Michigan Retailers announces board officers for 2016-17, new directors

LANSING – Michigan Retailers Association (MRA) announced 2016-17 officers for the MRA Board of Directors and the Retailers Insurance Company Board of Directors. Results of each organization’s election of directors at its August annual meetings also were announced, along with directors of MRA-subsidiary Michigan Retailers Services, Inc.

MRA Board of Directors
Orin Mazzoni, Jr., president of Orin Jewelers, Inc., which owns and operates stores in Garden City and Northville, was elected chair.

James P. Hallan was re-elected as president and chief executive officer.

Becky Beauchine Kulka, of Becky Beauchine Kulka Diamonds and Fine Jewelry in Okemos, was elected vice chair.

Peter Sobelton, of Mondial Properties in Birmingham, was re-elected treasurer.

William J. Hallan, MRA executive vice president, chief operating officer and general counsel, was re-elected secretary.

Dan Marshall, president of Marshall Music Company, headquartered in Lansing, serves as immediate past chair.

Newly elected to the MRA Board of Directors was Ken Hayward, executive vice president and managing director of Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. Re-elected to the board were: Orin Mazzoni, Jr.; Barb Stein, owner/operator of Great Northern Trading Co. in Rockford; Joe Swanson, district team leader for Target Corp.’s Indianapolis Region; and Thomas Ungrodt, president and CEO of Ideation Inc. in Ann Arbor. All directors’ terms are three years.

Retailers Insurance Company Board of Directors
Retailers Insurance Company (RIC), established by MRA, provides workers’ compensation insurance and other insurance lines to all types of Michigan businesses.

Jeff Joyce, vice president and co-owner of Mieras Family Shoes, Grand Rapids, was re-elected RIC board chair for 2016-17.

James P. Hallan was re-elected as president and chief executive officer.

Peter Sobelton, of Mondial Properties in Birmingham, was re-elected treasurer.

Newly elected to the RIC board by policyholders was Andrew Gemmen, co-owner of Gemmen’s Home and Hardware in Hudsonville.

Re-elected to the RIC board were: Jeff Joyce; Dan Marshall, president of Marshall Music Company, headquartered in Lansing; and Larry Meyer, retired president and CEO of MRA and a member of the Lansing Community College Board of Trustees.

All directors’ terms are three years.

Michigan Retailers Services, Inc. Board of Directors
In addition, the MRA board elected members of the Michigan Retailers Services, Inc. Board of Directors for 2016-17. The wholly owned subsidiary of MRA provides a wide-array of profit-boosting membership services to MRA members.

Newly elected to the MRS board was Chad Ayers, partner and general manager of Allendale True Value in Allendale. Re-elected were James P. Hallan; Bo Brines, owner and president of Little Forks Outfitters in downtown Midland; Bill Golden, co-president of Golden Shoes in downtown Traverse City; and Emily Matthews, manager of Dart Foundation and partner in Potent Potables, which owns and operates Zoobie’s Old Town Tavern, Cosmos and The Creole in Lansing’s Old Town commercial area.

Michigan Retailers Association represents more than 5,000 member businesses and their 15,000 stores and websites. MRA has been a trusted business resource for 76 years and provides cost-saving membership services, such as expert credit card processing, business and personal insurances, legislative advocacy, college scholarships and discounts on shipping, to all types of businesses.

Note: A high-resolution photo of each director is available by contacting MRA’s Rachel Schafer at rschafer@retailers.com or calling 800.366.3699 ext. 346.