Michigan 4-H Foundation announces 2026 board officers and trustee elections
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EmailThe Michigan 4-H Foundation elected officers and board of trustee members at meetings on Oct. 2 in Lansing.
The Michigan 4-H Foundation elected officers for 2026-27 and selected new trustees during its Oct. 2 meeting in Lansing. Later that day, Foundation members confirmed trustee election results during the organization’s annual membership meeting.
Michigan 4-H Foundation trustees are volunteers who manage foundation policies and operations, and are community advocates for ongoing and increasing support for 4-H. They are also charged with overseeing the activities of foundation staff members and working on committees developed to facilitate foundation operations.
Officers elected for 2026-2027
Thomas Coon, Ph.D., Portage, was elected board president. Coon joined the Michigan 4-H Foundation board in 2023, after retiring as vice president and dean of Oklahoma State University’s Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, where he served for nine years. Previously, Coon served as the director of MSU Extension for nine years, from 2005-2014. In that role, he also served as trustee of the Michigan 4-H Foundation. Additionally, he was a professor in the MSU Department of Fisheries and Wildlife for 25 years. Coon earned a bachelor’s degree (summa cum laude) in biology from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, and a master’s and doctorate in ecology from the University of California, Davis.
Also elected to officer positions were:
- Vice President: Julie Chapin,D., Portland.
- Treasurer: Matthew Thelen, Lansing.
- Secretary: Jodi Schulz, Munger.
- Immediate Past President: Andrew Walker, West Branch.
Board of trustees election results
During the board meeting, trustees elected Matthew Thelen, Lansing, to a three-year term and Patrick Tiedt, Evart, to a two-year term on the board. Foundation members later confirmed the election of Thelen and Tiedt during the annual membership meeting.
Members also confirmed the appointments of Thomas Nugent, Clarksville, and Debra Schmucker, Osseo, who were elected by the board to fill vacancies in March and August, respectively. Reelected to three-year terms were Sheila Burkhardt, Novi; Rhonda Coon, Portage; and Thomas Coon, Portage.
The Michigan 4-H Foundation also recognized retiring trustees Julie Becker, youth trustee since 2023; Mark Koester, who served as board treasurer and Finance Committee Chair since 2023; and Bruce Sutherland, who served as a trustee since 2021; for their dedicated service and contributions to the board and Michigan 4-H.
The Michigan 4-H Foundation is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) philanthropic partner of Michigan State University Extension 4-H Youth Development. The foundation works to secure and manage private support for 4-H programs statewide that help prepare youth for leadership and future success. For more information, visit mi4hfdtn.org.
