Aquinas College (Michigan) - Administration

Administration

The school's first administrator was Monsignor Bukowski, for whom the school's chapel is named. In February, 1969, Dr. Norbert J. Hruby succeeded Monsignor Bukowski as President. Hruby Hall, an administrative building and residence hall on campus, bears his name. Aquinas’ third president, Dr. Peter D. O’Connor, took office in 1986 and served until 1990. In 1990 Mr. R. Paul Nelson was named the College’s fourth president, serving until 1997. Dr. Harry J. Knopke became the fifth president of Aquinas College in 1997. Dr. Knopke served from 1997 through 2006. On July 1, 2006, Provost C. Edward Balog was named Interim President and he became the College’s sixth president in May 2007. Dr. Balog retired from Aquinas College on June 30, 2011. Dr. Juan Olivarez became the seventh president of Aquinas College on July 1, 2011.

In June 2008 Dr. Charles Gunnoe Jr. became Provost and Dean of Faculty for Aquinas College. He had served as head of the History Department for five years prior.

Notable Board of Trustees members include Chairman Lt. General John Nowak, United States Air Force (Ret.) and Sr. Nathalie Meyer, O.P., Prioress of the Grand Rapids Dominicans. Trustees Emeriti include Msgr. William Duncan Vicar General of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids, Sr. M. Aquinas Weber, O.P., and local philanthropists Martin Allen, Jr., Peter Wege and Kate Pew Wolters.