Grand Rapids Art Museum Appoints New President and Vice President to its Board of Trustees
Appointments confirmed at recent board of trustees meeting
GRAND RAPIDS, MI, March 10, 2020 — The Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM) is pleased to announce the recent election of two new officers to its board of trustees. The board officer appointments include Kurt Hassberger as president and Erin Gravelyn as vice president. In addition, two officers were re-elected — Lizbeth O’Shaughnessy as secretary/treasurer and Lauretta Murphy as president of the foundation board of trustees. The president serves a 2‑year term, while the vice president, secretary/treasurer, and foundation board president serve 1‑year terms.
About the Appointees
Kurt Hassberger, GRAM Board of Trustees President
Kurt Hassberger is chief counsel at Rockford Construction Group. Hassberger joined Rockford Construction in 1995 as general counsel and became chief operating officer in 1997. He was appointed president of Rockford’s Development Group in 2011. Hassberger is currently serving as chief counsel and chairman of the board. A member of the Grand Rapids and State Bar Associations, he successfully manages the complex legal, financial, and operational needs of developments, LLCs, and real estate holdings.
In his time at Rockford Construction, Hassberger has been instrumental in many key development projects, including Cherry Street Landing — a fully developed neighborhood containing education, retail, office, and residential components — which was created with a focus on the renovation of the area’s existing vacant buildings. Recently, he was instrumental in a similar revitalization of the West Side of Grand Rapids, bringing a diverse mix of academic, mixed-use, retail, residential, and office space to the neighborhood.
Erin Gravelyn, GRAM Board of Trustees Vice President
Erin Gravelyn serves as director of global field marketing at Herman Miller Inc., where she leads strategic, tactical, and creative teams. Her previous experience includes leadership positions at SAP Global Human Resources and SAP Global Marketing, as well as 18 years as a trial attorney for Dickinson Wright PLLC. Gravelyn has received numerous honors and awards, including being listed in Best Lawyers in America for commercial and business litigation from 2011 – 2019.
She also serves as philanthropic advisor to the Herman Miller Cares Foundation, focusing on programs and initiatives to inspire future designers, and has previously served as a board and committee member in various local community organizations, including the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts, Grand Rapids Historic Preservation Commission, and the Grand Rapids Symphony. Gravelyn is a published author and a proficient presenter. She holds a Juris Doctor degree from University of Notre Dame Law School and a Bachelor of Arts with honors from the University of Michigan.
Lizbeth O’Shaughnessy, GRAM Board of Trustees and Foundation Board of Trustees Secretary/Treasurer
Lizbeth O’Shaughnessy is senior vice president, chief administrative officer, general counsel, and secretary for Steelcase Inc., the global leader in the office furniture industry. O’Shaughnessy took on the additional duties of chief administrative officer in July 2014, expanding her role as vice president, chief legal officer, and secretary (2007 – 14). In addition to her leadership of legal services, she is now responsible for several other groups, including global talent management; sustainability; social innovation; global trade compliance and environmental performance; and corporate governance as the secretary of the board of directors.
Previously, O’Shaughnessy was vice president, chief legal officer, and secretary (2007 – 11) with global leadership responsibility for all legal services and consultation advice necessary to support the company’s global business and to provide research, review, and active involvement in legal matters for various groups within the company. O’Shaughnessy joined Steelcase Inc. in 1992 as corporate counsel and has held several leadership roles in legal services since then. She earned her Juris Doctor degree from Indiana University at Bloomington in 1987. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in economics from Michigan State University in 1984, and she is a member of the State Bar of Michigan and the American Bar Association.
Lauretta K. Murphy, GRAM Foundation Board of Trustees President
Laurie Murphy is a Member of Miller Johnson, chair of the estate planning practice, the private client practice, the probate practice, the guardianship practice, the wills and trust disputes practice, is a former vice chair of the business section, and has been practicing law since 1988. She specializes in probate and estate planning, taxation of estates, trusts and gifts, as well as elder law and special needs planning.
Murphy is a fellow in the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC). Additionally, she is a member of the State Bar of Michigan and was the secretary and treasurer for the Elder Law & Advocacy section. She belongs to the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Women Lawyers Association of Michigan, American Bar Association, and Grand Rapids Bar Association. Murphy earned her Juris Doctor degree from University of Notre Dame Law School in 1988 and a Bachelor of Arts from Aquinas College in 1984.
2019 – 20 GRAM BOARD OF TRUSTEES Museum Board of Trustees
- Kurt Hassberger, President
- Erin Gravelyn, Vice President
- Lizbeth O’Shaughnessy, Secretary/Treasurer
- Luis E. Avila
- Stacie Behler
- Marilyn Crawford
- Sam Cummings
- Jim Engelking
- Meg Goebel
- Christopher Hufnagel
- Rishi Makkar
- India Manns
- Jane Boyles Meilner
- Jim Overbeck
- Kathleen Stewart Ponitz
- Christopher Rosmarin
- Carol Sarosik
- Eddie T.L. Tadlock
- Mitchell Watt
- Meg Miller Willit
Foundation Board of Trustees
- Lauretta K. Murphy, President
- Lizbeth O’Shaughnessy, Secretary/Treasurer
- Tamara R. Bailey
- Thomas A. Demeester
- Greg Hooks
- Janet Nisbett
- Douglas Padnos
- Jeff Smith
- Douglas Williams
Honorary Life Trustees
- Anita Carter
- Pamella DeVos
- Marilyn Q. Drake
- David G. Frey
- Mary Ann Keeler
- Mary Loupee
- Mary Nelson
- Kate Pew Wolters
About the Grand Rapids Art Museum
Connecting people through art, creativity, and design. Established in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids, the art museum is internationally known for its distinguished design and LEED® Gold certified status. Established in 1910 as the Grand Rapids Art Association, GRAM has grown to include more than 5,000 works of art, including American and European 19th and 20th-century painting and sculpture and more than 3,000 works on paper. Embracing the city’s legacy as a leading center of design and manufacturing, GRAM has a growing collection in the area of design and modern craft.
For museum hours and admission fees, visit artmuseumgr.org.
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