Jim Dunlap*
Chair
Senior Executive Vice President, Commercial Banking Director,
Huntington Bank
Jim Dunlap is the Senior Executive Vice President/Commercial Banking Director for Huntington Bank. With a tenure of more than 28 years with Huntington, Dunlap is the West Michigan Region President and the company's Commercial Banking Director. Dunlap also has the added responsibility for the strategic direction of the company's charitable giving programs, recognizing his outstanding efforts in this area.
Previous to these appointments, Dunlap 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.
Doug DeVos*
Vice-Chair
President,
Alticor Inc.
Doug DeVos is President of Alticor Inc., overseeing the daily operations of the company and its subsidiaries: Quixtar Inc., and Access Business Group LLC. In his leadership of Amway, 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.
Michelle Van Dyke*
Treasurer
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.
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.
Michael J. DeVries
Supervisor,
Grand Rapids Charter Township
Michael J. DeVries is the Supervisor of Grand Rapids Charter Township a community with a population of some 17,000 people encompassing over fifteen square miles. The Township is home to many of West Michigan’s finest businesses and organizations, including health care facilities, elder care providers, public and private educational institutions, numerous recreational areas and the crown jewel, Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park. A lifelong resident of Grand Rapids, DeVries was appointed to the position in 1998. As the chief elected official he is responsible for the administration, operations and financial planning of the Township. He serves as the President of the Kent County Supervisors Association, is a member of the Plainfield Avenue Corridor Improvement Authority Board, Vice- Chair of the Grand Valley Metropolitan Counsel Legislative committee in addition to serving on the Counsels Finance and Personnel committees.
Steven Ender
President,
Grand Rapids Community College
In May 2009, Dr. Steven C. Ender became the ninth president of Grand Rapids Community College. During his more than 30 years in higher education, Dr. Ender has held numerous teaching, counseling and administrative positions and has published extensively in refereed journals as well as textbooks. His most recent professional position prior to the GRCC presidency was serving as president of Westmoreland Community College. A Richmond, Virginia native, Dr. Ender holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from Virginia Commonwealth University; master's and doctoral degrees in education from the University of Georgia; and has completed post-doctoral studies at The Snowmass Institute in Snowmass, Colorado and Harvard University.
Among his honors and achievements, in 2002 Dr. Ender was named to the National Advisory Board for "Helping Teens Succeed," a college transition program. He received the Pennsylvania Association for Developmental Educators Award for Research and Publication in 1998, and the Award for Excellence from the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild of Pittsburgh in 1993. As a young man, he achieved Eagle Scout status.
Dr. Ender serves on the Economic and Workforce Development Commission of the American Association of Community Colleges, the Lifelong Learning Commission of the American Council on Education, and the board of the National Junior College Athletic Association as a presidential representative.
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.
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.
Thomas Haas
President,
Grand Valley State University
President Thomas J. Haas is Grand Valley State University’s fourth president.
During the past 25 years, Haas has been a tenured faculty member, department chair, dean, vice president and president. Just prior to his appointment in 2006, Haas was president of the State University of New York Cobleskill.
He is a 1973 honors graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and served two years on the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Acacia in Port Huron. He then earned a Master of Science in chemistry and another in environmental health sciences at the University of Michigan. Haas also holds a Master of Science in human resource management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, NY) and a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Connecticut (Storrs, CT).
Haas is an internationally recognized expert in hazardous material transportation and has published more than 70 articles in a variety of journals. In addition to his appointment as president of Grand Valley, Haas has also been appointed professor of chemistry.
He is active in the community serving on the board for Grand Rapids Medical Education and Research Center, Grand Rapids Economic Club, Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce, and Grand Rapids Opera. He is a member of the Grand Rapids Rotary Club, consultant and evaluator for North Central Association Higher Learning Commission and a Commissioner for the American Council of Education Commission on Effective Leadership. He is also president of the Michigan Public Universities Presidents Council.
Haas has professional and personal ties to Michigan. Haas is married to Marcia (Knapp) Haas, who is a native of Union City and a graduate of Albion College. They have three children and three grandchildren and have other family living in Grand Rapids.
Grand Valley State University attracts more than 23,000 students with academic excellence, first-rate faculty, and state-of-the-art facilities. Grand Valley is the comprehensive university for the state’s second largest metropolitan area and offers 69 undergraduate and 26 graduate degree programs. It has campuses in Allendale, Grand Rapids, and Holland and centers in Muskegon and Traverse City. The university’s focus on a strong liberal education fosters critical thinking, creative problem solving, and cultural understanding. Through personalized learning enhanced by active scholarship, Grand Valley accomplishes its mission of educating students to shape their lives, their professions, and their societies.
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.
Brian T. Harris*
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.
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.
Birgit M. Klohs*
President & CEO,
The Right Place, Inc.
Birgit Klohs is President & CEO of The Right Place, Inc., a position she has held since 1987. The Right Place, Inc. is the regional economic development organization for the retention, expansion and attraction of businesses to the West Michigan Area.
Ms. Klohs, a native of Germany, came to The Right Place, Inc. from Grand Valley State University (GVSU), where she served as Assistant Director of the Office for Economic Expansion.
Prior to her association with GVSU, Ms. Klohs was affiliated with Prince Corporation in Holland, Michigan.
Her economic development career began in 1977 as an Industrial Consultant with the Economic Development Corporation of Berrien County, Michigan. Following her experience in Berrien County, she joined the Michigan Department of Commerce as an Account Executive for the West Michigan region.
She is a graduate of Western Michigan University, where she earned her B.A. degree in Corporate Finance. She is a graduate of the Economic Development Institute of the University of Oklahoma; and completed the professional economic development finance program through the National Development Council. She also attended Harvard University’s program on negotiation.
Ms. Klohs is a frequent speaker at national and international economic development conferences and seminars. She has
lectured in France, Great Britain, Germany, Sweden, China, Australia and Israel.
She is involved in numerous local and state-wide activities. Ms. Klohs enjoys cooking, gardening, reading and travel.
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.
Lawrence J. Murphy
Managing Partner,
Varnum, Riddering, Schmidt & Howlett LLP
Larry Murphy is the Managing Partner for Varnum, Riddering, Schmidt & Howlett LLP. He represents management clients in all facets of labor and employment law, including traditional labor law and union avoidance; employment discrimination law; wage and hour law; occupational safety and health law; sexual harassment; wrongful termination; executive employment contracts; personnel policies and manuals; discipline issues; corporate downsizing; trade secret anti-piracy and noncompete agreements; drug and alcohol testing; and government contractor obligations.
Murphy is a graduate of the University of Michigan and Wayne State University. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the State Bar of Michigan’s Labor & Employment Section, the Federal Bar Association for the Western District of Michigan and state bar associations in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin. In Grand Rapids, he is also a board member of Housing Resources, Inc.
Craig Mutch
Managing Partner,
Miller Johnson
Richard J. Pappas Ed.D
President,
Davenport University
Richard J. Pappas, Ed.D, was appointed in 2009 as the fifth president of Davenport University, in Grand Rapids, Mich. Dr. Pappas was previously president of National-Louis University, in Chicago, where he developed a strategic plan with an inclusive process that included faculty, staff, students, alumni and board members. He also substantially increased student retention by creating an undergraduate advising system and helped increase the endowment from $6 million to $27 million.
As the new president of private, nonprofit Davenport University, Dr. Pappas is responsible for leading the strategic direction for a university with a recently established residential campus in Grand Rapids serving a large population of traditional-age students, statewide locations primarily for adult learners, an enrollment of more than 11,000 that is growing in academic achievement, and a commitment to a dynamic practical curriculum specialized in business, technology and health professions that continues to respond to the demands of the marketplace. He has set a primary initial goal of working with university stakeholders in developing a strategic plan for Davenport as he has done for other universities.
Prior to coming to NLU he was president of Lake Michigan College, in Benton Harbor, Mich. The board of trustees named the student services center for him. Before Lake Michigan College, he was president of Harford Community College, in Bel Air, Md.
A native of Michigan, Dr. Pappas earned his doctoral and master’s degrees from the University of Michigan and his undergraduate degree from Eastern Michigan University.
Peter Perez*
President,
Carter Products, Co.
Peter Perez was born and raised in Elkhart, Indiana. He graduated cum laude from Phillips Academy, Andover, Massachusetts in 1958. He was educated at Yale University where he received his BA degree in English Literature in 1962. After serving three years as an officer in the United States Navy, he returned to school and completed his MBA degree at Indiana University in 1967.
In 1990 Peter and his wife Carroll became the owners of Carter Products Company based in Grand Rapids, MI. Known for many decades as a leading producer of accessory equipment for the industrial woodworking machinery industry, Carter has grown under Peter’s direction with the addition of many new product lines aimed at the stone, solid surface and home hobbyist woodworking markets.
Peter served as President of the Wood Machinery Manufacturers of America (WMMA), a trade association with over 200 member companies, from 2004-2006 and continues on the Board and Executive Committee as the Immediate Past President. He also is active in promoting initiatives to raise awareness of the importance of manufacturing to the overall American economy. His company is a member of the National Association of Manufacturers and Perez also serves on the NAM Board of Directors as a representative of small and medium manufacturing companies. Carter Products also is a member of the Michigan Manufacturers Association, National Federation of Independent Business, the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce and several industry trade associations.
Locally he is Chairman and a member of the Executive Committee of The Right Place’s Manufacturers Council. Peter is a member of the Board of Directors of the Grand Rapids Symphony. He serves as Program Chairman of the Economic Club of Grand Rapids and is on this organization’s Executive Committee. In addition, he serves on the CEO Roundtable Steering Committee which guides one of the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce’s most successful programs serving over 350 CEO’s in the area. For several years he served on the vestry of his church, St. Michael’s Episcopal Church.
Peter and his wife Carroll have two sons and four grandchildren.
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.
Greg Sundstrom
City Manager,
City of Grand Rapids
Daniel W. Terpsma
Senior Vice President, Market Executive, Midwest Region,
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.
Michael VanGessel
President & CEO,
Rockford Construction Company, Inc.
PROFESSIONAL PROFILE
Mike VanGessel is a founding partner in Rockford Construction Company, Inc. He has helped grow the company from a two-person firm doing $3.1 million construction annually to a 200-person firm with total revenues more than $350 million in 2007. In the last 20 years with Rockford Construction, Mike has overseen more than 2,600 projects worth $2.5 billion throughout the United States and Canada.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
President and CEO, Rockford Construction Company, Inc. (2000 to Present) Mike actively participates in sales and project estimations, financial arrangements, and overall project management. He supervises 31 project managers, is the Vice-Chairman on the Board of Directors, and the Chairman of Human Resources. He frequently interacts with owners, developers, architects, engineers, financial institutions, title companies, city officials, and subcontractors both in the United States and Canada.
Vice President, Rockford Construction Company, Inc. (1987 to 2000) Responsibilities included client interaction, preparing estimates and bidding projects, quality assurance and warranty issues, scheduling superintendents,
and safety awareness programs.
Project Manager, Construction, Inc. (1986 to 1987) Performed quantity take-offs from plans and specifications and prepared sales
proposals, purchase orders, and subcontract agreements. Coordinated field staff and subcontractors to ensure timely completion of projects.
Assistant Project Manager/Carpenter/Field Laborer (1982 to 1986) While attending school, Mike worked in the construction field as an assistant
project manager, carpenter, and field laborer.
EDUCATION & TRAINING
Graduate of West Catholic Senior High School, Grand Rapids, Michigan
B.S. Degree in Construction Management, Michigan State University
Wharton School of Business, Continuing Education Program
FMI Project Management Training
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.
