Contact:
Morgan Schwanky
Michigan Municipal League
(734) 669-6320
[email protected]
www.mml.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 17, 2023

Officials from Wayland, Greenville, Farmington, Rogers City and Hastings Selected to Statewide Association

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. – Five officials from throughout the state were recently elected to the Michigan Municipal League Board of Trustees.

During the League’s annual meeting on October 18 at its 2023 Convention in Traverse City, the following were selected as new Board members: City of Wayland Mayor Jennifer Antel; City of Greenville City Manager George M. Bosanic; City of Farmington Mayor Pro Tem Joe LaRussa; City of Rogers City Mayor Scott McLennan; and City of Hastings Mayor David J. Tossava. All five were appointed to four-year terms on the 20-member board.

In addition, the Board selected its officers for 2023–24 and named Monroe Mayor Robert E. Clark as Board President and Sault Ste. Marie Mayor Don Gerrie as Board Vice President. Gerrie is in line to become League President for the 2024–25 term. The Michigan Municipal League is a statewide nonprofit organization representing the state’s cities, villages and urban townships.

Details of the newly elected Board members:

• Jennifer Antel serves as the first female mayor for the City of Wayland, where she has served on the council since 2005. She is dedicated to local government, having served over three decades in public service both in appointed and elected positions. After receiving her master’s degree in public administration from Grand Valley State University, she started her career as the Otsego DDA Director. She was the administrative assistant and then the assistant to the city manager in Kalamazoo. Antel currently works as the program manager for West Michigan Trails. She has served the city on various boards and committees, including the Planning Commission, DDA, Ambulance Board, Parks Committee and Budget Committee. An active community member, Antel serves as a Wayland Union Schools Key Communicator, a Chamber Ambassador for the Wayland Area Chamber of Commerce and on the League’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Antel is a strong advocate for youth and has stepped into various roles, including Cubmaster, Girl Scout Leader and founder of a youth swim club. She is an avid runner and co-founder of Wayland Road Runners, and currently coaches varsity cross country and middle school track.
• George M. Bosanic serves as the city manager for the City of Greenville. He has 35 years of experience in city management, with 30 years in his current position. In his career, he has served on and chaired numerous local boards and commissions, including, but not limited to, the Montcalm Brownfield Authority, Montcalm Area Dispatch Authority, Montcalm Economic Alliance, Montcalm/Mecosta Big Brothers/Big Sisters and Greenville Area Chamber of Commerce. In addition, Bosanic has served on the MML Workers’ Compensation Board of Trustees (2006–2018) and currently serves on the MML Property and Liability Pool Board of Trustees since 2021. He is a member of the International City/County Management Association and a member of the Michigan Municipal Executives. Bosanic is a graduate of Manistique High School, has a bachelor’s degree in public administration from Grand Valley State University, and a master’s degree in public administration from Grand Valley State University.
• Joe LaRussa serves as mayor pro tem for the City of Farmington. He is a registered professional engineer and a veteran automotive industry leader. First elected to city council in 2017, LaRussa’s public policy interests include technology and infrastructure, data-driven government and transportation. He’s been active in the League, obtaining a Level 2 Certification from the Elected Officials Academy and serving on the League’s Transportation, Infrastructure, and Technology Policy Committee. He is currently a plant manager at Avancez Assembly, a supplier of various complex modules for the automotive industry. He holds a master’s in engineering management, a master’s in automotive systems engineering and a bachelor’s in electrical engineering, all from the University of Michigan-Dearborn.
• Scott McLennan serves as mayor for the City of Rogers City. A retired RN and healthcare administrator, he served as a councilmember prior to becoming mayor in 2018. McLennan previously served six years as a local school board member and chair. He is currently a board member of the Community Foundation of Northeast Michigan, the Alpena Alcona Area Credit Union and the Northeast Michigan Council of Governments. McLennan was instrumental in Rogers City being recently designated as a Main Street and Redevelopment Ready Community. His passion is focused on building a more vibrant community through positive communication, along with the networking of businesses, government and citizens.
• David J. Tossava was elected mayor of the City of Hastings in 2016. He began his career working for the department of public works for the City of Hastings as a mechanic in 1978. Tossava served as a mechanic for 22 years before being promoted to street superintendent, the position he held until his retirement in 2006 after 28 years. Tossava was first elected to the city council in 2008 and served two consecutive four-year terms before being elected mayor. As mayor, he serves on the Planning Commission, DDA Board, Local Development Finance Authority, Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, Airport board, Cemetery board, Commission on Aging for Barry County, Michigan Association of Mayors, the League’s Workers’ Compensation Board and the League’s Finance Committee.

The new Trustees join Clark, Gerrie and the other volunteers who remain on the 2023–24 Board: Joshua Atwood, Lapeer City Commissioner; Rebecca Chamberlain-Creanga, Troy City Councilmember; Stephen Kepley, Kentwood Mayor; Valerie Kindle, Harper Woods Mayor; Robert La Fave, L’Anse Village Manager; Raylon Leaks-May, Ferndale City Councilmember; Joshua Meringa, Grandville City Councilmember; Khalfani Stephens, Pontiac Deputy Mayor; Deborah Stuart, Mason City Manager; Keith Van Beek, Holland City Manager; Mark Washington, Grand Rapids City Manager; Stephanie Grimes Washington, Detroit Director of Government Affairs; and Tim Wolff, Lake Isabella Village Manager.

The League Board and League CEO/Executive Director Dan Gilmartin also thanked the outgoing Trustees for their years of service: League President Barbara Ziarko, Sterling Heights Councilmember; Peter Dame, City of Portage Chief Development Officer; and Carla Filkins, City of Cadillac Mayor.

Download photos of the president, vice president, and new Board members on the League’s Flickr page at https://www.flickr.com/photos/michigancommunities/albums/72177720312044331.

For additional information, contact the League’s Morgan Schwanky, Content Developer, Marketing and Communications, at (734) 669-6320 and [email protected].

Michigan Municipal League is dedicated to making Michigan’s communities better by thoughtfully innovating programs, energetically connecting ideas and people, actively serving members with resources and services, and passionately inspiring positive change for Michigan’s greatest centers of potential: its communities. The League advocates on behalf of its member communities in Lansing, Washington, D.C., and the courts; provides educational opportunities for elected and appointed municipal officials; and assists municipal leaders in administering services to their communities through League programs and services. Learn more at mml.org.

###