Brian T. Harris*
Chair
President & CEO,
H & H Metal Source
Brian Harris is President and CEO of H & H Metal Source. Originally from southeastern Wisconsin, he graduated from Tufts University with a bachelor’s degree in engineering psychology. Moving to Grand Rapids, he spent 14 years with Westinghouse Furniture Systems fulfilling roles in facility planning, shop floor supervision, purchasing, materials management, and product marketing. In 1993 he joined Steelcase North America and advanced through various marketing positions within its Metal Case Goods Division. Harris left Steelcase in 1996 to purchase the majority share of a small steel service center business, called H & H Metal Source.
Jim Dunlap*
Vice-Chair
Regional Group President,
Huntington Bank
Jim Dunlap is the Regional Group President for Huntington Bank. With a tenure of more than 28 years with Huntington, Dunlap has served in various leadership positions including as a Regional President for West Michigan, Florida and Northwest Ohio. He was recognized as one of Central Florida’s Seven Most Outstanding Community Leaders for three consecutive years and, in 2001, received the Central Florida Banker of the Year Award. Active in several business and community organizations, Dunlap is a past chairman of the Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame, the Heart of West Michigan United Way, and the YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids. He has also served on the boards of the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, the Grand Rapids/Kent County Convention & Visitors Bureau, the American Cancer Society, the West Michigan Strategic Alliance, Junior Achievement, and the Grand Rapids Symphony.
Craig Sturken*
Treasurer
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer,
Spartan Stores, Inc.
Craig Sturken was named President and Chief Executive Officer of Spartan Stores in March 2003 and elected Chairman of the board of directors in August 2003. He brings more than 40 years of grocery retail and distribution industry experience to Spartan Stores including 10 years as Chief Executive Officer of the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company’s Atlantic and Midwest regions. Sturken has a wealth of experience in the supermarket industry, with valuable knowledge and skills in both wholesale and retail operations. He spent more than eight years as Chief Executive Officer of A&P’s Midwest region successfully managing the Farmer Jack, Food Emporium, and Kohl’s supermarket banners.
Jeffrey S. Ammon
Managing Member,
Miller Johnson
Jeffrey S. Ammon is Managing Member of the Firm and has been practicing law since 1978. His practice focuses on representing a wide range of business entities in matters relating to business organization and expansion, finance, real estate and construction, with an emphasis on economic development incentives. Mr. Ammon serves on the board of the Michigan Chamber of Commerce and as chair of the Chamber's Tax Policy Committee. He earned his law degree, magna cum laude, in 1978 and his undergraduate degree in 1975 from the University of Michigan. He and his wife, Tammy, live in East Grand Rapids with their son, Scott.
Richard C. Breon
President & CEO,
Spectrum Health
Richard C. Breon is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Spectrum Health. An industry veteran with more than 30 years of experience, Breon is responsible for the vision and strategic oversight of West Michigan’s largest health system. Prior to joining Spectrum Health, Breon was President and CEO for Mission Health System, Inc. in Evansville, Ind. Active in several community organizations, Breon is the chairman of the Economic Club of Grand Rapids as well as the chairman-elect for the Michigan Hospital Association. He also serves on the board of directors of the University of Iowa Alumnae Association and the Alliance for Health. Breon is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Elizabeth A. Cherin
President/CEO,
Fremont Area Community Foundation
Sam Cummings
Managing Partner,
CWD Real Estate Investment
As Managing Partner of CWD Real Estate Investment - a real estate development, property management and brokerage firm - Sam Cummings focuses on adaptive reuse of existing structures. Cummings is responsible for defining and implementing his company’s vision, contract negotiations, lease negotiations, as well as developing new projects and interacting with the public sector. He is committed to furthering the growth of Grand Rapids by serving on the Grand Rapids Art Museum’s Foundation Board and Accessions Committee; he is also the chairman of the Building Committee for the museum’s new home on Monroe Center. Cummings is a founding member of Local First and is a board member of the Hope Network Foundation, the Grand Rapids/Kent County Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Michigan Land Use Institute, and the Grand Rapids Community Foundation, where he chairs the Investment Review Committee.
Joseph A. Davio
Regional Bank President,
Comerica Bank
Joseph A. Davio, Regional Bank President, joined Comerica in 1985 and has more than 30 years of banking experience. He has held several leadership positions within the community, including serving on the boards of the Grand Rapids Symphony and the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce where he was a member of the Regional Cooperation Committee. Davio is a member of the Peninsular Club, the Cascade Country Club, and St. Roberts Catholic Church.
Daryl J. Delabbio
County Administrator/Controller,
Kent County
Daryl Delabbio became the Administrator/Controller for Kent County in 1988 after serving as the Assistant County Administrator for three years. With more than 30 years of experience in public administration, Delabbio has held leadership positions with the city of Rockford and two other Michigan communities. He holds a bachelor’s and a master’s of management from Aquinas College. He also has a master’s in public administration from Wayne State University, and a Ph.D. from Western Michigan University.
Doug DeVos
President,
Alticor
Doug DeVos is President of Alticor Inc., overseeing the daily operations of the company and its subsidiaries: Amway Corp., Quixtar Inc., and Access Business Group LLC. In his leadership of Alticor, DeVos has helped the company evolve into one of the world’s most international firms, and has overseen global operations for European, Asian and North American markets. Actively involved in the Greater Grand Rapids community, DeVos serves on such boards as the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, the Gerald R. Ford Foundation, and Keystone Community Church.
Jeanne Englehart*
President,
Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce
Jeanne Englehart is President of the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce. As such, she is responsible for the daily management of chamber operations including overseeing a staff of 30 and an annual operating budget of more than $3 million. Prior to this position, Englehart was the Community Services Director for Congressman Vernon J. Ehlers, and was the founder and owner of Productivity Point International, an instructor-led computer training company. She serves on several boards in the community including the Economic Club of Grand Rapids, the Student Advancement Foundation, Huntington Bank Women’s Advisory Council, the Rotary Club of Grand Rapids and the West Michigan Center for Arts & Technology.
Lawrence E. Erhardt, Sr.*
Executive Chairman,
Erhardt Construction
Larry Erhardt founded Erhardt Construction in 1962. He retired from the company in November 2006. His strong commitment to client needs, dedication to the highest quality of construction, and utmost professionalism are virtues that have given Erhardt Construction the reputation that it has today.
Edward E. Frederick
President,
Buehler Realty, Inc.
Ed Frederick is President of Buehler Realty, Inc., a multi-million dollar personal real estate company with offices in Kent and Allegan counties. With over 35 years in the industry, his community involvement consists of board participation with a number of organizations including the Kentwood Economic Development Corporation, the Kentwood Redevelopment Committee, and the Ronald McDonald House. He is a past chairman of the Metropolitan Water & Sewer Planning Authority for Kent and Ottawa counties, and a past president of the Wyoming Economic Development Corporation. Frederick has served on the board of the Grand Rapids Association of Realtors for more than 30 years and is a recipient of its Realtor of the Year and Million Dollar Sales awards. He received his B.B.A. from Western Michigan University, his G.R.I. from the Michigan Association of Realtors and his R.A.M. from the University of Michigan.
Danny R. Gaydou*
Publisher,
The Grand Rapids Press
Dan Gaydou is Publisher of The Grand Rapids Press, a position he’s held since 1996.
In addition to serving on the board of The Right Place, Inc., Gaydou chairs the Spectrum Health Board of Directors, the Cornerstone University Foundation and the Grand Rapids Public Museum Friends Foundation. He is President of the Museum and he is a board member of the Economic Club of Grand Rapids as well as the Inland Press Association and the Michigan Colleges Foundation. Gaydou is a graduate of the University of Michigan, with a bachelor’s degree in accounting, and is a Certified Public Accountant.
James P. Hackett
President & CEO,
Steelcase Inc.
James P. Hackett is President and Chief Executive Officer of Steelcase Inc, an international work effectiveness company whose knowledge, products and services enhance the quality of people's lives in work environments. Named to this role in December 1994, Hackett oversees all operations of Steelcase Inc., including domestic and international operations. He also serves on the board of directors for Northwestern Mutual Life in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Fifth Third Bancorp in Cincinnati, Ohio. Hackett holds a bachelor’s degree in general studies from the University of Michigan.
Richard P. Haslinger
President, West Michigan Region,
Chase
Richard Haslinger has been President of Chase, West Michigan and leader of its middle market commercial banking segment since 1998. He has more than 25 years of experience with Chase and its legacy banks in Michigan, holding leadership positions in retail, middle market, and large corporate banking. Haslinger is committed to West Michigan, serving on a variety of community boards. He is a past president of the Grand Rapids Community Foundation board, a trustee of the Grand Valley Foundation, a member of the Grand Action Executive Committee, a sustaining member of The Economic Club of Grand Rapids, and a member of the Association for Corporate Growth.
Thomas W. Hiller
Managing Partner,
BDO Seidman, LLP
Tom Hiller is an Audit Partner for BDO Seidman, LLP with more than 30 years of public accounting experience. He serves as the Assurance Office Business Line Leader, responsible for managing the business line within the Grand Rapids office, and is the firm’s National Director of Insurance Industry Services. Hiller joined BDO after receiving his bachelor’s of business administration from the University of Notre Dame. He holds memberships in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants, having served as chairman of the Western Michigan Chapter. Hiller currently serves on the board of directors for the Griffins Youth Foundation and Proaction Behavioral Health Alliance. He is also a member of the advisory board for Grand Valley State University’s Seidman College of Business and is a trustee for the Grand Valley State University Foundation.
John C. Kennedy*
President & CEO,
Autocam Corporation
John C. Kennedy has been the President and CEO of Autocam Corporation since 1988. Today, Autocam is a worldwide manufacturer of precision machined components for the automotive and medical instruments industries. Beyond his business commitments, Kennedy devotes time to a number of organizations. He is a member of the boards of Fifth Third Bank, Sligh Furniture Company, Lacks Enterprises, Pyper Products, Van Andel Institute, and Cooper Standard Automotive. He is president of the Grand Rapids Catholic Secondary Schools Board and has previously served on the boards of the University of Detroit Mercy, Grand Valley State University and the Michigan Business Roundtable. Kennedy received his bachelor’s from the University of Detroit Mercy and his MBA from the University of Michigan.
Kurt F. Kimball
City Manager,
City of Grand Rapids
Kurt Kimball’s 33-year professional career has been devoted to the city of Grand Rapids; the past 20 of which as its City Manager. He earned two degrees from the University of Michigan, including a master’s in public policy from the Ford School of Public Policy. Kimball is a true believer in public-private partnerships. He has successfully managed the public side of partnerships that yielded the Van Andel Museum Center, the Van Andel Arena, and DeVos Place. He is a past president of the Michigan City Management Association and an architect of the Grand Valley Metropolitan Council.
Birgit M. Klohs*
President,
The Right Place, Inc.
Birgit M. Klohs is President of The Right Place, Inc., a position she has held since 1987. A native of Germany, she joined the staff from Grand Valley State University where she was Assistant Director of the Office for Economic Expansion. Her professional economic development experience began in 1977 as an Industrial Consultant with the Economic Development Corporation of Berrien County, Michigan. Her formal education includes a degree in finance from Western Michigan University. Klohs also is a graduate of the Economic Development Institute of the University of Oklahoma, as well as a certified Economic Development Finance Professional. She has many professional and volunteer affiliations in the community, serving on the boards of such organizations as Spectrum Health, Macatawa Bank, the Employers' Association and the Grand Rapids Symphony. She is a member of the state of Michigan's Council of Economic Advisors and serves on the board of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.
Kenneth D. Krombeen
City Manager,
City of Grandville
Mark Lindquist*
President,
Rapid-Line Inc.
Hank Meijer
Co-Chairman/CEO,
Meijer, Inc.
Hank Meijer is Co-Chairman and Co-CEO of Meijer, Inc. After serving as a reporter for a southeast Michigan suburban newspaper group, he became Editor and later Publisher of The Crier, a weekly newspaper in Plymouth, Michigan. He joined Meijer in 1979 as Assistant Advertising Director, and became Marketing Director in 1983. In 1984, he published Thrifty Years, a biography of Hendrik Meijer, the company’s founder and his grandfather. His articles on Michigan Senator Arthur Vandenberg have been published in the Michigan Historical Review, and he wrote the entry on the Senator for Simon and Schuster’s Encyclopedia of the United States Congress. Hank is a trustee of the Gerald R. Ford Museum Foundation, Vice President of the Grand Rapids Area Council for the Humanities, and has been active in fundraising for the Grand Rapids Art Museum. He serves on the boards of Fifth Third Bank, the Kettering Foundation and the Food Marketing Institute.
Milton W. Rohwer
President,
Frey Foundation
Milt Rohwer is the President of the Frey Foundation. Prior to joining the foundation, he served as the first President of The Right Place Program and subsequently served as the President of the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce. Before joining the Chamber, Rohwer held a number of local government management positions related to planning and development in Grand Rapids, Detroit, and Ferndale. He has a master’s in public administration from the University of Michigan and a bachelor’s from Kalamazoo College. Rohwer serves on the boards of the West Michigan Strategic Alliance, The Nature Conservancy, Michigan’s Children, and Porter Hills.
John G. Russell
President and Chief Operating Officer,
Consumers Energy Company
John G. Russell is President and Chief Operating Officer of Consumers Energy, CMS Energy's principal subsidiary. Russell has served in a variety of capacities since joining the utility in 1982. During a break in service from 1985 to 1987, he managed the shipping operation for Meijer, Inc. Russell is a graduate of Michigan State University, and has also completed the Program for Management Development at the Harvard Business School. He is a member of the board of directors and the executive committee of the American Gas Association. He serves on the board of the Association of Edison Illuminating Companies, the Dean's Advisory Board of Grand Valley State University's Seidman College of Business, the Michigan Virtual University, and the Jackson Community Foundation.
Fred Shell
Vice President of Corporate & Government Affairs,
DTE Energy
Fred Shell, is Vice President of Corporate and Governmental Affairs at DTE Energy, a Detroit-based diversified energy company involved in the development and management of energy-related businesses and services nationwide. He also serves as President of the DTE Energy Foundation where he is responsible for overseeing the company’s philanthropic contributions and community outreach programs. Shell earned a bachelor’s in history and political science from Western Michigan University, and is a graduate of the University of Michigan’s Public Utility Executive Program. He is on the board of directors of the Detroit Historical Society, the Metro Detroit Visitors & Convention Bureau, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation Foundation, the Michigan State Chamber, the Detroit Metro Sports Commission, and the Michigan Political Leadership Program.
Daniel W. Terpsma
Senior Vice President, Market Executive, Michigan,
Bank of America
Daniel Terpsma is Middle Market and Business Banking market executive in Michigan for Bank of America Corporation. Prior to this, he was the Group Senior Vice President and head of Commercial Banking for LaSalle Bank's West Michigan Region. In this role, Terpsma was responsible for all commercial lending activities for LaSalle in Grand Rapids and throughout West Michigan.
Mr. Terpsma began his banking career with Old Kent Financial Corporation in 1979 as a Commercial Loan Officer. He went on to hold positions of increasing responsibility, including Vice President and Manager of Corporate Banking, and President of Old Kent Bank -- East. Prior to joining LaSalle in 2001, he was Executive Vice President in charge of Commercial Banking for Old Kent Financial Corporation, responsible for Michigan and Illinois Commercial Banking.
Mr. Terpsma earned a bachelor's degree from Grand Valley State University in 1978 and an MBA from Western Michigan University in 1983. He serves on the Boards of The Right Place, Inc., Grand Valley State University Foundation, Goodwill Industries, Grand Rapids Art Museum, Porter Hills Retirement Communities and Services, Metro Health Hospital Foundation, and Metal Flow Corporation in Holland.
David L. Van Andel*
Chairman/CEO,
Van Andel Institute
David Van Andel is Chairman and CEO of the Van Andel Institute for Education and Medical Research, as well as IdeaSphere Inc. Most recently he held the position of Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Alticor’s Pyxis Innovations Business Unit and currently holds a seat on the corporation’s board of directors. Prior to this position, Van Andel was Senior Vice President – Americas and Europe, overseeing the Amway business activities in North America, Europe, Latin America. Van Andel is Co-owner and Chairman of the Grand Rapids Griffins, an International Hockey League team, and he’s active in various community organizations including the American Cancer Society Foundation, Great Lakes Division, and the Hope College Board of Trustees. He is a graduate of Hope College in Holland, Michigan.
Michelle Van Dyke*
President/CEO,
Fifth Third Bank - Michigan
As President and CEO of Fifth Third Bank – Michigan, Michelle Van Dyke oversees the management of the Western Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Northern Michigan and Tampa Bay, FL Fifth Third Bank affiliates. She previously served as Executive Vice President, Retail Banking for Fifth Third Bank, Western Michigan. Van Dyke’s banking career began with Old Kent Bank as a college intern. Within ten years, she relocated to Illinois to serve as Senior Vice President and Manager of the Illinois Mortgage region, and was eventually named President of Old Kent Bank, Illinois. When Fifth Third Bank acquired Old Kent Bank in 2001, Van Dyke returned to West Michigan. She is passionate about supporting her local community, sitting on a number of local boards. Notably, Van Dyke serves as Chair of the 2007 Strong Kids campaign for the YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids.
Peter Varga
Chief Executive Officer,
The Interurban Transit Partnership
Douglas E. Wagner
Managing Partner,
Warner Norcross & Judd LLP
Douglas Wagner, Managing Partner of Warner Norcross & Judd LLP, is a senior litigator concentrating his practice in commercial contract, product liability, consumer product counseling, risk management, and insurance coverage disputes. As chair of the firm’s Management Committee, he helps guide the strategic direction and growth of Warner Norcross, the largest law firm headquartered in West Michigan. Wagner is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. He is also recognized as one of The Best Lawyers in America for Commercial Litigation.
Brian Walker
President/CEO,
Herman Miller, Inc.
Brian Walker is President and CEO of Herman Miller, Inc. He had earlier served as President of Herman Miller North America, as well as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. He was instrumental in the adoption of the Economic Value Added (EVA) financial and performance metric at Herman Miller, which has been used to improve employee financial literacy and to further align employee and shareholder interests. Walker serves on the Board of Directors for Briggs & Stratton and on the international advisory board for Stern Stewart & Co. He is also a trustee on the Citizens Research Council of Michigan, a private, not-for-profit public affairs research organization established in 1916 to provide nonpartisan analysis of state and local government organization and finance in Michigan.
Sean Welsh
Regional President,
National City Bank of the Midwest
Sean Welsh currently serves as Regional President for the West and Northern Michigan Regions of National City Bank of the Midwest. Previously he served as senior vice president and division manager for National City’s middle-market banking group in Chicago and Northern Illinois. During that time, he exponentially increased National City’s penetration in this market, the largest in the bank’s footprint. Welsh joined National City via its predecessor bank, First of America. He held several line and management positions with First of America including vice president & group manager, corporate banking and vice president & group manager investment real estate. Welsh currently serves on the Boards of the Grand Rapids Symphony, The Dwelling Place, Heart of West Michigan United Way, Gerald R. Ford Boy Scouts of America, and The Mackinac Center – West Michigan Advisory Board.
John Wheeler
Chairman/CEO,
Rockford Construction Company, Inc.
John Wheeler has more than 30 years of experience in construction, architecture and real estate development. Since forming Rockford Construction Company in 1987, he has grown the company to a 200-person firm with more than $285 million in annual revenue. He is also the founding partner of Rockford Development Group. Wheeler is active in several community initiatives, leading various volunteer efforts from the Rally for Hope and Hunger to the renovation of Camp O’Malley. His role as a business leader is strengthened through his continuing commitment to helping the less fortunate.
Michael G. Wooldridge
Policy Committee Chair,
Varnum, Riddering, Schmidt & Howlett LLP
Michael Wooldridge is an attorney with Varnum, Riddering, Schmidt & Howlett. He graduated magna cum laude from Alma College and is also an alumnae of Cornell University Law School. At Varnum, Wooldridge is a partner in the Corporate practice group and chair of the firm's Policy Committee. His specialties include corporate governance, securities, and mergers and acquisitions. Professional affiliations include memberships in the American Bar Association, State Bar of Michigan, Grand Rapids Bar Association, and American Society of Corporate Secretaries. He has also been listed in The Best Lawyers in America. Wooldridge is active in the community having served as project coordinator for fundraising for the American Cancer Society and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. He served for six years on the Board of Directors of Blythefield Country Club and on the Board of Varnum Consulting. He is also a former member and officer of the Rockford Riptide Swim program and is a Little League baseball coach.
