Snyder appoints U-M associate dean to Northern Michigan University board

Gov. Rick Snyder has announced two appointments to the Northern Michigan University Board of Trustees.

The Republican governor's office said Wednesday that Steve Mitchell of West Bloomfield and Thomas Zurbuchen of Ann Arbor are being appointed to eight-year terms that expire Dec. 31, 2020. Their appointments to the eight-person board are subject to state Senate approval.

Mitchell is chairman of Mitchell Research and Communications Inc., a public relations and political consulting company. He replaces Jon G. "Jack" LaSalle.

Zurbuchen is associate dean of entrepreneurial programs at the University of Michigan's College of Engineering and founding director of the Center for Entrepreneurship. He replaces Brian Cloyd.

LaSalle and Cloyd were appointed to the board by then-Gov. Jennifer Granholm, a Democrat.