Advancing Macomb names six new members to its board of directors
Advancing Macomb’s board of directors has six new members supporting the nonprofit’s mission to solve community challenges and enrich the lives of Macomb County residents.
The new members are Megan McCandlish, John McGrath, Jonathon O’Hara, Max Schuster, Jeff Simek, and Ellen Wood.
“We are thrilled to welcome these new members to our board of directors,” said Diane Banks, executive director of Advancing Macomb. “Each of these individuals is well accomplished in their respective fields and brings tremendous insight and experience to help us advance our work and mission.”
McCandlish is a shareholder with Doeren Mayhew. She has more than 12 years of experience in accounting and audit management, specializing in working with nonprofit organizations.
She is an Impact 100 Metro Detroit member and serves on the audit committee for Leader Dogs for the Blind.
McGrath is the director of administration and growth for The Monahan Company, a provider of commercial construction management services. He oversees business administration and development activities in his role as director. He has a background in sales, marketing, strategy and logistics.
O’Hara is the CEO of Great Lakes Cremation & Burial Care, a new funeral home scheduled to open later this year in Chesterfield Township. He is also the founder and CEO of Great Lakes Partnership, a Macomb County-based funeral home consulting business.
He serves on the executive board of the Martha T. Berry Foundation, is the acting president of the Michigan Funeral Directors Association: District 6 and is a former board member of the Grosse Pointe Senior Commission.
Schuster is the director of project development for Barton Malow Company. He has been with Barton Malow in project management and engineering capacities for more than 17 years. He actively supports Turning Point Macomb and serves on the Michigan Energy Innovators Business Council Board. Schuster is a graduate of Fraser High School and currently resides in Fraser.
Simek is the general manager of RCO Engineering, where he leads Aerospace and Automotive operations.
He serves on the board of directors for the Aerospace Industry Association of Michigan (AIAM) and FIRST Robotics and is passionate about efforts to build the talent pipeline and enhance Macomb County. RCO Engineering recently received the Macomb Business Award for a leader in Diversification.
Wood is the chief human resources officer of Lipari Foods.
She has expertise in human resources, organizational development and talent management. She previously held senior leadership roles at Thyssenkrupp and GM. She succeeds Thom Lipari, president of Lipari Foods, who served on the Advancing Macomb Board of Directors for eight years.
Additionally, Brian Pilarski, senior vice president of Kapnick Insurance Group, has been elected board chair, and Mark Cullen, senior vice president of USI Insurance Services, has been elected treasurer. Pilarksi has served on the Advancing Macomb board since 2015 and will serve a two-year term as board chair. Cullen joined the board in 2020 and will serve a one-year term as treasurer.
“We are also grateful for the continued leadership and support from Brian Pilarski and Mark Cullen as they step into their new roles,” Banks said.
Each member will serve a three-year term in support of the board’s mission to provide thoughtful civic leadership to Macomb County, empower community development and provide a deeper connection to the region.
For more information visit advancingmacomb.com/.