Honoring the Legacy of Veronica Horn

Upon hearing news about the untimely passing of former Saginaw County Chamber of Commerce president & CEO Veronica Horn after her valiant and courageous battle with cancer, I feel in incumbent to share some thoughts about qualities she possessed making her not only an irreplaceable community leader, but more importantly a legacy that future generations of leaders should strive to emulate.

Since the inception of this publication I have had the good fortune to interview one presidential candidate, four governors, and numerous Congressional leaders, judges, and bureaucrats at both the state and federal level, but never have I had the pleasure to get to know one with better sensibilities about how to best thread the divergent interests and fiscal needs of her community into the often convoluted and highly partisan fabric of governmental funding and actually get results.

While Veronica spent more than two decades with the Saginaw County Chamber of Commerce, including six years as its top official, much of her valuable expertise into the political machinery behind government & commerce came from serving on the staff of two U.S. Congressmen and as State Government Affairs Manager for Dow Corning/Hemlock Semiconductor Corporations.

My fondest memories of Veronica, and the period where I came to know, appreciate, and understand her better was back in the early 2000’s, when her longtime husband and compadre Ken Horn was a Saginaw County Commissioner.  WNEM-TV 5 reporter Brian Wood owned J.B. Meinberg’s, and it was right around that time legislation was circulating around the state (including Saginaw County) to ban smoking in all public establishments, including bars. 

After interviewing Ken for a piece I was doing on the proposed ban, and lamenting all the divisive partisanship, the idea was proposed to form a dart League every Tuesday called D.A.R.T (Democrats & Republicans Together) to help bridge that gap of formality that exists when elected bodies only gather together for scheduled meetings. 

And honestly, the beautiful thing is that it worked!

There was a stretch of about 2-years where you could find the Mayor, the Sheriff, Judges, and various State Senators & Representatives of both red & blue persuasions, actually talking about issues within contexts of ideas instead of policies.

As President and CEO, Veronica excelled in identifying priorities and strategies related to managing the nearly 1000-members of the Saginaw County Chamber of Commerce, which was no easy task during Saginaw’s traumatic post-NAFTA decline.   

Her ability to build relationships across all communities of interest served the region well, and helped grow Saginaw by bringing people together; and she achieved several landmark accomplishments in Saginaw County, that include securing $14 million in funding for the Downtown Saginaw Exit Ramp project and managing the leading efforts to save the former Saginaw Civic Center/Dow Events Center.  Veronica was also a founding member of the Henry Marsh Institute for Public Policy at SVSU.

Her support of positive community endeavors, regardless of their shape, size, or budget, was equally legendary, and I shall always be grateful both her & Ken’s support of our annual Music Awards Celebration, where some of the most memorable ceremonies were those that Ken & Veronica served as guest presenters.

Sadly, I hadn’t seen Veronica much over the past several post-Covid years, but every time I did run into her she was as upbeat & complimentary as ever.  As I sit here writing this prior to my press deadline, drifting back into these memories as a tear forms up trying to compose a summation, what I loved most about Veronica is that she knew and understood this land doesn't belong to us. This land belongs to seven generations down the road.

In an age of fragmentation, you don’t need more scissors – what you need is glue. Local neighborhoods and communities are the bonds of that glue.  Rest in peace, Veronica - I’m sure you’re up in heaven polishing the tip of that heavenly dart.