Father’s Club Adds David Strickland to its Board of Directors

By Dan Holdhusen, Grandfather of three graduates and one currently enrolled in Blue Valley High School

The Father’s Club is proud to announce the addition of two outstanding men and dads to its Board. David Strickland and Jon Ogren, two community leaders, each with two children who have graduated from high schools in the Father’s Club footprint, were recently elected to the Board of Directors. These men will each bring to Board experiences and unique expertise that will complement the gifts already possessed by members of the Board, but also add fresh perspectives and ideas that will help to not only solidify the programmatic footprint of the Father’s Club, but also propel the organization in new and exciting directions.

There is so much to share about these two gentlemen, so we decided to break this into a 2-part series! This particular blog will highlight and focus on David Strickland.

Part 1: David Strickland
Part 2: Jon Ogren (coming soon!)

David Strickland – Brief Bio

David came to the south Kansas City area 10 years ago after his life and professional opportunities had him living and working in such places as Wisconsin, Alaska and, more recently, South Carolina.

David serves as the Chief Operating Officer of Kenton Brothers Security and he and his wife, Tammy have two children, Anna (20) and Jason (18), both of whom attended middle school and high school in the Blue Valley District. Both graduated from Aubry Bend Middle School and Blue Valley Southwest High School. Tammy works for the Blue Valley School District, while both of their children attend the University of Kansas.

Why Become Involved with Father’s Club?

When asked about what motivated David to become involved with the Father’s Club, he traces one reason back to a particular event that occurred when the best friend of his son, Jason, was killed in a tragic accident at the Schlitterbahn Waterpark in 2016. The shock and sadness of the event brought David to the realization that kids and their families can have dramatic, life-long mental health impacts, and this incented him to become involved with the Blue Valley Southwest High School’s Father’s Club chapter at its inception in 2018. He thought that he could offer as a father – with unique perspectives and insights, and, simply, “showing up” – real support for kids.

After attending a weight room meeting, he felt called to action and began active participation in the activities of his kid’s school activities.

Taking a Time Out

As time progressed, and the COVID pandemic changed the lives of everyone, Dave realized that kids did not have the ability and skills to cope with isolation and depression. Incidents of teen suicide, sadly, became more common during these years, and he found it important to focus his attention on his own son, who was struggling with issues of his own.

Dave testifies that not having grown up with a dad of his own being present, he was learning ways – many of them through Father’s Club training and learning from other dads – that he could make a difference in his son’s life. He is happy to report that looking back on those years, he saw the importance of getting in the trenches with other fathers meant a great deal to him, and he is proud to say that his son got through that dark chapter stronger than ever.

He expressed his enthusiasm of being back in action as a Board Member and thinks he can offer support in applying his talents and skills in a variety of organizational ways to help the Father’s Club mature and grow to strengthen the great mission statement around which its activities focus.

A Unique Talent

A surprising thing that people would not necessarily know about Dave is that he has been a professional photographer for 25 years and has owned several studios in his lifetime. He is a published author and has had photos published in national magazines like Sports Illustrated. David continues to lend his photographic skills to sporting and other events in his life.

Why Get Involved with Father’s Club?

When asked this question, Dave’s answer is direct and succinct: “Dads need to look for opportunities to serve. It is important to stress that dads need to participate. Value your children.”

In announcing the nomination and election of both David Strickland and Jon Ogren to the Board of Directors, President Brad Holdhusen commented, “we couldn’t be more pleased to add two superb gentlemen to our Father’s Club Board. Each is an outstanding individual in his own right and will offer expertise that complements the talents and backgrounds of others already serving.”

Thank you to Dave and his commitment in helping Father’s Club continue making an impact in the lives of children.