SVSU Board Establishes Presidential Search Advisory Committee

The Saginaw Valley State University Board of Control has established an 18-member presidential search advisory committee to help select the university’s fifth president. The committee includes both campus and community representatives. The board has hired executive search firm WittKieffer to find and review candidates.

SVSU President Don Bachand announced in November that he plans to retire in December 2022. An online survey is available for sharing thoughts on what the university should be looking for in its next president: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SVSU-Pres-Survey

Listening sessions are being held for faculty, staff and students this month, with one session open to others in the community on February 25 at 2:00 p.m.

“The Board and I have tremendous confidence in the faculty, staff, students and administration of SVSU,” said Vicki Rupp, chair of the SVSU Board of Control. “We have a campus culture where people care about one another and treat one another with respect, even when they disagree. We have managed to remain true to our mission of serving students, even during a pandemic. The presidency of SVSU is a very appealing opportunity for the right candidate who can build upon our solid foundation and who has a vision for how SVSU will transform in the years to come.”

Rupp will co-chair the search advisory committee with Raj Wiener, vice chair of the Board of Control. Both are SVSU alumni.

The other members of the search advisory committee are:

· Mary Anne Ackerman, SVSU Executive-in-Residence, Gerstacker Program

· Dr. Stephanie Duggan, Regional President and CEO of Ascension St. Mary’s Hospital

· Brandon Haskett, SVSU professor of music and president of the SVSU Faculty Association

· Dennis Hoeg, Vice President and North America President at Nexteer Automotive

· Deborah Huntley, SVSU Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

· Mazen Jaber, SVSU professor of marketing

· Gerald Kariem, Director of the Ford Department for the United Auto Workers

· Josie Koenigsknecht, current SVSU student and representative of the SVSU Student Association

· Averetta Lewis, SVSU professor of nursing

· Kelley Peatross, Regional Director of Community and Public Affairs at Consumers Energy

· Ron Portwine, SVSU associate vice president for Administration for Business Affairs, Chief Business Officer

· Ricardo Resio, Corporate Director of Human Resources at Morley

· Monica Reyes, Director of the Great Lakes Bay Hispanic Leadership Institute

· Tami Sivy, SVSU professor of chemistry

· Mamie Thorns, SVSU associate vice president and Chief Diversity Officer for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

· Jenee Velasquez, Executive Director for The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation