“I just couldn’t be some guy who sat around,” Scorti said. “There’s only so many holes of golf you can shoot or days you can hunt. I needed to be active.”
A friend turned Scorti on to the Middletown Community Foundation, a local organization that collected and distributed money for Middletown non-profit groups. It was the first step in Scorti’s new journey of volunteering.
“A lot of retired people don’t have a calendar like this,” Scorti said with a laugh, pulling open a two page spread detailing his September schedule, covered with different colored writing signifying a daily litany of appointments.
From the Community Foundation, Scorti began working with TV Middletown. His volunteering activities snowballed and include working as the Treasurer of the Middletown Area Senior Citizen’s Council, being a member of the Airport Board, president of the Middletown Republican Committee and president of the Fenwick Alumni Association.
“It was my time to give back,” Scorti said. “I was born in Middletown. I love Middletown. I owed it to Middletown.”
Scorti said volunteering provided an almost addictive quality as he learned more about the community.
“Once you get involved in volunteering, you understand what it does for the community. And then you ask ‘well why does it work that way? Is that the best way?’ and you start to learn more from there.”
“Mike’s a good guy,” said Duane Gordon, director of the Middletown Community Fund. “He’s got the community’s best interest at heart in everything he does.”
Scorti was president of the Foundation Board when Gordon was hired and worked extensively with Gordon during the latter’s first year as director.
“He’s been a blessing to TV Middletown,” said Ty Thomas, director of TV Middletown. “You couldn’t ask for a better friend for a non-profit. He is without a doubt TV Middletown’s greatest cheerleader.”
Scorti was born and raised in Middletown, graduating from Bishop Fenwick High School. He attended Miami University but left to take a sales job with Miami Carey, a cabinet maker with offices in the Middletown area. Working his way up through the company ranks, Scorti became national sales manager and eventually purchased the company. With promotions, Scorti moved around the country, from Richmond, Va., to Los Angeles and several points in between.
After selling Miami Carey, he joined RSI Home Products, a manufacturer of bath cabinet products. Even though the company was based in Los Angeles, Scorti refused to leave Middletown again.
“I had been all around the country, but Middletown was always close to my heart,” Scorti said. “It’s a great town. We’re close to big cities but we still have a small, close-knit community feel.”
Scorti said that he’s come to believe Middletown “runs on volunteers” and while they may be few in number, they keep the city moving forward.
“I think there are about 200 people in Middletown who volunteer for things,” Scorti said. “If you take them out of the area, nothing would run.”
Scorti, 69, credits much of his generosity to his family. The youngest of nine, Scorti said despite the size of his family, he never grew up wanting.
“They were always looking out for me,” Scorti said. “They taught me to give back. It’s because of them I was a success.”
One of Scorti’s proudest achievements is his work to shore up and foster TV Middletown, the city’s local television station.
“I love TV Middletown to death,” Scorti said. “I believe it means more to Middletown than most people could realize.”
Scorti said when he arrived on the scene, it’s funding was cut in half and the station was “floundering.” His initial goal was to find finances and people to help back it.
Thomas said Scorti spearheaded several fundraising campaigns including Friends of TV Middletown and an annual luncheon.
“He goes out and toots TV Middletown’s horn at every opportunity.” Thomas said. “He’s a great idea man and if he really believes in something, he won’t take no for an answer.”
“Almost every organization has had a huge cut in public resources,” Scorti said. “You have to find imaginative ways to fund them.”
Gordon said Scorti could “Be a bit off the wall” in his ideas.
“He can come up with some crazy ideas,” Gordon said. “Sometimes it leads to something creative and great and sometimes it has to be reigned in.”
Scorti said he has joined the Butler County Port Authority in order to gain an even better grasp on what is going on in the community by understanding the county’s role in supporting local organizations. Despite his heavy involvement in city and county government, he said he has zero interest in running for office.
Scorti also works with the city’s business retention program, helping other individuals and businesses become involved in altruistic endeavors within the city.
“Once we’re able to define someone’s passion, we can define where they want to go help and direct them on who to see,” Scorti said. “To me, that’s fun.”
“With Mike you always know where you stand,” Gordon said. “He’s never afraid to speak his mind.”
“I have the deepest admiration and respect for Mike and consider him my best friend,” Thomas said. “Mike is like the Energizer Bunny. He keeps going and going and going. I’ve never met anyone with the amount of energy he has.”
Contact this reporter at (513) 696-4544 or jmcclelland@coxohio.com.
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