The Michigan Municipal League membership elected five new League Board of Trustees members to join the 2024–25 board during its annual business meeting held at the 2024 Convention on Mackinac Island.
The new members are Bridgman City Manager Juan E. Ganum, Berkley Councilmember Dennis Hennen, Zeeland Mayor Kevin Klynstra, Marquette City Manager Karen Kovacs and Ferndale Mayor Raylon Leaks-May.
- Karen Kovacs has served as city manager for the City of Marquette since June 2021. Kovacs previously served in municipal government roles for the city of Milan, including city administrator 2019–2021 and finance director and treasurer for four years. She also worked at Plante Moran as a government accounting consultant. Kovacs is a graduate of Oakland University with her bachelor’s degree in accounting and a minor in applied technology in business.
“It’s a great honor for me and my community to act as representation from the U.P., with our rural communities—and the vibrancy they bring to the natural resources perspective—and also our urban centers,” said Kovacs.
The Board of Trustees also selected Sault Ste. Marie Mayor Don Gerrie to serve as board president and Lapeer Mayor Pro Tem Joshua Atwood as vice president.
Gerrie was elected as mayor in 2019–24. He previously served as city commissioner from 2007 to 2019. He was born and raised in Sault Ste. Marie, graduating from Sault Area High School and Skill Center. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration/accounting from Alma College and attended MBA courses at Lake Superior State University.
Gerrie has worked as area director for the USDA Rural Development since 2003 and previously worked in banking for 12 years. He is an advocate for community service, with his personal philosophy “service is the price you pay for the space you occupy.”
Gerrie has volunteered to serve and held leadership positions on the board of directors for many local organizations that have a positive impact on his community, including Sault Area Chamber of Commerce, United Way of the EUP, Sault Historic Sites, Northern Transitions, Presbyterian Church Trustees and the Sault Convention and Visitor’s Bureau.
“I am excited about the community wealth building concepts that the League is working to advance and is working together with its members on,” said Gerrie. “I come from a small community, work with rural communities and know the challenges we face. I am interested to learn about the challenges larger communities face, and how we can work together to move forward.”
The League’s Executive Director and CEO Dan Gilmartin thanked the outgoing trustees for their service: Monrow Mayor Robert E. Clark, L’Anse Village Manager Robert LaFave, Mason City Manager Deborah Stuart and Holland City Manager Keith Van Beek.
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