WMVC Board of Directors

Paul Ryan

Vice-Chair

Paul J. Ryan is a native of Brooklyn, New York. He graduated (with honors) from the University of Notre Dame and was commissioned an Ensign, United States Navy, through Notre Dame’s Navy ROTC program in 1975. Paul served on active duty for five years and made one peacetime deployment to the Western Pacific. Paul’s subsequent service in the Navy Reserve spanned twenty-five years, including seven tours as Commanding Officer of various Navy Reserve units. He retired from the Navy in 2005 with the rank of Captain.

Paul pursued a “parallel” civilian career in banking, estate planning and fiduciary services since leaving active duty, with Fifth Third Bank in Grand Rapids and its predecessor, Old Kent Bank. He earned a Certified Financial Planner designation in 2000. Assignments during his 37-year career included service to a wide variety of individual and institutional clients as well as management roles. Paul retired from Fifth Third Bank in 2018 as a Vice President.

Paul joined the Michigan Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (“ESGR”) in April 2001. ESGR is a volunteer organization sponsored by the Department of Defense whose mission is to work with employers – and service members – to help create a culture in which military service is valued by every civilian employer in the United States. Paul served in a variety of positions during his 19 years with ESGR, including State Chair for Michigan (2008-2014). For his service as State Chair he received the Office of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Public Service. In addition to his work with ESGR, Paul is active in a wide variety of volunteer organizations supporting military families and veterans, including the Military Officers Association of America, the United Veterans Council of Kent County, the West Michigan Veterans Coalition, Finish The Mission Veterans Relief Fund and the Michigan Military and Veterans Hall of Honor. Additionally, Paul has been recognized by the United States Navy Recruiting District-Michigan and the United States Marine Corps for his volunteer efforts in support of those organizations.

Paul is married to Lauralee Mathieu, and has three children and three grandchildren. His older son, Timothy, serves on active duty as an officer with the U.S. Navy Seabees.

Ryan Burke

Board Member

Ryan founded Bluewater Hayes in 2015 following a life that initially took him to the U.S. Marine Corps after high school. After the Marines, Ryan attended Michigan State University and earned a bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management. He spent 4 years in manufacturing and then nearly 5 years with global staffing firms before establishing Bluewater Hayes as a premier executive search and staffing firm. Today, the company he founded serves clients ranging from up-and-coming to the most venerable Fortune 100 firms with talent acquisition search and support activities. The singular mission is Precision Placement with a culture of continuous improvement and professional development. Ryan resides in West Michigan with his wife Karley. Both are competitive Olympic weightlifters and enjoy their Crossfit community.

Mike Keast

Treasurer

Mike Keast has been helping business grow within the West Michigan Community for over 15 years, by taking a consultative type of approach and offering advice for best practices. He currently manages a relationship portfolio deploying over $100 Million dollars in capital within the community of which the majority of businesses either are owned or employ veterans.

Mike served as a Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps from 2000 to 2004. While serving in the Corps, Mike was stationed in London, England as part of an elite anti-terrorism task force protecting US Naval Security Interests during the September 11th attacks. In 2003, while serving with the Marine Corps most highly decorated battalion, 2nd Battalion 5th Marines, he was deployed to Kuwait and took part in the initial invasion and numerous stability operation during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Mike was awarded a Naval Achievement Medal with Combat “V” for Valor during his tour and later meritoriously promoted to Sergeant.

Mike is West Michigan native (Ionia) and earned his bachelor’s degree from Grand Valley State University in Finance. He serves on several non-for profit boards which consist of the Mid-Michigan Banking Group, GVSU Alumni Association, Association for Corporate Growth, and David D. Hunting YMCA. Mike is also a member of the Wakefield, MI VFW, and Team RWB in Grand Rapids.

Mike is married to Sarah whom is an Interior Designer at Steelcase and together have 4 daughters and 1 son, Karena, Evelyn, Ruby, Dorothy (whom passed away at birth) and Calvin.

Faye Richardson – Green

Board Member

Steve Lipnicki

Board Member

Steven Lipnicki serves as the Assistant Dean of Students at Grand Valley State University, working to assess and improve services for students, including military veterans and adult students. Lipnicki was instrumental in launching Grand Valley State University’s Veterans Network and assisting student veterans with establishing a Student Veterans of America chapter at Grand Valley.

Lipnicki also serves on the board for the Consortium of Michigan Veterans Educators, a statewide collaborative representing college and university educators who support military-connected students and an active member of Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve. Prior to arriving at Grand Valley, Lipnicki recruited current and former military members, evaluated credit for military experience and training, certified GI Bill benefits, and organized services for current and for current and former members of the US armed forces, including coordinating classes at Michigan National Guard armories.

Jason Bos

Board Member             Co-chair Education Committee

Jason served in the U.S. Army as a Military Police Officer and Canine Handler for more than 8 years.  Of those 8 plus years, Jason served overseas for 3 years in both hostile and combat related countries.  After retiring from the U.S. Army as a Staff Sergeant (E-6) due to a service related injury, Jason attended Davenport University and earned a BBA in Management.  Jason is currently working on finishing a Master’s Degree in Management at Davenport.   

For the past five plus years, Jason has worked as the Partnership Manager of Military & College of Business at Davenport University. While primarily working out of the Lettinga Campus in Grand Rapids, Jason’s role is to support all Davenport Campuses and to increase enrollment for the COB and Military.  Jason works with all military students and assists them with applying for their educational benefits and requesting military service transcripts.  Jason serves as the Subject Matter Expert for all military & veteran related topics for the university.   

Jacob Schrot

Board Member                Co-chair Education Committee

Deb Unseld

Operations Manager, Contractor

Debra’s journey in the Military-Connected community began in 1998 when she married her husband, an Army Reservist.  As her husband moved up in rank, Debra was provided with the opportunity to speak with the Service Members and their Families and found she was not alone in the issues her Family was experiencing. Debra has served Service Members, Veterans, and their Families through her time in Family Readiness Groups, as a customer support coordinator for the Army Reserve Family Programs, and now as a contractor for the West Michigan Veterans Coalition (WMVC). Through the WMVC, Debra has made an impact on several Service Members, Veterans, and their Families through programs she developed to fill gaps in services. The assistance ranged from coordinating financial assistance, higher education scholarships, along with other services that are too many to list. Debra has also been a voice for the Families, as she believes they have served in their own way. Debra will continue to assist those Members that have stepped up to defend our country and their Families.