About Me

While I claim to be Retired Guy ;- ), I still  consult in a number of areas.  Here's my background:

I recently retired after 13 years as President of Muskegon Community College. During this time, the College raised over $50 million in funding to support the most ambitious upgrade of its facilities in 50 years. Moreover, MCC was named an Achieving the Dream Leader College (2015), and best community college in Michigan by both BestColleges.com (2017) and Intellegent.com (2021) based upon standard student success and related metrics. The College boasts two performance groups, West Michigan Concert Winds and the MCC Collegiate Singers, having recently performed in the Isaac Stern Auditorium of New York’s famed Carnegie Hall.

Prior to MCC, I served as Vice President and Dean for Academic Affairs at Adrian College and as Associate Professor and Director of the Master of Public Administration Program at Oakland University. Additionally, he served as Research Director and Technical Services Director with the Boston Police Department, as well as leadership positions with City of Boston central administration. I was a Principal Staff Associate with the National Conference of State Legislatures in Denver, Colorado and Fiscal Analyst with the Michigan Senate Fiscal Agency.  I served in consultant roles with firms as varied as IBM/Catapult, Detroit Edison, and CampusWorks.

I published five  books and book length monographs (Survey Research pictured above) and over 30 academic papers primarily in the areas of finance, technology and policing and has keynoted state and national conferences on a variety of topics.  I earned a Ph.D. in Law, Policy and Society at Northeastern University in Boston, a Master of Public Administration degree from Western Michigan University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Michigan State University.  

I serve on the CampusWorksInc Executive Advisory Board and Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp.  Through December 2023, I served nine years on Trinity Health System boards, including two years as Chair of the Trinity Health Michigan Regional Board and four years as Chair of its Compliance Committee. I  chaired the Michigan Community College Association Board of Directors and President’s Committee, notably during the COVID-19 pandemic. I served on numerous national, state, and local boards including the Center for Community College Student Engagement (CCCSE) National Board, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) Workforce Development Commission, the President’s Roundtable, the Michigan Education Trust, and the American Council of Education (ACE) Fellows Executive Board among others. I remain a Silver Life member of the NAACP.

I reside in Newburg,  Maryland with my lovely wife of 45 years, Connie. I am the proud father of two adult children, Nicole and Matthew. My interests include baking bread, making jams, and gigging on  the T-Bone.

Consultant Expertise (Selected)

Integrated Strategic Planning

Higher Education Governance

Higher Education Leadership

Technology Implementation

Policing Research

Past Professional Relationships

Elected Officials/Leaders

Boston Police Commissioner Mickey Roache

Boston Mayor Raymond L. Flynn

MI Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence

MI US Senator Carl Levin

MI Governor Gretchen Whitmer

MI Governor Rick Snyder

MI Governor Jim Blanchard

MI House Appropriations Chair 

George Cushingberry

Presidents and Chancellors

Steven Weber San Diego State University

Virinder Moudgil, Lawrence 

Technological University

Curtis Ivery, Wayne County 

Community College District

Sandra Packard, Oakland University

Gary Russi, Oakland University

Augustine Gallego, San Diego 

Community College District

I have performed as a contract/first call musician with many groups and artists you may know, especially if you go back a little ways. I studied with Phil Wilson of the Berklee College of Music and Drs. Burgess Gardner and Leonard Falcone of Michigan State University.   In June 2016, I performed on the Carnegie Hall Isaac Stern Auditorium stage with the West Michigan Concert Winds.

Current in Southern MD

Bass Trombonist - COSMIC Symphony

Trombonist/Euphonium — Southern Maryland Concert Band

Muskegon MI

Trombonist/Euphonium — First Congregational Church Brass
Principal Trombonist — Shoreline Symphony Community Orchestra
Trombonist — Starry Night Septet
Tenor/Bass Trombonist — West Michigan Concert Winds
Trombonist/Euphonium–West Michigan Worship Center Praise Team

Chuck Mangione
Red Skelton
Royal Hannerford Circus
The Temptations
Vaclav Nelhybel
Alexander Zonjic, Jeff Lorber & Kenny G (Invited Guest)

Many “pit orchestra” and studio/session gigs

Blue Lake Sousa Band
Fred Bunch/Bob Hull Big Band
Most Valuable Players

Rich Astalos Big Band

Starry Night Octet

TCA Big Band
Ultramystic

Michigan State University Ensembles

Wind Ensemble (Principal, 2nd)
Spartan Marching Band (Section Leader)
Jazz Ensemble I (Lead 2 yr)

Concert Band
Spartan Brass

Michigan Youth Arts Festival Wind Ensemble (HS) Principal Trombonist

Michigan State University:
Dr. Burgess Gardner

Dr. Ed Huttlin
Dr. Leonard Falcone
Berklee College of Music:
Phil Wilson

State University of New York at Potsdam:
Dr. John Upchurch
Muskegon, MI:
Mike Lorenz