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Alumni Association elects new officers, directors

July 3, 2008

KALAMAZOO--Twelve officers, executive committee members and directors have been elected to terms on the 2008-09 Western Michigan University Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Serving one-year terms as officers

President--Christopher Womack of Atlanta, executive vice president for external affairs at the Georgia Power Co. in Atlanta. Womack earned a Bachelor of Science from WMU in 1979. He was elected to the board in 2004, and has served on the Executive Committee for two years. He also has been chair of the Alumni Membership Committee as well as a member of the Scholarship and Distinguished Alumni committees.

Vice President--Richard D. Bailey II of DeWitt, Mich., chief lending officer and president of commercial banking at HomeBanc, N.A. in Sarasota, Fla. Bailey earned a Master of Business Administration from WMU in 1985. First elected to the board in 2003, he is serving his second term as vice president and previously served two terms as treasurer. He also has co-chaired the Student Engagement Committee and served on the Executive, Finance and Scholarship committees.

Treasurer--Philip Chludzinski of Kalamazoo, CPA and partner of Brink, Key & Chludzinski, P.C. in Kalamazoo. Chludzinski earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from WMU in 1980. First elected to the board in 2005, he is serving his second term as treasurer. He also has co-chaired the Student Engagement Committee and served on the Scholarship and Marketing committees.

Past President--Kirk Hoffman of Jackson, Mich., vice president of planning services at King Trust Co. in Spring Arbor, Mich. Hoffman earned a B.B.A. from WMU in 1986. First elected to the board in 2001, he has served two terms as president. He also has served as treasurer and vice president, chair of the Finance Committee, and a member of the Alumni Relations, Executive, Bylaws and Scholarship committees.

Executive Committee

Serving one-year terms on the Executive Committee of the WMU Alumni Association Board of Directors are: Margean Gladysz of Tinton Falls, N.J., B.S. from WMU in 1975, senior vice president and regional director at National Executive Service Corps in New York; Jonathan Knowles of East Lansing, Mich., Bachelor of Arts from WMU in 2003, staff member in the executive office for Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox; James Koessel of Grand Rapids, Mich., B.A. from WMU in 1972, senior vice president at Director Premier Banking Group in Grand Rapids; and Sue Neumann of Wildwood, Mo., B.A. in 1976 and Master of Arts in 1984 from WMU, senior vice president at Smurfit-Stone Container Corp. in Creve Coeur, Mo.

New Directors

Four association members were elected to three-year terms on the board as directors: Albert J. Allison of San Diego, B.B.A. and M.B.A. from WMU in 1971 and 1977, respectively, manager of financial investigations at Baker Street Group, Inc.; Lucy Caldwell of Grand Rapids, B.S. from WMU in 1971, director of microbiology at Fettig Labs of Grand Rapids; Nanette M. Keiser of St. Joseph, Mich., B.S., M.A. and Doctor of Education from WMU in 1980, 1996 and 2000, respectively, president of the Berrien Community Foundation; and Michelle Olmsted of Royal Oak, Mich., B.S. from WMU in 1986, vice president at Compass Group of Birmingham.

The WMU Alumni Association, with more than 12,000 dues-paying members throughout the world, serves the University and its graduates by providing alumni with a continuous link to WMU and each other. For more information about the association, visit www.wmich.edu/alumni.

Media contact: Jeanne Baron, (269) 387-8400, jeanne.baron@wmich.edu

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