The Northern Michigan University Board of Trustees recently elected new leadership for calendar year 2018. Robert Mahaney of Marquette will serve as chair of the board and Steve Mitchell of West Bloomfield is vice chair. Trustees also approved standing committees, with James Haveman of Grand Haven appointed chair of the Finance Committee and Tami Seavoy of Marquette serving as chair of the Academic Affairs Committee.

“It’s a great honor to serve as NMU’s board chair, especially at this time as Northern builds on its many recent successes,” Mahaney said. “Under the leadership of President Erickson and his team, including many visionary faculty, the university has made great strides in recent years.  These include achieving the largest freshman enrollment gain of any Michigan public university, creating several new nationally acclaimed academic programs, rolling out the EAN internet access system across the Upper Peninsula and investing well over $100 million in new campus facilities.” 

Mahaney also commented on the board’s priorities for the upcoming year: “Our focus will continue to be on executing and refining the university’s 2017 strategic plan, while pursuing excellence across all aspects of the university. Northern’s future is brighter than ever, and this board and administration are fully committed to realizing the university’s full potential.”

Mahaney is president and founder of the Veridea Group, a real estate development and hotel management firm based in Marquette. He also serves on the board of directors of Mackinac Financial Corporation and mBank, and is the board chair of Invest UP, a private sector-led economic development organization focused on driving economic growth across the Upper Peninsula.

Mitchell is president of Mitchell Research & Communications, Inc., a national marketing research, public affairs/public relations, political polling and consulting company headquartered in East Lansing.  He founded the company in 1985 after working on the national staff of Reagan-Bush 84. The Ishpeming native graduated from NMU in 1967 with a dual major in political science/history and a minor in speech. He is a past distinguished alumni award recipient.

Haveman previously served as director of the Michigan Department of Community Health and of the Department of Mental Health under Governors Rick Snyder and John Engler. In addition to being president of the Haveman Group consulting firm, he is the finance chair of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation board and a member of the board of trustees for the Grand Rapids Public Museum. Haveman also serves on the national advisory board of the University of Michigan’s Institute for Health Policy and Innovation. 

Seavoy is an attorney with the Marquette firm of Kendricks, Bordeau, Adamini, Greenlee, & Keefe, P.C. She is a member of the Michigan Bar Association, Marquette County Bar Association and the American Health Lawyers Association. She also serves on the Bay Cliff Health Camp board of directors, the Superior Arts Youth Theater board and the NMU College of Business Dean’s Advisory Council.