Golden Baton Award Recipients 2011

John Cross

John Cross, a certified public accountant in Jackson and owner of Cross & Associates, has donated time to the JSO for decades.

“When I first became involved with the JSO — to keep the books — we had office and rehearsal space in the Commercial Exchange Building, thanks to the generosity of Bob and Laurie LaZebnik. The accounting records consisted of a checkbook and spreadsheets,” he said.

Cross said he feels privileged to be a part of the many positive changes that have taken place since then, including the Capital Campaign that provided a permanent home for the JSO in downtown Jackson, the development of the music school and the steady flow of talented leadership on the JSO board.

“Personally, my family and I have enjoyed the high quality performances,” he continued. “Both my children learned to play musical instruments, and my daughter was a member of the JSO children’s choir. But most of all, we cherish the friendships we’ve developed because of our association with the Jackson Symphony Orchestra.”


Rick Davies

Rick Davies, who served as JSO Board president from 2000-2002, is retired as president of the Jackson region of Comerica Bank, Inc. He began working with Comerica in 1969. During his banking career he has been a municipal credit analyst, a bond portfolio manager, manager of bank liability positions, securities trader, commercial loan officer and commercial lending group manager.

When Davies was a member of the Jackson Symphony Orchestra board, he helped relocate the orchestra to the former J.C. Penney building downtown, then owned by Comerica, and subsequently was instrumental in Comerica’s gift of the building to the JSO.


Carl English

Carl English, vice chairman of American Electric Power in Columbus, Ohio, is a native of Jackson who contributed time, money and inspiration to many of the cities organizations, including the JSO. He was president and chief executive officer of the gas division at Consumers Energy from 1999 until 2004.

“I've had an association with the JSO since the early 1960s when my sister, Guyla, played in the orchestra,” English said. “At that time, I was just in the audience of the JSO, but became much more active through an association with Ty Cross, with whom I worked at Consumers Power Co. Through that association, I became a board member in the 1980s and ultimately board chair.”

“Since my youth, I have enjoyed classical music, and consequently have enjoyed the JSO offerings over the years,” English said. “The JSO is a wonderful combination of style and quality with Stephen and Mary bringing an excellent combination of artistry and good business sense, which has provided a unique blend for success for many years for the benefit of the Jackson Community.”


Mark Rosenfeld

Mark Rosenfeld served as Chairman of the JSO Board of Directors in the 1980s and spearheaded the recent Jackson Symphony Orchestra Endowment Campaign. Until 1996, he was President and Chief Executive Officer of Jacobson’s Stores, headquartered in Jackson. Now he is Chairman and President of Wilherst Developers in Tampa, Fla. The company is a commercial real estate development and brokerage firm.

Rosenfeld said that the JSO was the leading cultural entity in Jackson when he and his wife lived here and they appreciated the sense of community the JSO offered.

“The JSO enhanced the quality of life in Jackson for my family and my business associates,” he said. “We enjoyed music, had season tickets, and contributed to the Jackson Symphony, including the fund for the new building.”

Mary Spring

Mary Spring, the JSO’s Development Director, has a very long association with the orchestra as both a volunteer and an employee.

“My first taste of the Jackson Symphony came when Nathan Rosenfeld offered discounted tickets to his employees, of which I was one,” she said “The next year we bought season tickets and the following year I was asked to serve on the Guild’s board of directors, which I did for nearly 10 years.”
In 1991, she worked to develop the JSO’s Community Music School.

“It was then that I learned the importance of arts in the community and that the JSO was uniquely suited to serve in many areas, not simply on the concert stage,” she said. “In 1992 I was hired as the JSO Development director, along with my work in the music school, and the rest is history!”

Spring was Guild president from 1993 until 1994. In 1999, she received the Jenny Spiesberger Distinguished Service Award for her volunteer service to the Guild.

“It is my belief that music can play a major role in the lives of community residents of all ages,” she said. “The JSO stands as a beacon, a resource that brings unbelievable talent into the community, a resource for community musicians, an education center for all ages and most importantly provides an atmosphere that works to create intersections between residents and artists. The JSO is an organization of which I am extremely proud to be a part.”