26 | APRIL 1 • 2021 OUR COMMUNITY S cott Hiipakka, CEO of the Michigan Israel Business Accelerator, has received a promotion from the rank of colonel to the rank of brigadier general in the Michigan Army National Guard. The official title of the role is assistant adjutant general. Hiipakka will continue to be responsible for the majority of units in the Guard and building teams ranging from 30 up to 2,500 people in their respective organizations. There will likely be additional areas he will be in charge of relative to special projects for the adjutant general. To Hiipakka, the promotion is a blessing and an honor. “If you would’ve said to me when I was entering the mili- tary that I would’ve made the rank of colonel, I would’ve said, ‘no way, ’” Hiipakka said. “But then, if you would’ve said I’ d make the rank of brigadier gen- eral, I would’ve laughed at you. ” Hiipakka entered military service in June 1993 as an infan- try officer initially assigned to the 10th Mountain Division as a platoon lead- er. Upon selection to the 75th Ranger Regiment, he served with the 3rd Ranger Battalion until 1997. Following active duty, Hiipakka entered the Michigan Army National Guard in 2001 and has served in key roles including multiple commands and staff officer positions. Hiipakka currently serves on the board of directors for Leadership Oakland and was recognized by Crain’s Detroit Business as a 2020 “Notable Veteran. ” He also serves as an adviser and former appointee to the Michigan Community Service Commission. As the CEO of the MIBA, Hiipakka sees a possible syn- ergistic effect between his roles with the MIBA and the Army. “In the MIBA, we’re respon- sible for creating opportunities and jobs in Michigan and con- necting Israeli innovation to Michigan businesses, ” Hiipakka said. “What I see is opportuni- ties to accelerate that, particu- larly in the defense industry. I’m already connected in that space, and from my initial conversa- tions with Israeli companies, they think it’s pretty cool that the CEO of MIBA is a general. We’ll see what the outcomes are, but I do see the opportunities to build partnerships. ” Now, more than 25 years into his military career, Hiipakka forges ahead with his willing- ness to serve. “What I hope to achieve in this new role is to first and fore- most serve the men and women I serve with, serve their families and serve the community, ” he said. “ As citizen soldiers, that’s what we do, and I’m blessed to be able to continue to do so at this new rank. ” COURTESY OF SCOTT HIIPAKKA Michigan-Israel business group’s CEO promoted to Army general. High Honor DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER Scott Hiipakka at his promotion ceremony at Milford High School on March 13. A fter a year of isola- tion, many people are feeling more alone than ever. What can we do to reunite our communities in the aftermath of this pandemic and the toxicity and political division that accompanied it? This is the ques- tion Rabbi Sam Englender is work- ing to answer. Englender, who most recently was the community rela- tions manager for the Jewish Community Relations Council/ AJC, is the new Michigan regional outreach manager at the D.C.-based One America Movement, a national nonprof- it confronting toxic polariza- tion in our society. The organization equips faith communities to confront division and work together across political, racial and reli- gious divides to solve problems that matter. “Michigan is a purple state — purple used to mean mod- erate, but now, it more and more means that we are polar- ized to the extreme,” Englender said. “Political sides are facing off and that means trouble, not just for Michigan as a whole, but for the communities and congregations trying to navi- gate these challenging times. “We know the Jewish com- munity isn’t immune from the political division that has roiled the country,” Englender said. “It’s incumbent on us to do what we can to heal our own community.” He said the good news is that more and more of us are realizing there is another way. “We can come together to heal our divides, to work with peo- ple with whom we share much more than we realize to solve the problems that matter to all of us,” he said. Englender will take the lead here in Michigan, working to bring training, resources and support to help the Michigan Jewish community and other faith communities to counter the effects of harmful political polarization. This month, Englender and the One America Movement are opening applications for the inaugural class of campus fellows in their Leadership Incubator, a program designed to support young leaders in their efforts to heal divides on college and university campus- es in Michigan. Applications will be accepted throughout April. “We know we can equip young Jews in our community with the tools necessary to cre- ate change,” Englender said. To learn more and to get involved, visit www. OneAmericaMovement.org, or reach out to Rabbi Sam Englender at sam@ oneamericamovement.org. Rabbi Sam Englender New leadership incubator’s aim is to heal society’s political divides. Goal: One America JN STAFF