FERRIS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Executive Committee
- Executive
- Immediate past Chair
- Member of the Finance Committee
- Member of the Officers Team
- Mayor of East Grand Rapids
Amna Seibold, mayor of East Grand Rapids, joined the Ferris Board in January of 2017. She served as mayor of East Grand Rapids from 2011 to 2019, after six years of service as a city commissioner and five years as a planning commissioner. A 1975 graduate of East Grand Rapids High School, she attended Albion College and later earned her master's degree in health administration from the University of Michigan. Her term expires Dec. 31, 2024, filling the seat previously held by Alisha Baker.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Officers Team
- Vice Chair
Job Titles:
- Advancement Communications Specialist
Job Titles:
- Provost / Vice President, Academic Affairs
Job Titles:
- Director for Alumni Relations
- Director of Annual Giving and Alumni Relations, Executive Director of the Ferris Alumni Association
Job Titles:
- Marketing Communication Specialist
Christy is the Lead Print Specialist at Ferris Printing Services. She was born in Stuttgart, Germany and later raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Christy has always enjoyed art and printing is a career in which she can use her creativity. Her interests include her ten grandchildren, gardening, many artistic endeavors, reading and music.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Governmental and External Affairs
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Associate Vice President for Marketing and Communications
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Diversity, Inclusion and Strategic Initiatives
Job Titles:
- Leader
- Member of the Leadership Team
- First Member of Her Family
- Vice President for University Advancement
- Vice President for University Advancement and Marketing
Dr. Kathryn Mullins is Ferris State University's vice president for University Advancement and Marketing, overseeing efforts to make a Ferris education accessible to more students and sharing the Ferris story around the state and beyond.
The first member of her family to attend college, Mullins has spent nearly 30 years working in education, including 10 years in K-12 administration and 18 years at Grand Rapids Community College, where she last served as vice president for College Advancement and executive director of the GRCC Foundation.
Mullins is a leader in the community, serving as a member of the board for the Fair Housing Center of West Michigan, the Mecosta County Development Corporation, and was a 2013 GRCC Salute to Women honoree.
Mullins is a Ferris alumna, earning a doctoral degree in Community College Leadership. She also earned an associate degree and bachelor's degree in business, and a Master of Business Administration in Leadership Studies from Baker College.
Job Titles:
- Director of Digital Marketing
From the enduring wisdom of our founders to the victories of our Bulldog student-athletes, Ferris State University's faculty, staff, students, alumni, board members, fans, and supporters have a lot to be proud of.
Our campus and our landmarks, such as the FLITE library and Carillon Tower, are beacons that welcome all Bulldogs home. New projects, like the Center for Athletic Performance and Center for Virtual Learning, bring cutting-edge resources to our campus.
The faculty and staff at Ferris are consistently recognized for their scholarship, their expertise, and their unmatched dedication to our students.
Our academic programs are innovative, comprehensive, and in many cases, ranked amongst the best in the world. They help our students accelerate their education, their careers, and their lives forward.
Appointed December 28, 2020 by Governor Gretchen Whitmer George K. Heartwell, III is the former mayor of Grand Rapids. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and English Literature from Albion College and a Master of Divinity from the Western Theological Seminary. Heartwell currently serves as a member of the Great Lakes Water Quality Board, Muskegon River Watershed Assembly, Newaygo Economic Development Corporation, Environmental Law and Policy Center Michigan Board, and the Zoning Board of Appeals for the City of Newaygo and for Garfield Township. He will serve a term expiring December 31, 2028, filling the seat previously held by Robert Hegbloom.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Risk Management Team
Job Titles:
- Stewardship and Donor Relations Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Student Affairs
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Associate Vice President for Advancement, Executive Director of the Ferris Foundation
Job Titles:
- Finance
- Vice President, Administration
Job Titles:
- Communications Specialist
Job Titles:
- Corporate and Foundation Grants Manager
Job Titles:
- Secretary to the Board and Admin Assistant to the President
Job Titles:
- Director of Advancement - Major Gifts
Job Titles:
- Administrative Assistant for Marketing and Communications ( Part - Time )
Job Titles:
- Executive Assistant to the Vice President of University Advancement and Marketing
Job Titles:
- Member of the Finance Committee
- Secretary
Kurt Hofman, Ferris alumnus and executive vice president at RoMan Manufacturing, joined the Board in January 2019. Hofman earned an associate degree in Welding Engineering Technology from Ferris' College of Engineering Technology in 1983 and a bachelor's degree in Welding Engineering from Arizona State University. He serves on the advisory board for Ferris' Welding Engineering Technology program and is chair-elect for The Ferris Foundation Board of Directors. In addition, he has served the industry in various roles including those of Chairman of the Western Michigan Section of the American Welding Society and member of the Board of Directors of the Resistance Welding Manufacturing Alliance where he chaired various committees. Hofman resides in Grand Rapids and will serve a term expiring Dec. 31, 2026, filling the seat previously held by Gary Granger.
Job Titles:
- Certified Public Accountant
- Chairman of the Finance Committee
LaShanda R. Thomas, a certified public accountant, joined the Ferris Board in January of 2017. A certified public accountant for more than 20 years, Thomas established The Clairmount Group, PLC, Certified Public Accountants, in 2002, where she is the managing partner. She graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting. She is active in her community and is a member of the local chapters of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Jack and Jill of America, and The Links, Incorporated. She resides in Grosse Pointe and will serve a term expiring Dec. 31, 2024, filling the seat previously held by Arthur Tebo.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Member of the Finance Committee
- Member of the Officers Team
- Member - at - Large
Job Titles:
- Alumni Relations Assistant
My friends call me Matt. I have worked at Ferris PrintServices for a year and a half and initially chose this career path because it allowed me to spend more time with my family and continue my education. The more time I spend here, the more I develop an interest in design work. However, my favorite part of my job is getting to know all our customers whether they're a part of the Ferris family or the Big Rapids community. I am a jack of all trades. Throughout the day, you can find me helping customers, doing file set-up/design, and printing. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my wife, 19-month-old daughter, hunting, reading, exercising and falling into the occasional DIY YouTube hole.
Melinda is a Ferris Alumni - class of '90 with her Bachelor's Degree in Printing Management.
Before and during college she's worked at local printshops. After graduating Ferris, she worked with various printing companies around the state from small shops to larger commercial operations. She attended Northwood University's DeVos Graduate School where she earned her Master's of Business Administration degree. On a more personal level, Melinda is a native of Mecosta County. She grew up in Stanwood, just south of Big Rapids and graduated from Morley Stanwood High School. Her family has deep roots in the Big Rapids area. She enjoys her horses and her small farm and is happy to be working at home in Big Rapids again. In addition to leading Ferris Printing Services, she also teaches students in the Graphic Communications and Graphic Media Management program. Melinda enjoys teaching and training.
Michael Fisher, of Lansing, currently serves as an associate general counsel for the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe of Michigan. After graduating law school, he joined Miller Canfield, Paddock and Stone as an associate attorney in the Energy, Environmental, and Regulatory Practice Group. He earned his Juris Doctor degree from Georgetown University Law Center, Master of Public Administration from Central Michigan University, and Bachelor of Science in Environmental Biology from Ferris State University. Mr. Fisher is a direct descendant of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan. Mr. Fisher is appointed for a term commencing February 2, 2023, and expiring December 31, 2030. He succeeds Rupesh Srivastava whose term has expired.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Governmental Relations and General Counsel
Job Titles:
- Graphic Design / Copywriter
Job Titles:
- Director of Advancement Services
Job Titles:
- Donor Relations Assistant ( Part - Time )
Ronald E. Snead, Sr., of Stanwood, is retired from Dixien, LLC, a supplier of metal stampings and plastic molded parts to the automotive industry, where he served as vice president of corporate relations. He is a former member of the Board of Trustees and was the first African American alumnus of Ferris to chair the Board of Trustees. He is the recipient of the 1995 Ferris Distinguished Alumnus Award and the Giants William Glenn Trailblazer Award in 2011. Snead is appointed for a term expiring December 31, 2028, filling the seat previously held by Lori Gwizdala.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Officers Team
- Secretary
Job Titles:
- Director of News Services / Social Media
Job Titles:
- Advancement Services Account Specialist
Job Titles:
- President, Kendall College of Art and Design
Job Titles:
- Digital Production Specialist