Semester TWO, Blog #3

Interview of MAC McGee

Willie J. McGee makes extraordinary contributions to our community in his role as the Executive Director at All Congregations Together (ACT.) Mac‘s excellent leadership ability is evidenced through ACT’s award winning community services to underserved families and local businesses. ACT has served in excess of 20 organizations and agencies as well as provided over 1,000,000 trips for seniors, youth and individuals with limited means via the ComLink Vanpool and Transportation Services. MAC is a significant Diamond Community Fund Investor with (Jacobs center Neighborhood Innovation JCNI and greatly involved in the Village Center Design Project. MAC received recognition and commendation from the California State Assembly for his 10 years of hard work and commitment to the California Community Renewal Summit. Prior to forming ACT in 1996, MAC worked for the Federal Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as a GM-15. He has over thirty years experience in various forms of transportation and related community services. He is a San Diego State University Community Economic Development graduate, undergrad in engineering, and a Masters Degree in Business Administration (MBA.)

MAC McGee is a tall, slim man with broad shoulders. He’s somewhat quiet with a smooth walk that makes him look graceful as if he walks in mid-air. Very involved in community activities: like the Census Bureau, and the RTP of 2050. He has an audio/video studio and ham radio station in his home. He takes photos and records video presentations in his spare time. It helps his company to know things about video and audio. He’s someone who likes to see things in black and white. Extremely educated, full of wisdom, and ready to pour out wise things to those who want to be wise. Formed ACT because a number of people in his church needed work-related resources.

Q: Where did you grow up?

A: Grew up in Ohio, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Michigan. Mom and dad past away. Youngest of the siblings. Lived wherever old siblings lived. My siblings, older sisters and brothers, had kids and grew up with their kids more than them (siblings).

Q: How low have you been interested in engineering?

A: Always interested in engineering. It was easy. I didn’t want to play basketball, I was clumsy! I’m lazy that’s why I chose it. If I didn’t have this organization, there would be a lot of people with ways to go anywhere. It was easy for him. Says he has an analytical mind, likes to analyze things.

Q: How did this organization come about?

A: Working at a church and people kept coming in with needs, but church couldn’t help, them. That’s how he formed it. Esther, my daughter, was their when it was formed. And has been with them since 1996.

Q: What were of up and downs of having this organization?

A: Its always been funding. Just being able to have enough revenue to provide the services. Especially when you’re a non-profit. That’s always been a struggle and problem. You provide the service, but go else where to get the money. ACT has benefitted because they have government contracts to support their needs. Not all non-profits have government contracts. We have it because we do a lot of technical stuff; a lot of other non-profits do that type of stuff.