Advancement Board

This team of dedicated, generous alumni supports the Advancement team in its strategic efforts to secure private support for students and the university. They are role models in philanthropic giving to Central Michigan University and they actively work to inspire others to join them.

2024-25 Advancement Board highlights

  • Together with the Advancement team and university partners, the Board helped raise a record-breaking $79 million for CMU and its students.
  • Provided counsel and direct support for planning and initial leadership prospect engagement for the university’s comprehensive campaign.
  • Completed all actions outlined in the second year of the Board’s three-year strategic plan. All actions are aligned and supportive of the University’s 2023-2028 strategic plan.
  • Supported engagement efforts to help introduce and connect the new university president, alumni and partners throughout Michigan. 
Nate Tallman is an Alumni Board member who holds Emeritus status and was the former president of the Board and he is wearing a blue suit with an Action "C" pin and a white button-down shirt.

Nate Tallman

Advancement Board Chair

Tallman, '07, '09, is chair of the Advancement Board. He is vice president of Metro Wire & Cable Corp. Tallman also is past president of CMU's Alumni Board.

 


William (Bill) Kanine wearing a black suit with a gray tie and he has short dark brown hair.

Bill Kanine

Advancement Board Vice Chair

Kanine, '82, is Vice Chair of the Advancement Board. He is the founder and managing partner of William R. Kanine P.C. — a certified public accounting firm incorporated in July 1996. He is chair of the CMU Marcy Weston Hall of Fame, a member of the university’s investment committee and a former member of CMU’s Board of Trustees, where he served for eight years — two years as chair.

Sarah Opperman wears a grey sweater and blue top while smiling for the camera.

Sarah R. Opperman

Past Advancement Board Chair

Opperman, '81, is past chair of the Advancement Board. She is a retired Dow Chemical Co. executive and served on CMU's Board of Trustees from 2009 to 2016; she chaired the board twice during that time.


Board Committee Members

  • Michael Bayoff
  • Gary Collins
  • Dan Crociata
  • Lee Dow
  • Peter Ginopolis
  • Thomas Grobbel
  • Jan Hagland
  • Todd Harter
  • William Kanine
  • David Keilitz
  • Philip Kintzele
  • Nick Krzyzaniak
  • Richard McGuirk
  • Pam Murray
  • Sarah Opperman
  • Dina Richard
  • Michele Szczypka
  • Nathan Tallman
  • Michael Tierney
  • Anthony Voisin
  • Bryan Wieferich

Emeritus Committee Members

  • Al Cambridge, Jr.
  • James Fabiano, Sr.
  • JoAnn Hinds
  • Roger Kesseler
  • Ira Kreft
  • John Kulhavi
  • Michael Murray
  • Michael O’Donnell
  • Jay Phillion
  • Paul Richards
  • Sidney Smith
  • Jon Voigtman