MARQUETTE, Mich.—R.D. (Dan) Musser III, the president of Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, will be the keynote speaker at Northern Michigan University’s mid-year commencement on Saturday, Dec. 15. He also will receive an honorary Doctor of Business degree from NMU.

            Dan and his sister Mimi represent the third generation of Musser family ownership and operation of Grand Hotel, which is celebrating its 125th anniversary and billed as the world’s largest summer resort. The 385-room hotel has played a prominent role in Upper Peninsula economic development and is a rich piece of Michigan history.

Musser is responsible for all day-to-day operations of Grand Hotel, which include overseeing the front desk, convention services, food and beverage, sales and marketing, housekeeping, maintenance and recreation. He started full time in 1986 and worked his way up through every department to gain a thorough understanding of all aspects of running the hotel before he was named president in 1989.

Musser has assumed many leadership roles in the hotel industry and in his community. His current involvement includes chair of the Mackinac Island Convention and Visitors Bureau, president of the Mackinac Island Community Foundation, treasurer of the Mackinac Island Housing Corporation, trustee on the Michigan Colleges Foundation Board and member of the Michigan Retailers Association board. He also was reappointed by Gov. Rick Snyder this year to the Mackinac Bridge Authority. Musser received a bachelor’s degree from Albion College in 1986 and serves on its board of trustees.

NMU’s mid-year commencement begins at 10:30 a.m. in the Superior Dome. It will be broadcast live on WNMU-TV. The America One/B2 Networks will stream the ceremony live via the Internet, in high definition, free of charge. Follow the link at www.nmu.edu/commencement.