January 22, 2026

Ferris State President Bill Pink named a finalist for Crain’s Grand Rapids Business’ ‘Newsmaker of the Year Award’ in education

Ferris State University President Bill Pink is a finalist for Crain’s Grand Rapids Business Newsmaker of the Year Award, citing his efforts to build a stronger bridge between Grand Rapids opportunities for students and employers and the main campus in Big Rapids.

The honor comes as Ferris State is recognized by Carnegie Classifications with the elite “Opportunity University” designation for providing access to quality programs, noting that Ferris State graduates earn more in their fields than people graduating from peer institutions.

The university also is building champions on the field and in the classroom, with the football team winning its fourth national championship in five years, and programs including Automotive Engineering Tech, Cyber Security and Mechanical Engineering recently recognized as being among the best in the nation.

“The Crain’s Grand Rapids Business newsroom strives every day to provide news and analysis that moves the story forward so that our readers can make decisions informed by the business intelligence,” the paper wrote in a Jan. 20 article. “We write about the deals, decisions and disruptions that define the West Michigan economy. As the calendar turns, we also take time to reflect on the major headlines of the past year and spotlight the people behind them.” 

Pink is one of three finalists in the publication’s Higher Education category, one of 48 people or teams in 16 of the region’s major industries. Crain’s will select a winner in each category, and one overall Newsmaker of the Year at an event next month.

The Ferris State leader joins Grand Valley State University President Philomena Mantella and Western Michigan University President Russ Kavalhuna as finalists in the category.

Pink was named Newsmaker of the Year in Higher Education in 2025 as Ferris State’s president, and in 2019 while at the helm of Grand Rapids Community College.

The publication in October named Pink to its Grand Rapids 200, which honored leaders in the public and private sectors.