Oakland University Board of Trustees elects new chair and vice chair

With a unanimous vote, the Oakland University Board of Trustees has elected Mark E. Schlussel to serve as the new board chair and Richard L. DeVore to be the new board vice chair.

Mark E. Schlussel, newly elected Oakland University board chair

Mr. Schlussel succeeds Michael Kramer as board chair and Mr. DeVore succeeds Richard Flynn as vice chair.

"I am honored to be selected as the new board chair at Oakland University," said Schlussel. "Oakland has been on a path of growth and expansion under the leadership of Mr. Kramer, and I look forward to continuing our mission of providing the best possible educational atmosphere for our students, faculty and staff."

Mr. Schlussel was appointed to OU's Board of Trustees in August 2010. He is a member of the Law Firm of Schlussel & Schefman, located in Birmingham, Michigan. He is a graduate of Wayne State University and received his law degree from the University of Michigan in 1965. He was admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court in 1982. 

Schlussel served as a member of the City Council of the City of Southfield from 1972 to 1973, the Michigan Municipal Bond Authority from 1986 to 1990, and the Mackinac Island State Park Commission from 1995 to 2001, serving as vice chairman from 2000 to 2001. He was a board member of the State of Michigan Building Authority from 2005 to 2007; the Monsignor Clement Kern Hospital for Special Surgery from 1982 to 1993, serving as its chairman from 1988 to 1993; and a trustee of Sinai Hospital Detroit from 1979 to 1995, serving as the chairman from 1995 to 1997. He joined the board of the Detroit Medical Center in 1997, serving as the vice chairman from 1998 to 2002, and was the board chairman of Sinai Grace Hospital from 2002 to 2003. He was a board member of Artrain Inc. from 1984 to 2008, serving as vice chairman from 1995 to 1996. He was the founding co-chairman of The Jewish Fund from 1997 to 1999, serving as board chairman from 1999 to 2002 and as a board member from 1991 to the present. He has been a board member of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit from 1980 to the present, serving as president from 1989 to 1992 and executive committee chairman from 1992 to 1995. He was the first president of the Jewish Education Service of North America from 1985 to 1988. He was a member and trustee of the Stanley Immerman Memorial Foundation and the Theodore and Mina Bargman Foundation. He has been a board member of the Keyco Bond Fund since 1986 and the board of HealthCor Inc. from 1996 to 2010, serving as chairman from 2002 to 2010.

Richard L. DeVore, newly elected Oakland University board vice chair

Schlussel is the 1990 recipient of the Michigan Hospital Association's Hospital Governance Award, Trustee of the Year, and the 1997 recipient of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit Fred M. Butzel Memorial Award for Distinguished Community Service in 1997.

Mr. DeVore was appointed to OU's Board of Trustees in July 2013. He has held a number of key management positions at PNC since joining the bank in 1991, and has served as regional president for PNC Bank's Southeast Michigan region since 2010.  

Prior to his current responsibilities, DeVore was credit executive for commercial lending and oversaw credit training for PNC Bank. In addition, he served as National City Bank's Chief Credit Officer with overall responsibility for the National City credit risk management organization.

DeVore holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Michigan and a master's degree in business from Wayne State University, where he taught banking and finance courses for four years. 

DeVore chairs the PNC Foundation in Southeast Michigan. He also serves as a board member for Business Leaders for Michigan, Detroit Economic Club, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Regional Chamber, Detroit Public Schools Foundation, the Parade Company, Ann Arbor SPARK, Forgotten Harvest and the Citizens Research Council of Michigan.

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About the Oakland University Board of Trustees:
Oakland University is governed by an eight-member Board of Trustees appointed by the governor to serve eight-year terms. The board provides general supervision of the university, including control and direction of all expenditures from the institution's funds. The board also appoints the University president, as well as the secretary to the board and treasurer.