This spring, The Reading Center inducted our first class of distinguished dyslexics into our Hall of Fame. Despite struggling with reading, all our inductees have utilized their strengths to achieve great personal and professional success.
Joe Powers is a legend as a businessman and philanthropist in the Rochester, Minnesota community. He is the President of Powers Ventures LLC; The Canadian Honker Restaurant, Pinnacle and Canadian Honker Catering (one of the largest caterers in SE Minnesota), the Rochester International Event Center, Top Tier Delights, Mayowood Stone Barn, and J. Powers at the Hilton. He has earned more awards that we can list, such as 2020 Rochester Police Service Award and the 2014 US Chamber of Commerce Small Business award.
When Joe was a child, he struggled to learn to read. He was held back in Kindergarten but continued to struggle in 1st and 2nd grade. In 3rd grade, his mother took him to the Mayo Clinic, and there he was directed to The Reading Center. He was tested in our founder, Paula Rome’s basement and tutored by Jean Walters.
After tutoring for some months, he began to understand that he was learning things there that help him feel less out of place at school. By 5th grade, he caught up with his peers. Joe graduated from high school and opened his first restaurant at the age of 21. “Dyslexia is something that you can cope with if you are given the tools. The Reading Center gave me those tools.”
Joe is a major donor to The Reading Center and a past member of the Board of Directors. He served as a Co-Chair of The Reading Center’s successful Capital Campaign from 2016 – 2020.
When asked what he would like to say to encourage students who are struggling now, Joe says, “I believe that dyslexia is actually a good thing. We think differently. We work harder. We have an ability to think outside of the box and apply ourselves to the job at hand. When you have the tools to cope with dyslexia, nothing is outside of your reach.”
Thank you, Joe, for all you do for our community, and for sharing your Reading Center story with a new generation of parents and students.
To read our other Blog posts visit us at: https://www.thereadingcenter.org/blog
To read more about our other Hall of Fame inductees, visit us at: https://www.thereadingcenter.org/hall-of-fame
July 2020: Joe Powers posing for a photo in front of our new book sign/sculpture.