Macomb Co. Man to Sit on DIA Board as Part of Millage Promise

The Detroit Institute of Arts named Macomb's Donald Ritzenhein to its board as part of an agreement following the DIA’s successful millage in August.

Ritzenhein was one of 11 members named to the Detroit Institute of Arts board of directors at its meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 14. In his day job, he is assistant vice president, academic human resources, and professor of communication at Eastern Michigan University. He was provost and vice president at Macomb Community College. He is also a former trustee of the Mount Clemens Community Schools Board of Education. 

In August, voters passed a 10-year tax of 0.2 mills to support the Detroit Institute of Arts. 

At 0.2 mills, a Macomb taxpayer owning a $200,000 home, with a taxable value of $100,000, would be expected to pay about $20 a year.

In return for this financial support, residents and school groups from the three counties that supported the millage (Macomb, Oakland and Wayne) receive free admission to the museum for the next decade.

Also as part of the August millage, the art institute authorities established in Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties each appointed two members to the board: Wayne county, Hubert Massey and Amy DeBrunner; Macomb county, Lillian Demas and Ritzenhein; and Oakland county, Jennifer Fischer and Thomas Guastello.

Also joining the board are Andrea Dickson, Antoine Garibaldi, Mary Kramer, Linda Orlans and Irvin Reid. Re-elected are Nicole Eisenberg, Mary Ann Gorlin, Reuben Munday, Meryl Podolsky, Sandra Seligman, Rhonda Welburn and Henry Wineman. Several long-time board members were elected to emeritus status: Andrew L. Camden, Elaine C. Driker, David E. Meador, John W. Stroh III and Amanda Van Dusen.