Ferris State University President Bill Pink is excited to play a key role in helping to shape the state’s future as Gov. Gretchen Whitmer named him to one of the four working groups of the Growing Michigan Together Council.

Pink and Henry Ford College President Russell Kavalhuna are the higher education workgroup chairs for the 28-member council. Whitmer announced the new council last month, and charged it with identifying how to grow the state’s population and strengthen educational outcomes while funding necessary infrastructure.

“I am truly excited to represent Ferris State University while collaborating with some of the brightest and best people we have in Michigan dedicated to ensuring a great future for our great state,” Pink said. “We know there’s a lot of work ahead. But we also know Michigan’s future is at stake. And, we know how much that means to millions of Michiganders.”

Pink is tasked with co-chairing the higher education work group but is interested in the full scope of what the Growing Michigan Together Council will do, and in seeing how education can be a large part of the plans.

Other workgroups are focused on pre-K-12 education, infrastructure and jobs, and talent and people. 

Pink just completed his first year as Ferris’ 19th president, and is the first African American to hold that position. Pink was previously president of Grand Rapids Community College.

Whitmer, who has tapped Pink to serve on a number of state and regional educational boards, sought expertise from a wide group of leaders for the council.

“The Growing Michigan Together Council’s appointees will bring a diverse range of skills, experiences, and perspectives to the table,” Whitmer said. “Led by four workgroups, the council will hold several meetings over the next few months, hearing from Michiganders firsthand. They will then collaborate and continue working towards presenting a comprehensive strategy to help anyone make it in Michigan. Together, we will grow our economy and population and write the next chapter in Michigan’s story. Let’s get it done.”

Whitmer in 2019 appointed Pink to serve on the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and in 2021 asked him to serve on the Student Recovery Advisory Council, a group that studied how to help students get back on track after the pandemic. She also reappointed him to the Midwestern Higher Education Compact, a regional board focused on providing higher education opportunities.

Pink is the past chair of United Way of West Michigan and vice chair of The Right Place, a West Michigan economic development organization. He also is an American Council on Education Board of Directors member, has served on the Spectrum Health West Michigan board, and has chaired the Heart of West Michigan United Way board.

Also named was Kingsford’s Marty Fittante, CEO of InvestUP and a Class of 1988 graduate of the College of Business.

To learn more about the Council, visit their new website: https://growingmichigan.org.