Meet Our Club Leaders
With over 20 years of home ownership in Saugatuck, Ed and his wife, Nancy, became full-time residents in 2019. Losing no time, Ed became a Rotarian early that year and was elected to the Board of Directors for 2019-20. He is also a Race Director and Treasurer of the Mt. Baldhead Challenge Trail Run. Ed is now a Realtor® with Five Star Lakeshore, after a long career in finance and banking in the Chicago area.
Jim has been an active Rotarian since 2009. He joined the Rotary Club of Saugatuck-Douglas in 2013, soon after relocating to this area from Upper Arlington, OH. He is a Past President of the Club (2016-17, and 2019-2021) and served on the District 6360 Foundation Board (2017-2021). Jim and his wife Lauri live in Fennville.
Garnet re-joined the Rotary in 2019 after a 25 year hiatus from the organization. She is a retired university administrator with 30+ years of professional experience in higher education administration and has an extensive background of significant community involvement. She served on the Saugatuck City Council in 2019-2022 as Mayor Pro Tem and the Chair of the Tri-Community Recycling Committee. She is an Owner/Partner of Isabel’s Market + Eatery and serves as Business Manager for two commercial property businesses (Vigano, LLC and Gavino, LLC).
Amy is a cross-functional executive with experience directing Operations, Finance, HR, IT, and Risk Management functions. As the CFO of New Holland Brewing Company, she joined the Rotary Club in 2020 and feels privileged to work with a great team in an incredibly fun, fast-paced environment where people are passionate about the community in which we live.
Lisa Mize, is the Executive Director of the Saugatuck Douglas Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. She is dedicated to promoting and enhancing the charm of this picturesque Michigan destination. Lisa has a strong connection and passion for the area as she grew up in Fennville and worked her college summers in Saugatuck. She joined the Saugatuck Rotary in 2021 as the Communications Director, and was elected to the board the following year. She has served on the Venetian Fest Committee and has been a volunteer for the Mt. Baldhead Challenge. Lisa is honored to serve the community with like-minded, motivated individuals who truly care about the beautiful place they call home.
Bio coming soon!
After a career of 41 years in public school education, Cathy retired to Douglas in 2012. Upon meeting members of Rotary and their commitment to public service, she joined the club in 2020. Cathy has been a member of Douglas City Council since 2018, currently as the Mayor Pro Tem; a member of the Fire Board, as well as a number of other committee assignments. Serving as co-chair of the 2023 Venetian Festival was the hi-light of her Rotary commitment, where she
valued the opportunity to meet and serve the community with an amazing group of Rotarians who are super focused on making a difference.
valued the opportunity to meet and serve the community with an amazing group of Rotarians who are super focused on making a difference.
Mark D. Smaller, Ph.D., is past president of Rotary (2022-2023) and has been a member since 2019. He moved to the area in 2008 from Chicago, and has sent 5 of his 8 children to Saugatuck Public Schools. When not volunteering for Rotary, he works as an adult, adolescent and child psychoanalyst at Forward Edge Services, a psychotherapy and consulting practice in Douglas and Grand Rapids. He serves on the Venetian Festival Committee, and is most proud of being a “Lifetime Runner” in the Mt. Baldhead Challenge.
Kirsten is a 25 year resident of Southwest Michigan, a recently retired K-5 teacher and current owner of a local catering business, Saugatuck on Board. After leaving the field of education, Kirsten missed teamwork and community service and joined Rotary to be able to serve alongside local people who are passionate about doing great things for the betterment of the community. She currently serves on the Venetian Festival and Mount Baldhead Challenge Committees. Kirsten and her husband, Gordon, live in Saugatuck Township.
