New Trustees

Governor Granholm has appointed two new trustees for Western. From WMU News:

KALAMAZOO--Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm today announced the appointments of Jeanne H. Carlson of Novi, Mich., and William D. Johntson of Portage, Mich., as new members of the Western Michigan University Board of Trustees.

Carlson is president and chief executive officer of Blue Care Network of Michigan, headquartered in Southfield. She is a 1968 graduate of WMU and has served on the WMU Alumni Association Board of Directors, most recently, in 2000-01, as association president. Her appointment as a trustee runs through 2014, and she succeeds Peter L. Aseritis of Williamsburg, Mich., whose term expired at the end of 2006.

Prior to assuming her current role at BCN in September 2006, Carlson had served as chief operating officer for BCN since July 2002. Before that, she served in several major capacities at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. She was vice president for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act compliance and operational effectiveness for the company. She also was vice president of several key areas including the General Motors account, PPO and ancillary services, provider relations, provider contracting, and the Ford/AutoAlliance/Rouge Steel accounts.

Johnston is president and CEO of Greenleaf Companies of Kalamazoo. He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from WMU in 1970 and 1974, respectively. Johnston, whose term as a trustee also will run through 2014, replaces James Holden of Bloomfield Hills, Mich., whose term expired in December.

Johnston launched Greenleaf in 1991 after spending 15 years in education. Today the collective Greenleaf Companies includes Greenleaf Trust; Greenleaf Ventures Inc.; Greenleaf Holdings, LLC; and Greenleaf Capital Inc. Johnston is also chairman of Southwest Michigan First Economic Development Corp., chairman of the board/director of SofTech Inc., director of Special-Lite Corp., and director and past president of the WMU Foundation.