John Anthony

Foundation Board President

For three decades, John Anthony has been an active member of the Bay College Foundation Board of Directors. As the board’s current President, John guides board members in their efforts to decide how the foundation’s funds should be used and how the foundation should seek out new donors. John has served on the board since about 1990.

“At the time, I was becoming active in our businesses and in our community, and a member of the Bay College Foundation Board reached out to me. Obviously, I was intrigued by it – I took the time to learn more about Bay and then affirmed this was something I wanted to be a part of and contribute to,” he said.

John is affiliated with local businesses Andex, which manufactures packaging material for clients across the country, and Anthony & Co., which focuses on promotional products for businesses in the paint and hardware industry. These businesses employ a combined total of roughly 110 people.

John has served as the Foundation Board’s President for most of his time as a board member. In this role, he said his primary aim is to encourage the growth of Bay College and the communities it serves.

As for the board itself, John said one of its main goals is to fulfill its fiduciary duty. The board members must determine how to effectively use, invest, and monitor the funds that have been donated to the Bay College Foundation. “Because people have contributed their hard-earned money to achieve their desired goals, it’s the board’s responsibility to make sure that is carried through,” he said.

The Foundation Board also plays a key role in creating opportunities for potential donors to fund education and enrichment opportunities at Bay. “Really, what we’re trying to do is understand how education is changing, and then seek out people who have an interest in supporting Bay and provide the means for them to do so,” John said. Along with this, he said the board is responsible for being “an advocate and an ambassador” for Bay.

John has taken pride in seeing Bay College and its surrounding communities grow over the decades. He went on to say the Foundation serves as a form of “self-help” for  Delta and Dickinson counties. “I’ve always believed that, to improve our communities, we have to grow within – we have to do it ourselves, and the College and the Foundation provide that opportunity for people to better their lives,” he said.

On a similar note, John said he appreciates how Bay can help people develop their own skills and find new employment opportunities for themselves. “Anyone who attends Bay College is essentially there by choice – from the dual enrolled high school student, to the high school graduate, to someone in their 20s looking to learn new skills, to the mom who has raised her children and now is pursuing her goals,” he said.

Looking ahead, John hopes to keep leading the Foundation as it works to support local communities and people. “My plans for the future would be to continue to grow the Foundation, to help build even stronger educational and enrichment opportunities in Delta and Dickinson counties, and to continue to evolve to best serve our educational needs and community needs,” he said.

John was pleased with what the Foundation has been able to accomplish so far and voiced his “sincere thanks” to people in the area for their support of the Foundation and Bay as a whole. However, he said Bay’s students and programs have a greater need for support and assistance than the Foundation can currently provide.

“Even though we’ve provided over 300 scholarships and nearly half a million dollars on an annual basis, there is still more to do,” he said.

Financial contributions to the Foundation play a key role in its continued success. According to John, the best way for people to donate to the Bay College Foundation now or to arrange scholarship opportunities for the future is to contact the Bay College Foundation directly. To contact either the Advancement Services Manager, Vicki DeGrand or the Vice President of College Advancement, Kim Carne, call 906-217-1700 or email foundation_FROM_BAY_COLLEGE.