Concours d'Elegance Of Southwest Michigan Disburses Holiay Donations

$7100 To Hospice At Home And $3600 To St. Joseph Library

Anne Odden Takes Over As Director Of Concours

St. Joseph, MI – December 28, 2013 – Just in time for the Holidays, and thanks to its most successful run since its inception in 2005, the Concours d’Elegance of Southwest Michigan recently donated $7,100 to Hospice At Home and $3,600 to the Maude Preston Palenske Memorial Library in St. Joseph, Michigan.

Largest Single Gift In Concours History

“This is the first time we have dedicated the proceeds from our show to Hospice At Home, and the response of sponsors and donors greatly surpassed our expectations,” said Anne Odden, newly appointed director of the Concours organization. “This,” she added, “is the largest single gift in the history of the Concours, and our goal is to double that amount in 2014.

“We’re also pleased to be able to show our appreciation in such a substantial way to the St. Joseph Library for its help in preparing for the Concours,” said Ms. Odden.

Nearly $60,000 To Local Charities And Non-Profits Since 2005, “and I’m proud to announce,” she noted, “that since its inception in 2005, the Concours d’Elegance and its predecessor, The Krasl Art Center Concours, have earned and donated nearly $60,000 to Twin Cities area charities and non-profits.”

Anne Odden Takes Over As Concours Director

Anne S. Odden of Benton Harbor recently was named director of the Concours d’Elegance of Southwest Michigan. In that position, she will be responsible for overall management and direction of the annual event.

Ms. Odden brings a wealth of experience and energy to the newly created position. She was born and raised in St. Joseph and is a graduate of the University of Michigan. She is a certified financial planner and licensed broker with extensive experience in the U.S., Switzerland and Japan, where she served as a financial analyst for such well known organizations as Dean Witter Reynolds, Cornell University, American Express and Chase Manhattan Bank. She currently resides in Benton Harbor, MI, and is well known in the Twin Cities for her involvement and leadership in such prominent non-profit organizations as the Box Factory for the Arts, Sarett Nature Center and the Water Street Glassworks.

Commenting on her appointment as Concours director, Dar Davis, founder and longtime chairman of the Concours, said: “We are extremely grateful and fortunate to have someone with Ms. Odden’s talents, qualifications and experience take the reigns of this organization as we prepare for our tenth outing next August. She will be a tremendous asset to the organization, and I look forward to working with her.”

Davis To Continue As Entrant Liaison

Dar Davis will continue involvement in the Concours organization as Entrant Liaison, with responsibility for identifying and acquiring entrants for the Concours. According to Davis, over 1200 letters of invitation will go into the mail in January. “I’ll also work closely with Anne to make sure she gets off to a smooth start,” Davis said. Tenth Annual Concours Set For August 9, 2014 According to Odden, the tenth annual Concours d’Elegance will take place on Saturday, August 9, 2014. The Concours d’Elegance of Southwest Michigan is an annual exhibit and competition of vintage automobiles and trucks – all carefully and lovingly restored to like-new condition – all 35 years old or older – and all able to run under their own power – presented in a shaded bluff park overlooking Lake Michigan in St. Joseph, Michigan.

2014 Featured Marque: Dodge

Each year, the Concours features a special marque. The 2014 featured marque will be Dodge motor cars, to honor both the 100th anniversary of the brand and the Dodge brothers, John and Horace, who were born and raised in nearby Niles, Michigan.

Corvettes And Mustangs Also To Be Featured

At the 2014 show, both Chevrolet Corvettes and Ford Mustangs also will receive special attention.

As in past years, the show will feature a prominent personality from the automobile industry who will help narrate the show and make a special presentation to local car enthusiasts. This year’s featured guest will be Dave McClellan, who for nearly 20 years was chief engineer for the Chevrolet Corvette Division of General Motors.

Ford Mustangs also will be featured in the 2014 event as the brand celebrates its 50th anniversary. The first Mustang was introduced on April 17, 1964.

(L-R) Dar Davis, founder and entrant liaison, Concours d’Elegance of Southwest Michigan; Melinda Graham, chief operating officer, Hospice at Home; and Anne Odden, recently appointed director of the Concours d’Elegance of Southwest Michigan proudly pose with replicas of some of the cars that helped raise $7100 for the recently completed Merlin and Carolyn Hanson Hospice Center. The trio is standing in the new Hospice Center’s Visitors Parlor where Davis and Odden presented a check for $7100 to Ms. Graham.

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