KALAMAZOO ? Blue-Granite co founder Dan Blackledge has succeeded David Hatfield as the chairman of the advisory board for the Kalamazoo Valley Community College Michigan Technical Education Center.

Hatfield, president and chief executive officer of Main Street Savings Bank in Hastings, has held the chairmanship since the KVCC M-TEC opened its doors in March of 2001 in The Groves, the college?s business-education-technology park on 9th Street along I-94.

?The prime function of the advisory board,? said Jim DeHaven, KVCC?s vice president for economic and business development and executive director of the M-TEC, ?is to provide external direction for our administration and staff. The breadth and experience of its members help to assure the relevancy of the M-TEC?s activities.?

The board?s bylaws limits membership to a pair of three-year terms. Also affected by this stipulation is Tom Breznau, executive director of the Stryker Center, and, like Hatfield, a founding member.

Moving up to the board?s vice chairmanship is Randall Eberts, executive director of the W. E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research.

M-TEC board membership also terminates when retirement is involved, which means that Portage Public Schools Superintendent Peter McFarlane also has been replaced.

With the maximum number of members set at 15, coming on to the M-TEC Advisory Board are:

John Hayden, vice president and chief human resources officer for Bronson Healthcare Group

Pat Morand, managing director of the Southwest Michigan First Life Science Fund

Jeff O?Brien, chief executive officer and president of Workforce Strategies Inc.

Phil Weaver, chief executive officer and president of HOPE Network

Mike VandeMaele, chief executive officer and president of Pro Services Inc.

They join these current members: Bill Adams, vice president for marketing and education services at Flowserve Corp.; Ron Kitchens, chief executive officer and executive director of Southwest Michigan First; Evan Harter, managing partner of Asia Group Sourcing; Kevin Munson of Learning and Development at Pfizer Global Manufacturing; Chris Schauer, chief executive officer of PharmOptima who had been serving as the board?s vice chairman; and Tim Greene, dean of the Western Michigan University College of Engineering.

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