SPORTS

DIANE MAHER

President, COO DP Fox Ventures & Fox Motor Group, Grand Rapids

TIM GORTSEMA

President Grand Rapids Griffins, Grand Rapids As the leader of two companies that are involved in a variety of industries, including real estate, automotive, transportation, fashion, sports, powersports and entertainment, Diane Maher has been very impactful in the Midwest. Under her leadership, Fox Motor Group has made many acquisitions and opened dealerships since 2000, when she became the CFO and COO. At the end of 2019, the company merged its Chicago powersports operations into a new entity called WC Fox Motorsports. This combined entity operates Harley-Davidson and other motorcycle franchises in 18 locations throughout Chicagoland and Milwaukee. This group is the largest Harley-Davidson dealer group in the United States. Fox Motors also acquired K&M Dodge RAM and Van Andel & Flikkema Chrysler Jeep in 2019, bringing the Fox Motors family to 48 automotive and powersports brands in 52 locations that can be found in Michigan, Illinois and Wisconsin.

EDUCATION:Ferris State University (B) BOARDS:Our Daily Bread Ministries, West Michigan Policy Forum and Mercantile Bank of Michigan FIRST JOB:Serving up cones at an ice cream shop and picking blueberries HOBBIES:Watching Michigan State football and basketball games GRAND RAPIDS ATTRACTION:Frederik Meijer Gardens

LEW CHAMBERLIN

Founder, chair Whitecaps Professional Baseball Corp., Comstock Park

A member of the Grand Rapids Griffi ns’ original 1995 staff, Tim Gortsema began his career with DP Fox Sports & Entertainment as director of fi nance and administration before being named vice president in 1997. In February 2007, he was promoted to senior vice president of business operations, becoming just the second person to direct the Griffi ns’ front offi ce, and he was named president of the franchise in June 2015. Now in his 25th season with the club, Gortsema oversees all business-related activities for the Griffi ns. Under his watch, the Griffi ns have surpassed 7,900 in average attendance in each of the last fi ve seasons.

EDUCATION: Hope College (B), Western Michigan University (M) FIRST JOB: Washing cars at Tu -Kote Dinol FAVORITE QUOTE: “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.” Robert Louis Stevenson FEW PEOPLE KNOW: I still own and drive my fi rst car — a 1972 VW Bug with big tires, tinted windows and a sunroof. PLAY YOU IN A MOVIE: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson — although he will need to drop 4 inches of height and 70 pounds of raw muscle mass. Other than that, and the massive di erence in bank accounts, we are pretty much the same person. EDUCATION: Allegheny College (B), University of Toledo College of Law (J.D.) FIRST JOB: General laborer at John Ball Park Zoo

MIKE GUSWILER

President West Michigan Sports Commission, Rockford Along with his partner, Denny Baxter, Lew Chamberlin was instrumental in bringing the Whitecaps to West Michigan. He began the process in 1986 and didn’t rest until the team’s inception in 1994. The Whitecaps have set the alltime Class A attendance record three times and have drawn over 10 million fans to Fifth Third Ballpark over the past 25 years. Chamberlin serves on the board of the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce and is one of the seven members of the Grand Rapids-Kent County Convention/Arena Authority, a quasi-public board that owns Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place Convention Center. He is the former president of the Grand Rapids Art Museum board of trustees and a past board member of Experience Grand Rapids and the Grand Rapids Downtown Market. More recently, Chamberlin serves as co-chair of the First Steps Kent Commission, which is working to build a comprehensive support system for Kent County children from birth to age 5.

BEST ADVICE RECEIVED: Never stop trying. TOUGHEST CHALLENGE: The recovery e ort from the devastating ballpark fi re of Jan. 3, 2014 HIDDEN TALENT: I’m ambidextrous FAVORITE BOOK: “The Sunlight Dialogues” by John Gardner

Mike Guswiler has spent over 25 years in the hospitality industry, working for Hyatt Regency, Sheraton Hotels and other private and nonprofi t organizations geared toward economic impact through tourism. Guswiler was named president of the West Michigan Sports Commission in June 2007 and works to promote sports tourism and secure sports-related business for economic benefi t and quality of life in the region. The West Michigan Sports Commission has worked to secure or host hundreds of sports events in the area that contribute millions of dollars to the economy. Guswiler is a graduate of Leadership Grand Rapids (2006) and Leadership West Michigan (2008). He resides in Rockford with his wife of 27 years, Julie. They have four children.

EDUCATION: Central Michigan University (B) FIRST JOB: Dock porter on Mackinac Island BOARDS: Task Force on Women in Sports, West Michigan Miracle League board; formerly National Association of Sports Commissions, Transplant Games of America board FAVORITE TV SHOW: “The O ce” TRAVEL DESTINATION: Skiing the mountains of Colorado, Utah and Idaho TOUGHEST CHALLENGE: Having the fortitude to continue to work the long hours and fi nd learning opportunities to gain new skill sets, all the while gaining courage to become a change agent.