Gov. Snyder names new trustee to WMU Board

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder announced the appointment June 13 of retired law enforcement official James Bolger of Whitehall to serve on the Western Michigan University Board of Trustees.

Bolger, a WMU alumnus, will serve on the eight-member governing body of the University through Dec. 31, 2020. He will fill a vacancy on the board created earlier this month by the resignation of Michelle Crumm of Ann Arbor.

James Bolger

Bolger retired as lieutenant colonel and deputy director of the Michigan State Police in 1999, after a 26-year career with that organization. In that role, he was commanding officer of the Uniform Services Division, providing executive direction and leadership to field operations for the Michigan State Police.

During his tenure in that position, then-Gov. John Engler also appointed him to oversee implementation of the Michigan State Public Safety Communications System—an 800MHz radio system for emergency communications.

Bolger attended WMU as an undergraduate and went on to earn a bachelor's degree in psychology from Grand Valley State University in 1973. Returning to WMU, he earned a master's degree in public administration in 1981.

After retiring from the State Police, he worked briefly as a consultant and taught for 10 years in GVSU's School of Criminal Justice.