Daniel T. Eichinger
Daniel T. Eichinger, a high-ranking executive in the cabinet of Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, has been named Ferris State University’s new vice president for governmental and external affairs.
Eichinger has been the principal executive leading a combined 3,000 staff and more than $1.6 billion in state agencies as director of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and as the acting director of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, has been named Ferris State University’s new vice president for governmental and external affairs. In these capacities, he has immersed himself in state government developing skills and relationships he is excited to bring to this new role he will have at Ferris.
“I am excited to be an ambassador for Ferris State University, representing the students, faculty and staff before the legislature and around the state of Michigan,” said Eichinger, who previously worked in higher education as associate director of leasing and regulatory services at Central Michigan University from 2012 to 2014, where he lead the development and maintenance of relationships with business providers and partners for CMU’s global campus, a $50 million, unit with 200-plus employees. “Ferris is situated well to become a major player in the applied solutions essential to local, state and the federal governments.”
The new vice president for governmental and external affairs will have diverse responsibilities, including working with federal, state and local legislative bodies to strengthen annual state higher education funding for Ferris. Additional responsibilities include developing, directing and implementing the operation of University policies, procedures, plans and programs governing federal and state relations and all Ferris external affairs related to public policy issues. Eichinger’s name emerged from his bi-partisan legislative experience and past higher education work.
Eichinger will work primarily in Lansing but will have offices on Ferris’ main campus in Big Rapids, Grand Rapids and Lansing.
Ferris President Bill Pink is excited about the opportunities the new vice president for governmental and external affairs presents and Eichinger’s experience and skillset to impact Ferris before the state government positively.
“We are thrilled to welcome Dan Eichinger to our Ferris Family. This is a new position, both for Dan and for Ferris and I’m confident that this role will allow us to make an even larger impact for our students, faculty and staff,” Pink said. “This is a critical position for the future of Ferris, as we hope to engage with state legislators as well as Congressional lawmakers in new and meaningful ways, helping them to understand Ferris’ mission, vision and needs in a challenging economy. We had an incredibly strong list of applicants for this role, but I know Dan is the perfect individual to lead that engagement. I am excited to see the ways in which he collaboratively works with legislators to turn our vision into a reality.”
Before working at CMU and beginning in state government, Eichinger was executive director of the Michigan United Conservation Clubs from July 2014 through December 2018.
“I look forward to bringing the diverse range of academic programs and offerings that Ferris has to the 148 legislators in the state of Michigan,” said Eichinger, who served as a policy advisor to Lt. Gov. John D. Cherry from July 2004 through March 2007. “We have an opportunity here that will include a lot of work, but it’s work I am excited to begin. I look forward to learning as much as I can about Ferris as quickly as possible. People are excited about the vision of President Pink and are buying into that vision for Ferris’ future. My objective is to be an extension of President Pink and of Ferris State University to legislators and leaders in the state of Michigan. I am looking forward to that opportunity. I want to make sure Ferris is well-known in Lansing. We want to be even more active in building relationships.”
Eichinger, who holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Theory and Constitutional Democracy from Michigan State University (2003), a Master of Science in Fisheries and Wildlife from MSU (2010) and a Master of Public Administration from CMU (2014), expects to officially begin his new position at Ferris on Wednesday, May 3, 2023.