Pam Klyn

Pam Klyn is President of the Whirlpool Foundation. Pam grew up in the Midland, MI area and graduated from Michigan Tech. She received her master’s from UM and Bowling Green. She recently retired from Whirlpool after 31 years of service. 

Pam reviewed many of the Whirlpool Foundation’s activities. She said that the Foundation uses a House and Home framework to guide its global giving. House means enabling comfortable, nurturing places to live, and Home, supporting resilient, thriving, and sustainable communities: 

• 25 years of collaboration with Habitat for Humanity. Contributed 150 million dollars and 250,000 appliances. They have impacted over 1 million people worldwide. They are also supporting Project T in Benton Harbor. This is a housing community located on the site of the former Mercy Hospital. 
• The Washing Machine Project. Whirlpool collaborates with this organization from England, which has the motto: reclaiming time, improving lives. More than half the world’s population relies on hand-washing clothes, which is very time-consuming and laborious. Whirlpool has designed an affordable, hand-cranked washing machine suitable for use in resource-poor countries. This helps improve their quality of life. 
• “Day of Impact.” One day of the year that Whirlpool employees dedicate to service in Benton Harbor. 
• MLK Memorial. The Foundation made a big contribution to this worthwhile effort. 
• The Wee Course of Harbor Shores. This Colin Montgomerie-designed course will feature nine short (60-90 yard) holes. Each tee will have two separate tees, allowing it to play as 18 holes. There will also be an 18-hole putting green. Other amenities will be a snack shop and a walking path on the perimeter of the course. This course will appeal to children and adults who find the regular course too difficult or too expensive. Children under 12 will be free with an adult. Pam said that they will make every effort to make the course accessible to everyone and promote the game of golf. It is expected to be open this fall.