Turfe elected vice chair of WMU Board of Trustees

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—In a unanimous decision at the Western Michigan University Board of Trustees meeting held on Sept. 28, Trustee Alan Turfe was elected as the vice chair, a role he will undertake for the remainder of the term.

Turfe brings a wealth of experience and a distinguished career that spans various industries including automotive, e-commerce, metals, medical devices, biotechnology, life sciences and pharmacy. He began his career as a financial analyst with General Motors, where he quickly climbed the ranks, holding pivotal roles in finance, operations, procurement and supply chain and business development. While at General Motors, he served as president of GMTradeXchange and co-CEO at Covisint.

Turfe's career includes serving as the chairman, president and CEO of JM Smith Corp., the fourth-largest pharmaceutical distribution company in the United States. Under his leadership, the company boasted revenues of $3 billion and also owned significant point-of-sale technology assets and retail locations prior to their sale. Turfe's trajectory also features stints as business unit president with global and full P&L responsibilities at NYSE-listed companies such as Thermo Fisher Scientific, IDEX Corp. and General Motors.

Currently, Turfe serves on several boards, including those of NEMO Health, DocShop Pro, Upkara, STEL Technologies, Tespo and the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine.

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