Investor Partner Spotlight: Lea Ann Grannum
Meet Lea Ann Grannum! Lea Ann is one of our incredible Investor Partners. We connected with her recently to learn more about her work with SVP, her passions, and how she spends her days. We were inspired, and think you will be too!
Why did you join SVP Portland and how are you involved?
In September of 2023, I retired from Intel Corporation. After taking six months off for travel and to spend time with family, I was looking for the right opportunity to engage with an organization that needed me as much as I needed them. My background is in human resources, organization development, and change management. Ursula Garcia reached out, at the perfect moment, to share SVP’s mission and Partner concept. I knew straight away that it was for me… it was a perfect overlap of purpose, passion and organizational needs. I’m keen on SVP’s role in Portland and how we link Partner capability to the needs of the community. Currently, I’m working on an internal change management project for SVP.
What do you find most rewarding about being a Partner?
Having worked in corporate environments, I’m enjoying the non-profit learning process. The gift of retirement, time off, and a clear head has afforded me capacity that I can apply to SVP. I appreciate most the ability to think critically about the problem at hand, utilize my knowledge and skills, while keeping organizational needs at the forefront. I’m excited to know that as a Partner, the contributions I make will have both immediate and lasting impacts. The medium to long term engagements and partnerships are incredibly rewarding, but most of all the people are uplifting.
Why is our early childhood goal important to you?
My husband and I have a household filled with daughters. Each of them has had their own path in education, sports, and friend groups. Throughout middle and high school, my oldest daughter, Ava, had a couple of friends that clearly were slipping through the cracks. Fast forward to high school graduation, these friends did not graduate and today they are lagging behind their peers. Without sharing each of their specific stories, which date to pre-K education, for each of these kids I always wished I could have done more. Our family values service: however, the fact is, that I as an individual could not effectively take on each case one on one. I like the idea of engaging on a larger scale where the impact is high quality, further reaching, and influential in communities regardless of wealth, zip code, gender, or race.
How do you spend your days?
My husband and I run a medium sized business in the seafood industry. We buy, sell, and process fresh and frozen seafood. Where he operates the day-to-day business and sales, I’m tasked after business operations, organizational, and people responsibilities. We thrive in the fish business and travel often to Alaska, Canada, Seattle, San Francisco, etc. to maintain strong relationships with customers, partners, and local regulatory bodies. With a business this size I’m the horizontal catching mitt for all things strategy, operations, people, IT, and leadership team coaching. I love the fish business, but the most rewarding part is getting to partner with my husband to create growth and community in our industry.
What superpowers do you have?
I believe that every person is supremely good at three things. As a reader you are likely thinking of your three at this moment 😊
My three have been the same since I was very young. I was a competitive gymnast until I was 18 years old and therefore these three things have served me very well throughout my life.
1) organization, 2) consistency, 3) reliability
There was a time that I believed that my disciplined practice of gymnastics was the key that served me in my journey at Intel. Certainly, I can give some credit to the sport, however my three superpowers are what I’ve leaned on. They’ve helped me compartmentalize, pivot and pivot quickly, have an abundance of capacity, and create trust.
What motivates you in life?
Full stop… my children. They’ve made me the person I am today, and they’ve become my life’s “why.”
What do you like to do to put a smile on your face?
Spend time with my girls, Ava, Reese, and Cecelia. We can do anything together, have fun, and laugh ourselves silly while doing it. Golfing with my husband, Jeff. No one’s going on tour, but we get our money’s worth out of every course we play. Cooking as much as I can… I love to cook, not bake, but cook. And spend time with my team. The people who I love and who genuinely get me and love me back. If you’re on my team you’ll never get rid of me, I’m yours for good.
