Ann Arbor Republican and MSU alumnus Randall Pittman was appointed by Gov. John Engler to MSU’s Board of Trustees on Tuesday, leaving what was a politically balanced board Republican heavy.
Trustee Robert Weiss accepted a judgeship in Genesee County Probate Court, Engler announced. The appointments went into effect immediately.
Pittman said the first indication he had of being appointed to MSU’s board came in a telephone call from Engler on Monday.
“I knew nothing about it,” he said. “This is a great surprise.”
Pittman is chairman and chief executive officer of Forest Health Services, a health care business based in Ypsilanti. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in business from MSU.
He serves on an advisory committee for Capital Campaign, an MSU fund-raising project, and made a $500,000 gift in 2000 to the university to help fund the Breslin Center expansion.
Pittman’s experience in business may come in handy as the university prepares to deal with difficult budget decisions that will affect tuition.
“That’s what I do every day - work and deal with difficult decisions and find ways to turn them into positives,” he said.
Weiss said he hopes to make positive changes for Michigan’s children by accepting the judgeship. He served as Genesee County prosecutor from 1979 to 1993.
Although Weiss’ judgeship is a return to familiar work, leaving the board and the people he’s worked with for nearly 14 years was difficult, he said.
“I’m extremely honored that the governor saw fit to appoint me to the probate judgeship,” said Weiss, a Democrat from Grand Blanc. “It’s an opportunity for me to work with kids and hopefully make a difference in their life.
“That was the hardest part of the decision. I have a deep love and affection for the university and I’m confident that it’s in great hands with the present board.”
Weiss also sits on the Board of Trustees for MSU-Detroit College of Law. He said he hopes to remain a part of that board.
Republican Trustee David Porteous said he’s sad to see Weiss go, but looks forward to working with Pittman.
“(Pittman) has a wonderful knack for looking out long-term and developing strategies to meet tough long-term problems,” Porteous said. “He is one of the smartest people I’ve ever met.
“He will be up to speed on the financial issues facing Michigan State very quickly. He brings experience and expertise that will be invaluable as we look at the tough budgetary issues.”
MSU President M. Peter McPherson said Pittman, who has extensive background in medicine and science, was a good choice. MSU is one of two institutions in the running for a $800 million unique particle accelerator, and the $93 million Biomedical and Physical Sciences Building will open this spring.
“Given the strength and size of our science programs on campus and our efforts to pursue the Rare Isotope Accelerator, this appointment is especially timely,” McPherson said.
But Tuesday’s appointment to the board is not Engler’s first at MSU.
In August 2000, Democrat Bob Traxler left the board after Engler appointed him to head the Mackinac Island Parks Commission.
Republican Trustee Scott Romney took Traxler’s place and was elected to a new term in November 2000.
Traxler said Weiss, who will rule on family and juvenile matters in his new job, will make an exceptional judge. The appointment was a job Traxler said Weiss would love, even if it means leaving his role at MSU.
“He is compassionate, but he is no softy,” Traxler said. “He will look for all different ways to provide a variety of services for young people in emotional and developmental stress.
“He is going to want to help them. In a few years, he will be a national spokesman for troubled youth.”
Democratic Trustee Colleen McNamara said she heard about the two appointments from co-workers at the Michigan Cable Telecommunications Association, of which she is the executive director.
“I don’t know anything about (Pittman),” she said. “But I am looking forward to meeting him and talking to him.”
McNamara said Weiss brought things to the board no one else could.
“I’m going to miss him and his dry sense of humor,” she said. “He was also the only Jewish person on the board and from a part of the state that is underrepresented.”
Ed Ronco can be reached at roncoedw@msu.edu.
Megan Frye can be reached at fryemega@msu.edu.
