KMF Board Members
Shirley Daniels
Shirley K. Daniels is a retired educator and former Grand Rapids Community Foundation trustee who reflects the unique spirit of giving that makes this community special. Ms. Daniels worked her way up from serving salads at Oakwood Manor to operating an elevator at Steketee’s to leading a labor union at General Motors. When she enrolled as a junior at Michigan State University in 1963, her son was already a sophomore. Her former GM coworkers from Local 1231 sent her on her way with a new typewriter, and she remembers writing some of her first drafts on a brown paper bag.
By 1969 she had earned a Masters in Education. She has degrees from Michigan State University, including doctoral work, and Western Michigan University. She also did post-graduate work at the University of Hawaii.
Ms Daniels has served on many Boards in Grand Rapids, including the Grand Rapids Art Museum Board and the Grand Rapids Library Board Foundation. She has been a Kent Medical Foundation Trustee since 2008 and is currently Board Vice Chair.
Patrick J. Droste, MS, MD – Chair
Doctor Droste has been a member of the
Kent County Medical Society (KCMS) since September 1987. Born
in Detroit, he graduated from the University of Detroit and received
his medical degree from Wayne State University in 1980. He took
his internship and residency program in Ophthalmology at Henry Ford
Hospital in Detroit and is board certified in Ophthalmology as well
as Pediatric Ophthalmology and Ocular Modality.
Doctor Droste, Past President of KCMS, is a Delegate to the Michigan State Medical Society (MSMS) and is Past President of the Michigan Society of Eye Surgeon and Physicians. His practice is Pediatric Ophthalmology, P.C.
Margie S. Gerencer, CPA, MBA
Margie S. Gerencer, CPA/MBA joined Echelbarger, Himebaugh, Tamm & Co., P.C. (EHTC) as an In-Charge Accountant in June 2005. She graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Troy State University in 1996 and a Master of Business Administration from Louisiana Tech University in 1998. She holds CPA licenses in Michigan and Illinois, and also a Life, Accident and Health Insurance License in Michigan.
Margie is involved in the Tax, Healthcare Services, and Insurance Planning areas of the firm. She works with clients in a variety of industries including healthcare, financial, professional services, manufacturing, farming, construction, and non-profit. She specializes in providing tax and consulting services to physician groups and other professionals. Prior to joining EHTC, Margie worked for CPA firms in Shreveport, LA, Grand Rapids, and Holland MI. As a military spouse, she gained experience working for banks and mortgage companies across the United States.
Margie is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants (MACPA), Inforum, the Michigan Women's Tax Association, and the Rockford American Legion Auxiliary. She is affiliated with the Michigan Medical Group Management Association, Michigan State Medical Society, Affiliated Healthcare
Advisors, and Alliance for Health. We welcome her to the Kent Medical Foundation Board.
David E. Hammond, MD - Secretary/Treasurer
Born in Charlotte, Michigan, Doctor Hammond
graduated from Olivet College and received his medical degree from Michigan
State University College of Human Medicine. He did his internship
and residency at Bronson/Borgess Hospitals in Kalamazoo as well as a
fellowship in Dermatology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
Doctor Hammond has been a member of the
Kent County Medical Society since 1980. He was elected to a 3 year term
as a KCMS Director in 2005 before becoming Secretary/Treasurer in 2008.
Gregory J. Forzley, MD - Vice Chair
Doctor Forzley is President of the Kent County Medical Society for 2011. He has been a member of the Kent County Medical Society since 1982. He was born in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. After graduating from the University of Michigan, Doctor Forzley received his medical degree from Wayne State University Medical School in 1978. He did his Internship and Residency at Saint Mary’s Hospital in Grand Rapids. He is Board Certified in Family Practice.
Doctor Forzley is the Medical Director of Informatics for Saint Mary’s Health Care. He currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Michigan State Medical Society.
Thomas H. Peterson, MD
Doctor Peterson was born in Ann Arbor,
Michigan and received his medical degree in1987 from the American University
of the Caribbean. He took his internship and residency program
in pediatrics at Saint John Hospital in Detroit, and is board certified.
Doctor Peterson has been a member of the Kent County Medical Society since 1990, served as President in 2008 and is a member of the Michigan State Medical Society, the American Medical Association and a Fellow in the American Academy of Pediatrics. He is the Medical Director
of Spectrum Health’s Healthier Communities and Quality at Helen DeVos
Children’s Hospital. He is also founder and chair of Tobacco
Free Partners.
Jack L. Romence, MD
Doctor Romence was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He attended Hope College and earned his medical degree from the University of Michigan. After spending two years in the U.S. Air Force at Wright Patterson AFB where he did general practice, he and his wife Lija returned to Grand Rapids. He completed his OB-GYN residency at Butterworth Hospital and joined West Michigan OB-GYN, P.C. where he practiced for thirty years.
He has served on the KCMS Board of Directors and been a delegate to the MSMS for twenty years. Since retirement, he has served on the boards of the KMF, Spectrum Health Foundation, Spectrum Health Foundation Finance Committee as well as the Grand Rapids Community Foundation Finance Committee.
Willard S. Stawski, MD
Doctor Stawski was born in Grand Rapids,
Michigan and received both his undergraduate and medical degree from
the University of Michigan. He did a rotating Internship with
surgical emphasis at Blodgett Memorial Medical Center in Grand Rapids.
He did a surgical residency at the University of Washington in Seattle
and another at Spectrum Blodgett Campus in Grand Rapids. He is
in practice at HealthQuest Surgical Associates, PLC. He has been a Kent County Medical Society
member since 1968 and has been on the Board of the Kent Medical Foundation
since 2005.
Timothy J. Waalkes
Representing the community, Timothy J. Waalkes was elected to the Board of the Kent Medical Foundation in the fall of 2010. He is an attorney with Vespoor, Waalkes, Lalley, Slotsema & Talen in downtown Grand Rapids.
Mr. Waalkes graduated from Calvin College and Wayne State University. He worked for two firms in the Lansing area before joining the firm in July 2004. He specializes in estate planning, probate administration, business law and general civil litigation.
He has been a member of the Optimist Club of Grand Rapids since 2004. He is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, the Grand Rapids Bar Association, the National Committee for Planned Giving and the West Michigan Estate Planning Council.
David Whalen
David Whalen, MD, MPH is a Partner with GREMG, the independant physician group that staffs the Emergency Department at Saint Mary's Hospital. He went to Medical School at the University of Michigan and completed an Emergency Medicine Residency at Christiana Care in Newark, DE. Doctor Whalen is President-elect of the Kent County Medical Society. We welcome him to the Kent Medical Foundation Board.
Irene Betz
Irene Betz, joins the Board, representing the Kent County Medical Society
Alliance. Irene is a past president of KCMS Alliance and has successfully
chaired and championed the Charity Ball for Children events. |
