May 17, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Kathy Crosby is stepping down from the Grand Rapids Community College board of trustees, saying she needs to focus on her health and family.
The resignation is effective May 21, and the trustees will have 30 days to fill the seat.
“My decision to serve was not lightly made, and it is therefore hard to step away from,” Crosby wrote in a letter to board chairperson David Koetje, shared at Monday's meeting. “However, life and health situations change. Often, they can be unpredictable. In this case, those changes have pushed me to re-prioritize time. Going forward, it must belong to my family.”
Crosby has been the board’s vice chair, and was elected in 2018. Trustee Kenyatta Brame will serve as the board’s vice chair, and trustee Sheryl Siegel was tapped to replace Brame as treasurer.
“For decades this board has had seven individuals sitting around its table. Very few of those trustees have matched the richness of your experience, the depth of your perspective, and the personal charm that you have blessed us with in these few years that you have been with us,” Koetje said of Crosby.
Brame said Crosby has been a tremendous asset to the college and the board, with her background in business and non-profit organizations, as well as her great knowledge of the community.
“When Kathy and I ran for this position, I was awed that she knew everybody in the city, and even more awed that she’s beloved by everybody in the city,” Siegel said.
Crosby retired as CEO Emeritus of Goodwill Industries of Greater Grand Rapids in 2018. Her other community service includes past chairs of the boards of directors of the Economic Club of Grand Rapids and of the Better Business Bureau of Western Michigan. She serves on the CEO Leadership Council of Talent 2025, the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce's Regional Issues Council, and the YMCA's Board of Directors.