative sessions (2003–2008). Additionally, I led the crisis communications “war room” operations in California during the SBC–AT&T merger.