Hofman and Murphy Offer Alumni Leadership to The Ferris Foundation Board of Directors

Two Ferris State University alumni have been elected to leadership roles on The Ferris Foundation Board of Directors.

Kurt Hofman, of Grand Rapids, will serve as The Ferris Foundation board chair. He earned an Associate of Applied Science in Welding Engineering Technology, in 1983, from Ferris’ College of Engineering Technology. Hofman was appointed to The Ferris Foundation Board, in 2014, and replaced Gary Granger, as chair.

“It is a considerable task to follow in Gary’s footsteps, as the original goal of $85 million for the Now and Always Campaign for Ferris State University has been surpassed and was increased to $115 million,” Hofman said. “He is a thoughtful and positive leader, a great example as a Foundation Board member, and as a past member of the university’s Board of Trustees.”

Hofman also began a term on the university’s Board of Trustees, in 2019, in an appointment to replace Granger, which continues through Dec. 31, 2026.

“I understand the demands that chairing The Ferris Foundation Board will present and am thankful for the counsel and guidance offered by former Executive Director Carla Miller,” Hofman said. “The Ferris Futures Scholarship Challenge has been an important component of this comprehensive campaign, and I look to work with Executive Director Bob Murray, and Barb Benda, in Leadership Giving and Relationships, to maximize this opportunity and further the success of our efforts. It is important that we develop resources to support our students, faculty and staff and remind everyone of our world-class graduates, who are key contributors to our region and its businesses, including my own.”

The vice chair of The Ferris Foundation Board is Tim Murphy, a 1983 graduate of Ferris’ College of Education and Human Services. He is the president of Thomson Reuters Special Services LLC, in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Murphy was also a deputy director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under Robert Mueller. Murphy’s appointment to The Ferris Foundation Board of Directors came in 2015, and he will follow Hofman in the role of chair.

The appointments were part of a range of activities on Friday, Nov. 1, capped by The Ferris Foundation for Excellence Benefit in Grand Rapids.