Jackson County's Best and Brightest Profile: Larry Lloyd

For Jackson Magazine's Best and Brightest Young Adults June issue

Not many people can say their job title fits their life ambitions to a tee.

Count 30-year old Larry Lloyd among the select few.

Lloyd is the Community Empowerment Director for the South Central Michigan Chapter of the American Red Cross, and his words and ways speak to a life of service and commitment to enabling others.

The Albion College graduate spent more than four years as a U.S. Army Sergeant, leading the heavy weapons section of an air assault infantry company, and he currently serves as a reserve.

In Jackson he is also focused on changing and saving lives.

He identifies sponsors and sites for blood drives, manages Red Cross volunteers and trains local businesses about life-saving skills and techniques.

“My work with the Red Cross has continually shown that if Jackson has a challenge put before it, the community will overwhelm you with its response,” Lloyd said.

In his free time Lloyd is on the board of the Gerald Ford Institute at Albion College, a group that ensures future generations strive to give back to the community, and he is active on the Catholic Charities Senior Issues Advisory Council.

He also dabbles in politics as a member of the Greater Jackson Chamber of Commerce Legislative Committee and he enjoys being a chairperson for the Fund Development Committee of the Michigan Theatre Board of Directors.

Lloyd said he loves Jackson because of the art community, its parks and it’s blue-collar attitude, but more people need to develop an entrepreneurial spirit.

“We need a community that cries out for people of ambition and sets a framework, through nonprofits and government action, that encourages ambition.”