Person of the Year Finalist: Mike Casuscelli

By Brandi Watters, Herald Bulletin Staff Writer

December 27, 2008 07:05 pm

— ANDERSON — Although he lived in Anderson for only 2 1/2 years, the former publisher of The Herald Bulletin made a lasting impact on the community, according to Roger Shoot of Creative Real Estate.
Shoot was among several area community leaders who nominated Mike Casuscelli for the 2008 Person of the Year award.
“I cannot recall anyone who came to town and jumped in with both feet like Mike,” Shoot wrote in his nomination. “He was everywhere.”
Casuscelli moved to Traverse City, Mich., in August to become publisher of The Record-Eagle, another newspaper owned by The Herald Bulletin’s parent company.
While he lived in Madison County, Casuscelli plunged into the local community, serving on various boards for charitable groups.
Casuscelli served on the boards of the United Way, Madison County Community Health Center and YMCA.
He was the campaign chairman for the YMCA in 2008 and was named volunteer of the year by the local NAACP in November.
Casuscelli also was a board member for the Ike Weatherly Essay Contest and served Thanksgiving dinner at the Geater Center both years in Anderson.
“He was a servant-leader for Madison County and added spark and enthusiasm to everything and everyone,” Bobbette Snyder, executive director of the Leadership Academy of Madison County, wrote in her letter of nomination.
“My family got a lot from the community by being employed in the community,” Casuscelli said of his charitable works. “And it’s the responsibility of everybody in the community to make it a better place to live. That’s just the bottom line.”
Casuscelli said he saw potential in Madison County.
“Anderson’s had this bad rap for a low quality of life,” he said. “When I first moved there, people said, ‘Why would you even think of going to Anderson?’ Anderson’s got a lot going for it.”
Nancy Vaughan of the Madison County chapter of the United Way wrote that Casuscelli made “real connections ... with the minority and business communities as well as the nonprofit organizations. He is always in great spirits and kind to everyone he meets. ... He is also plain fun to be around.”