• Serving Antrim, Charlevoix, Emmet, Grand Traverse and Kalkaska Counties
November 25, 2019 Web Developer

                                                                                                                 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 November 25, 2019
                                 Big Brothers Big Sisters Announces 2020 Board of Director Updates
TRAVERSE CITY – November 25, 2019…Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Michigan (Bigs) announces a slate of changes to its Board of Directors for 2020. Tony Anderson begins a second two-year term as President and Doug Kosch will serve as Vice President. Kerry Kalbfleisch will serve as Secretary and Rob Mittelstaedt will continue his term as Treasurer. Also, joining the Bigs Board for a three-year term is Tony Kuberski of CH Robinson.
“I’ve benefited from the mentorship of many who I respect and admire and whose sound advice altered the course of my career,” said Tony Kuberski. “I believe in the Bigs’ mission and its ability to change the lives of our communities’ future leaders. I am grateful to be able to support the organization in this new role.”
With these new appointments, Bigs has a roster of 10 members on its Board of Directors who are all committed to maintaining the agency’s success and vision to serve an additional 50 children in 2020.
“We are honored to have such a dedicated Board of Directors advocating for this critical mission that continues to positively impact the lives of children in our five-county service area,” said Cecilia Chesney, Executive Director. “The diverse range of expertise will take the agency to our next milestone; serving 50 additional children in 2020 and hitting the 500 mark by 2021.”
Tony Anderson is the General Manager of Cherryland Electric Cooperative where he has been serving since March of 2003. Tony has been in the electric cooperative business for more than 35 years and previously managed cooperatives in Wisconsin and Wyoming. He has been a Bigs Board Member since 2005. Tony is also Secretary Treasurer of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and current Vice President of Michigan Electric Cooperative Association. Community activities include recipient of the 2018 Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Service Award, 2012 Governor’s Service Awards Michigan Volunteer of the Year, Past Chair of Traverse City Chamber Board, member of the noon Rotary Club, a Big Brother and founder of Marathon4Kids, a charitable fundraiser which has raised $500,000 for Bigs.
Doug Kosch has been in the restaurant industry for over 20 years and is the owner of The Boathouse Restaurant, known for its exquisite dining and breathtaking views. Doug was among the leaders to bring the farm-to-table concept to the area in which he gained widespread recognition for his efforts, including a spread in Family Circle magazine. He has served on the Bigs Board since 2016 and the founder & Chair of the Bigs Wine Event which has raised over $235,000 since its inception in 2018. Doug has proudly supported many area organizations in addition to Bigs including the Rotary Youth Exchange, Old Mission Education Foundation and the Peninsula Community Library.
Kerry Kalbfleisch is the Director of Human Resources at Cherryland Electric Cooperative. She graduated from the University of Central Florida with a BSBA degree in accounting and has over 2o years of extensive experience as an Executive Recruiter and Manager of executive recruiting teams, and as an HR Director. Kerry is an active member of the Traverse Area Human Resources Association and is heavily involved with volunteer work in the community. Currently, she is the immediate Past Board Chair of the Grand Traverse Bay YMCA, a member of Impact 100 member, a member of the Society of Human Resource Management and has been a Bigs supporter for years as both a Big Sister and fundraiser and has been a member of the Big Board since 2018.
Rob Mittelstaedt currently serves as a partner in local investment company, Shore Ventures, LLC, following his tenure as Chief Financial Officer of a family-owned newspaper company. Before moving to Traverse City in 2008, Rob completed a 25 year banking career in Minnesota, most recently serving as Community Bank President for privately held banks. Rob is a graduate of Mankato State University and holds a BS in Finance, Management and Industrial Relations. He is the former finance chair for Central United Methodist Church and is currently a personal finance volunteer teacher for Junior Achievement and a Big Brother to a local student. Rob has been a member of the Bigs Board since 2016.
Tony Kuberski is the Director for CH Robinson’s Traverse City operation which is a global third party logistics company. In the last 15 years, Tony successfully opened the Traverse City office of CH Robinson and grown annual sales to over $60 million. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and the CH Robinson Leadership Development program. Tony is an active member and volunteer for the Grand Traverse Ski Club, a long-term supporter of Bigs and active community member who is committed to being an integral member of the Bigs Board of Directors.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Cecilia Chesney
Executive Director
231.392.6497
Cecilia.chesney@bigsupnorth.org
About Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Michigan
Since 1970, Big Brothers Big Sisters has been matching youth in meaningful, enduring, professionally supported mentoring relationships with adult volunteers who defend their potential and help them achieve their biggest possible futures. Bigs’ evidence-based approach is designed to create positive youth outcomes, including educational success, avoidance of risky behaviors, higher aspirations, greater confidence, and improved relationships. Learn how to get involved at Bigsupnorth.com