President Kevin M. Guskiewicz, Ph.D., today announced the full roster of the dynamic civic and business leaders that comprise Michigan State University’s Green and White Council.

Co-chaired by university alumnus Matt Elliott and Eli Broad College of Business Dean Emeritus and Professor Sanjay Gupta, the council will support MSU in launching a set of initiatives to help strengthen the state’s workforce and economy. The Green and White Council aligns with President Guskiewicz’s vision of MSU being Michigan’s state university.

“Michigan State University has over 50,000 students enrolled in more than 400 academic programs,” said Guskiewicz. “We are truly Michigan’s state university and a leading talent activator for our state, our nation and the world. The esteemed members of the Green and White Council will help us refine our efforts to meet current workforce demands and anticipate economic needs to prepare the next generation of leaders for critical industries. I am grateful to these leaders and experts in their fields for their commitment to this important charge, and I look forward to their work over the coming months.”

Unveiled during his investiture, Guskiewicz laid out his vision for a group of Michigan leaders and executives convened to define and launch a set of initiatives to help shape the state and nation’s workforce and economy. The Green and White Council will be charged with pursuing initiatives that are bold and impact-driven, aligned with the university’s strategic plan, championed by council members, and uniquely MSU.

In February, Guskiewicz appointed Elliott and Gupta as co-chairs and reiterated the goals for the council, including ensuring the university produces the talent needed for the future, connecting Spartans with meaningful careers in-state and unleashing MSU’s assets to drive innovation and propel Michigan’s economy. By working with the council and faculty across the university, Guskiewicz intends to better connect talent with the important industry sectors driving the state’s economy. 

Council co-chairs:

• Matt Elliott, market president (ret.), Bank of America
• Sanjay Gupta, dean emeritus and professor, Eli Broad College of Business, MSU

Council members:

• Linda Apsey, president and CEO, ITC Holdings
• Jared Fleisher, CEO, Bedrock Detroit
• Keith Clark, CEO, Dart Container
• Jose Flores, CEO, Ancor Automotive
• Ron Gantner, partner, Plante Moran Realpoint
• Linda Hubbard, president and CEO, Carhartt
• Burt Jordan, president, Atlantic Coastal Acquisition
• Tricia Keith, president and CEO, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
• Angie Kelly, managing partner, Ernst and Young LLP, Detroit
• Ronia Kruse, founder and CEO, OpTech
• Chuck Lippstreu, president, Michigan Agri-Business Association
• Mark Murray, vice chairman, co-CEO (ret.), Meijer; former treasurer, state of Michigan
• Brian Peters, CEO, Michigan Health and Hospital Association
• Joseph Serra, chairman, Serra Automotive
• Sen. Debbie Stabenow (ret.), United States Senate
• Chris Thomas, co-founder and partner, Assembly Ventures
• Ridgway White, president and CEO, Mott Foundation

The leadership and members of the Green and White Council will join together for the first time this spring and meet throughout 2025. 

As a state institution, Michigan State University is already deeply embedded in communities across Michigan. Key health care partnerships in Detroit, Grand Rapids and Lansing and transformative community collaboration in areas such as Flint, Kalamazoo and the Upper Peninsula already provide a strong impact footprint that the council can help grow. With nine nationally ranked programs in areas ranging from supply chain management and logistics to elementary and secondary education, MSU is also poised to cultivate talent opportunities and advancements in agriculture and nuclear physics.  

With an annual statewide economic impact of $6.81 billion, MSU applies its vast knowledge and resources to create solutions in partnership with communities across the state and helps make Michigan a place of opportunity, economic growth and innovation. The MSU Innovation Center helps more than 150 discoveries become patented products or start-up companies each year.

MSU is also one of the nation’s premier and leading schools in agriculture and natural resources; home to the world’s most powerful rare isotope accelerator; partner to the only Apple Developer Academy in North America and the recently announced Apple Manufacturing Academy; and the alma mater of nearly 300,000 Michigan residents.