Dr. Paul Isely is currently the associate dean of the Seidman College of Business.  He had been chair of the Economics Department from 2009 until January 2015. He joined the GVSU faculty in 1995, after earning his Ph.D. in Economics from Purdue University. He also holds an M.S. in Economics from Purdue University and a dual B.S. in Physics and Economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dr. Isely has taught many different courses at GVSU including: Environmental Economics which looks at sustainable and efficient resource usage; Business Cycles and Growth which studies the national and regional economies;  and Economics Capstone which teaches modeling by using housing data from West Michigan.  His academic research builds from these classes and focuses on the benefits of innovation. Dr. Isely’s research interests have also led to many local articles and reports. These articles have explored West Michigan’s economy and its relationship to the National and State Economies.    Recent studies resulted in reports on the state of Entrepreneurship and Healthcare in West Michigan.  In addition, Dr. Isely has worked on reports evaluating wind power along the lakeshore and valuing environmental cleanup in Muskegon Lake, these studies were funded by Sea Grant and NOAA respectively. Dr. Isely has been interviewed extensively by TV, radio, and newspapers on the West Michigan economy.  Over the past few years these interviews included not only local media, but also NPR, USA today, and the AP wire.

Camille Walker Banks is the executive director for NPower Michigan, leading an expansion to the Detroit/southeast Michigan market. Banks is a Detroit native with deep roots in the business, nonprofit and philanthropic communities. She recently led the highest-performing site in the United States for the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses initiative at Wayne State University. Banks is a seasoned, growth-minded leader who has built a successful career across corporate and government sectors. Her 20-year career has a strong foundation in business growth and development, process improvement, and capital access that spans across industries including technology, service, manufacturing, and philanthropy. A two-time Wayne State graduate, Banks holds a bachelor’s in finance from the Ilitch School and a master's of urban planning.

David King is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Red Level, a Novi-based IT services and consulting firm serving clients throughout Michigan. King founded Red Level in 2004, having identified a pronounced market need for a firm capable of providing enterprise-grade IT services and solutions to small and medium-sized companies. King has led the company on a consistent, stable growth trajectory with annual growth averaging near 20 percent. Under his leadership, the company has expanded to over 40 staff, and has been the consistent recipient of honors and awards bestowed by leading business publications, technology partners, and community organizations.

Larry R. Andrus is co-founder and CEO of Trivalent Group, a Grandville-based managed IT solutions provider. Under Larry’s leadership and four decades of experience, Trivalent has grown from $3 million in revenue and 18 employees in 2003 to more than $21 million and 80 employees throughout Michigan today. Trivalent provides managed services and other IT solutions to more than 700 clients. In early 2018, Andrus finalized the sale of Trivalent Group to Rehmann, a top 40 accounting and advisory firm based in Troy, helping to expand its Michigan roots and eventually grow its footprint beyond the Mitten. The combined firms now offer expanded capabilities throughout the Midwest, with a full integration beginning in 2019. Andrus currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Alma College, and has been involved with the BBB of Western Michigan, the Grand Rapids Jaycees, and Autism Support of Kent County.

As Chief of Staff, Lou Goldhaber serves Sachse Construction as an in-house adviser to help ideate, develop, create, and execute key initiatives and projects. Lou provides strategic oversight and supports all entity stakeholders in the development of processes and plans which continuously raise the bar for not only Sachse Construction, but also the real estate and construction industries. Additionally, Lou is responsible for identifying existing processes in need of improvement and providing comprehensive solutions for enhancement. Lou provides leadership, guidance, and the resources necessary to ensure cross-functional teams and managers are supported in their endeavors throughout the company. Lou currently sits on the board of directors for The Woodward Society, a real estate organization focusing on real estate development in Detroit as well as Hillel of Metro Detroit.

“Mike is a President and Managing Principal of Harley Ellis Devereaux, a national architecture, engineering, and planning firm.  He has been involved in complex building projects for more than 25 years in both a design and management capacity.  In his role, he is responsible for all aspects of business operations for the firm’s Detroit office, and for strategic planning for the firm on a national level.  He is a licensed professional engineer in nineteen states, has authored numerous articles and frequently speaks on both management and design issues.  Mike is a member of several business and technical organizations, helping to set guidelines for improved business practices and high performance building design.  He remains deeply committed to southeast Michigan and the revitalization of the metropolitan Detroit area, serving the community to improve the business climate and quality of life in the region.  Most recently, Mike served as President of The American Council of Engineering Companies (Michigan), Chair of the Oakland County Business Roundtable Economic Development Committee, and Co-Chair of the 2017 Metro Detroit Heart Walk.”