J.C. Huizenga is an active member of the Grand Rapids business community. His passion for business, education, and philanthropy is influenced by a family history of entrepreneurship and service. J.C. owns manufacturing, financial, and educational businesses, most notably, National Heritage Academies. J.C. has earned many awards throughout his career, including the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, the Michigan Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Service and Leadership Award, and he has been inducted into the Dutch-American Heritage Foundation Hall of Fame. He continues to be committed to the GVSU community, serving both as a GVU Foundation Director, a Seidman School Advisory Board member, and a board member of the Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies. He has been instrumental in a number of campaigns for the university, including Shaping Our Future. The J.C. Huizenga Business Scholarship was established in his name, and he initiated the J. Patrick Sandro Education Scholarship in honor of his friend, Pat Sandro. In 2001, he served on the Honorary Executive Cabinet for the Building for Life Campaign. In 2012, J.C. was a recipient of the Enrichment Award.

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