Board of Directors
Board members serve for a one-year term and are elected by the members at the club's annual meeting.
Club members, please contact the Club's President or Secretary by February 1, 2013 if you are interested in serving on the 2013 board.
Officers are selected by the Board of Directors directly following the election. As of 2012, the following positions comprise the Board of Directors: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, Boathouse Manager, Volunteer Coordinator, Safety Officer, Communications Director, and Regatta Director.
13 Jun 2013 7:00 PM • Micron Manufacturing, 1722 Kloet NW
2012 Board Members
| Executive Director & President |
Landon Bartley |
landon @ grrowing.org |
| |
Landon Bartley was a varsity rower and executive board member for Michigan State University Men’s Rowing for the 2002 – 2005 seasons. In that capacity he eventually achieved a USRA Level III coaching certification, and also holds the distinction of being the largest person to ever cox a junior girls' 8+ shell, one fateful day in the summer of 2004.
Landon currently works for the City of Grand Rapids, and received both a Bachelor's Degree in Linguistics as well as a Masters Degree in Urban Planning from Michigan State University. Landon's goals as President continue to be wild expansion of the club's membership and programs, working with volunteers and area coaches to host and cohost bigger and better regattas, the continued financial stability and sustainability of the club, and recruiting and retaining junior members from community schools, especially for underserved populations.
|
| Vice President |
Jordan Hefferan |
jordan @ grrowing.org |
| |
Jordan Hefferan currently serves as the treasurer for the rowing association and also frequently coaches the club's Learn to Row programs. Jordan’s rowing background started at Rockford High School where he rowed for four years under former GRRA president and recent Head of the Charles winner, Rick Anderson, and continued his rowing career for two seasons at Grand Valley State University under Chad Jedlic. He also took a course in coaching rowing at GVSU with Chad, and was an assistant coach for Northview High School.
Currently, aside from coaching learn to row programs, Jordan sculls and sweep on a recreational level and participates in the occasional regatta for fun and fitness. He looks forward to seeing you on the water!
|
| Treasurer |
Caitlin Quantock |
caitlin @ grrowing.org |
| Secretary |
Donna Munro |
donna @ grrowing.org |
| |
Donna Munro grew up in GR and has lived here most of her life. Donna has always loved the river and wanted to know it better, but never thought could have a boat and navigate it. She loved Riverside Park, worked there one summer, rode her bike around the area, saw the old boat house and wished she could be a part of that world, but thought it was only for rich people. She also had a friend in the UK who is very into rowing, and he made it seem more possible that she might do it herself.
Finally, in 2009, Donna saw that Parks & Rec was offering a Learn-to-Row class, so she registered (got the last spot), and got hooked. Donna would like to help GRRA become more well-known and get more financial support, perhaps growing partnerships with businesses and schools, and with the city itself.
|
| Communications Dir. |
DeAnna Heindel |
deanna @ grrowing.org |
| |
In the summer of 2010, DeAnna saw a listing for the “Learn to Row” program in the GR Parks & Rec. catalogue and thought, “Why not?” She has been an active member of the club ever since. A Michigan native (and UM graduate), DeAnna left the state in 1994 to attend graduate school at NYU and didn’t return again until a few years ago. She is employed at Burke E. Porter Machinery Co. where she wears many administrative hats. DeAnna is looking forward to helping the club grow this year through increased visibility and community goodwill.
|
| Regatta Director |
Lauren Holben |
lauren @ grrowing.org |
| Membership Director |
Karin Cramer |
karin @ grrowing.org |
| |
At 21, Karin graduated from Hope College, got married, and moved to Germany. As an Army wife, she worked as a civilian employee in Germany; as secretary to the commander of the 200th Division at Fort Knox during Desert Storm; managed customer service, billing, and networks for Bluegrass Cellular in KY and Cellular One in ND; managed a non-profit Thrift Shop and cataloged native plants at White Sands Missile Range, NM. Karin rode and raced dirt bikes with her husband at each location. Back in Michigan, she went to Aquinas for her master's degree in education while subbing in her kids' elementary school, and has now been teaching third grade for 9 years.
Karin discovered rowing when her daughter (who now rows with the GRRA high school team) was a novice rower and coxswain. She started Learn-to-Row in June 2012 and rowed (sweep or scull) several times weekly until dock out in November. Karin hopes to work with the board in the areas of record keeping, website management, and the Junior team.
|
| Safety Director |
Renee Zuidema |
renee @ grrowing.org |
| |
Renee Zuidema works full-time as a Network Analyst at X-Rite, Incorporated. When time allows, she loves to be on or near water. A friend told her about the Learn To Row classes at GRRA and she decided to give it a try for at least a year. She took her first Learn To Row class in the Spring of 2012 and was hooked... and Learn To Scull is on the agenda for 2013. She is hoping to help spread the word about the great programs offered at GRRA.
|
| Boathouse Director |
Walt Alexander |
walt @ grrowing.org |
|
Walt Alexander grew up in North East, Maryland, a little town located at the north end of the Chesapeake Bay. He went on active duty with the U.S. Army soon after high school graduation and was fortunate to spend most of his 3+ year enlistment in Germany. There Walt met a soldier from Riverview, Michigan … his wife Donna. They originally came to Grand Rapids so that Walt could attend Electronics School, and found a town they liked and for Walt a part- time job that turned into a 30+ year career. Walt works at Micron Manufacturing, a small, family-owned company that produces precision machined parts, where his duties include estimating and directing safety, health, and environmental efforts.
Walt got interested in rowing after going to a regatta in Grand Rapids to watch Donna’s niece Kelli compete as a member of the Riverview HS team. He took an Adult Learn-To-Row at the GRRA in 2009 and not only found rowing to be fun and a great workout, but it’s a great way to make new friends. Walt decided to seek a position on the Board, after realizing that there’s a lot of work going on behind the scenes that makes GRRA possible. Aside from continuing to compete and help out at regattas and around the Boathouse, he hopes to encourage greater member participation and maybe even find some new members. See ya on the water!
|
| Boathouse Manager* |
Eric Kazmierski |
eric @ grrowing.org |
*not an elected board position