Six business leaders named directors of GVU Foundation

The Grand Valley University Foundation announced six new directors at its annual meeting on Tuesday, October 2.

Michael A. Batts, David P. Mehney, Hank Meijer, Jeffrey S. Padnos, Mary Tuuk and Arthur V. Scott will bring their leadership skills and passions for community involvement to Grand Valley University Foundation as members of the board of directors. Director Daniel B. Pfeiffer has joined the foundation’s advisory cabinet.

• Michael A. Batts is a business executive and engineer with 32 years of experience who serves as the president and CEO of Batts Group, Ltd. and Belfry Development Corp. He is a director of his family’s private foundation, the Batts Foundation, with a mission to benefit education, health and welfare. Batts is also a vice chairman and trustee of the Forest Hills Public Schools Foundation and a trustee of the Grand Rapids Public Museum Foundation.
 
• David P. Mehney, a lifelong member of the East Grand Rapids community, has been president of the KMW Group Inc. since 1966. Mehney’s experience also includes being a city commissioner of East Grand Rapids for 16 years and serving on several boards for organizations such as St. Johns Home, Mary Free Bed, Camp Blodgett and Michigan National Bank. He is a board member for the Porter Hills Foundation and also a managing partner of Thousand Oaks Golf Club.

• Hank Meijer is co-chairman and CEO of Meijer Inc. He joined the family retail business at the age of 11 as a grocery clerk. Meijer is vice chairman of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation. He also serves on the boards of Fifth Third Bank, Kettering Foundation and Food Marketing Institute He is a member of the President’s Advisory Group of the University of Michigan.  

• Jeffrey S. Padnos joined his family’s business, Louis Padnos Iron & Metal Company, in 1979 and became president in 1988. He has helped the business grow from two to 18 locations with more than 400 employees, providing scrap processing and recycling services for paper, plastics, metals and more. Padnos has served on the boards of numerous organizations, including Grand Rapids Symphony, World Affairs Council, Alliance for Health and Holland Chamber of Commerce.

• Mary Tuuk is the president of Fifth Third Bank (Western Michigan). Tuuk has been named one of the “25 Women to Watch in Banking” by American Banker magazine for four years. She is a board member for Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, Heart of West Michigan United Way, Grand Rapids Symphony, Downtown Development Authority and the Economic Club of Grand Rapids. She also serves on the West Michigan Policy Forum and the West Michigan Talent 2025 CEO Council; Tuuk is a member of the State of Michigan Bar Association.

• Arthur V. Scott is president and CEO of JAAR, Inc. Scott serves on the board for the Muskegon Community Foundation, Ronald McDonald House of Grand Rapids, Ronald McDonald House Charities and Muskegon Community College President’s Advisory for Capital Improvement Project. He has received the State of Michigan’s “Outstanding Leadership and Contribution of the Cause of Racial Harmony and Social Justice, Humanitarian Award,” the Urban League Economic Development Service Award and the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Award for Citizen of the Year.

For more information on the foundation or to see a full list of directors, visit www.gvsu.edu/giving/foundation.