2017 Department of Finance and Commercial Law Outstanding Alumni Award

David Ellis has been in the trust and personal financial advisory business more than 40 years. He founded Ellis Capital Management in 1997. As president and CEO, he provided investment advisory services to individuals and trusts on the premise of offering a high level of personal financial service and protecting peoples’ wealth. He also founded Ellis Fiduciary Services, which provided trustee, probate and conservator administration services in West Michigan. In July of 2017, he merged his business with West Shore Bank of Ludington, Michigan, assuming the title of Senior Vice President of Wealth Management.

Prior to starting Ellis Management, he launched and developed two profitable bank trust departments over a 17-year period. He earned his bachelor’s degree in finance, followed by an MBA, from Western Michigan University, and received designations as a certified trust and financial advisor from the ABA National Graduate School at Northwestern University.

Ellis is active in many local organizations, currently serving as president of No More Sidelines, a member of the Lakeshore Estate Planning Council, the Muskegon Chamber of Commerce, the Muskegon Downtown Now Development Committee and more. He recently completed his first book, “Planning for Family Business Transition.”