Published by Tom Thinnes on Thu, Feb 28, 2013
Michael was born in Maui, Hawaii but spent most of his life in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He graduated from Forest Hills Central High School in 1999 and joined the Michigan Army National Guard. Michael knew he wanted to be in aviation when he was in high school and used to drive to the “viewing area” near the Gerald R. Ford Airport in Grand Rapids to watch planes take off and land.
Michael enrolled at Western Michigan University in the Aviation Flight Science program in 2000 and was awarded the Delta Scholarship. His favorite memory of flying at WMU aside from building some long-lasting friendships was his first solo cross-country. It was a very proud moment!
In 2004 on the day of graduation Michael received orders to deploy with his National Guard unit to Iraq to support Operation Iraqi Freedom. He answered the call of duty for his country, and upon his return decided not to pursue a piloting career. His passion for aviation has not left him as he currently works for a high technology electronics company that specializes in a broad spectrum of technologies and processes. The company delivers high quality products to the automotive, aerospace, and fire protection industries. He works closely with WMU to hire engineers and feels fortunate to give back by helping Bronco graduates find jobs.