Magellan welcomed former Major League Baseball All-Star Curtis Granderson to our Chicago headquarters on Thursday, September 3, for a Lunch & Learn conversation that covered baseball, leadership, community service and some memorable moments from a remarkable career.

Leading the conversation was Magellan friend Chuck Swirsky, the longtime radio play-by-play voice of the Chicago Bulls. An award-winning broadcaster whose Chicago sports career stretches back more than four decades, Chuck proved to be an ideal interviewer, drawing out stories from both Granderson’s years in baseball and the work that has occupied much of his time away from the field.

Granderson, a Chicago-area native and graduate of the University of Illinois Chicago, was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in 2002 and went on to a 16-year Major League career that included three All-Star selections and stops with the Tigers, Yankees, Mets, Dodgers, Blue Jays, Brewers and Marlins. He is also one of only four players in MLB history to record at least 20 doubles, 20 triples, 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in a single season.

But much of the conversation focused on things that don’t appear in a box score.

Asked about leadership and what makes a great manager, Granderson emphasized the importance of up-front communication—even when that communication involves delivering a message someone may not want to hear. Players, like employees anywhere, benefit from knowing where they stand and what is expected of them.

Chuck also asked Granderson about his “it moment”—the point when making it to the Major Leagues truly felt real. Granderson’s answer brought him back home.

Both of his parents were educators in the Chicago Public Schools system and couldn't simply leave their classrooms when their son was first called up by Detroit. Instead, they waited until the Tigers came to Chicago. There, at U.S. Cellular Field against the White Sox, with his parents and a large contingent of family and friends watching, Granderson recorded his first Major League hit. The White Sox even marked the occasion on the scoreboard for the visiting rookie.

Granderson also spoke about an honor that remains especially meaningful to him: receiving Major League Baseball’s Roberto Clemente Award in 2016. The award recognizes the player who best represents baseball through character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions on and off the field. Reflecting on the example set by his parents and the lessons he absorbed from them growing up, Granderson talked about learning “why giving back matters.” Of the Clemente Award, he told the group simply, it “means everything to me.”

That commitment has become a major part of Granderson’s life. He established what was originally known as the Grand Kids Foundation in 2007, supporting educational, athletic, health and wellness opportunities for young people. He also personally donated $5 million toward the baseball complex at UIC that bears his name. Today, the Chicago Baseball & Educational Academy at UIC provides free baseball and softball instruction, educational programming and mentorship opportunities and has served more than 25,000 Chicago youth since 2016.

For a room full of Magellan employees, Granderson’s stories offered plenty to think about—whether the subject was baseball, managing people, handling difficult conversations or figuring out how to use the opportunities you’ve been given to help someone else.

Our thanks to Curtis Granderson for spending the afternoon with us, and to Chuck Swirsky for guiding a terrific conversation.

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