Snyder makes appointments to State Fairgrounds Advisory Committee

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

LANSING, Mich. ‒ Gov. Rick Snyder today appointed five Detroiters to represent their neighborhoods on the newly formed State Fairgrounds Advisory Committee.

"I am happy to appoint these dedicated community leaders to the advisory committee," Snyder said. "They are excited to help strengthen the city of Detroit by redeveloping the state fairgrounds and making it economically viable. I thank them for their willingness to serve."

The appointees are:

Doris Ewing, of the Golf Course Neighborhood, is president of the Detroit Golf Club Property Owners Association and has 30 years of experience in broad-based consulting and investment management, most recently at NEPC LLC. Ewing has a bachelor's degree in finance from the University of Illinois, and an MBA in economics and finance from DePaul University. She will serve a three-year term.

Frank Hammer, of the Greenacres Neighborhood, serves on the Greenacres Woodward Civic Association. Since 2008, he has been an adjunct instructor at Wayne State University's College of Urban Labor and Metropolitan Affairs and since 2007 has served as an adjunct instructor for online courses at Indiana University's School of Social Work Labor Studies program. Hammer holds a bachelor's degree in architecture from UC-Berkeley and a master's in sociology from the University of Michigan. He will serve a two-year term.

Greg O'Neal, of the University District Neighborhood, is president of the O'Neal Contracting Group LLC. O'Neal has more than 26 years of construction management and estimating experience, working on major projects including Detroit's VA Medical Center, IRS Computer Center and Chrysler Mack Engine Plant 2. He will serve a three-year term.

Kim Tandy, of the Sherwood Forest Neighborhood, is program manager for the University Commons Organization, a nonprofit working to revitalize Livernois and McNichols business corridors. Tandy also owns an architectural firm with her father, and has a bachelor's and master's degrees in architecture from the Georgia Institute of Technology. She will serve a three-year term.

Craig Vanderburg, of the Palmer Woods Neighborhood, is president of the Palmer Woods Homeowners Association and is distribution center general manager at the McKesson Corp. Pharmaceutical Division in Livonia, where he is responsible for overseeing business operations and distribution for more than 1,500 pharmacies throughout the state. Vanderburg has a bachelor's degree in science from Michigan State University and an MBA from the Keller Graduate School, and attended the University of Michigan's manufacturing executive program. He will serve a two-year term.

The state fairgrounds advisory committee was established under Public Act 75 of 2012, and will make recommendations on the sale of the 162-acre state fairgrounds. The committee will dissolve 60 days after all property is transferred to the state Land Bank Fast Track Authority.

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