Contact:        Maureen McNulty Saxton, Communications Director
Company:     Citizens Research Council of Michigan
Phone:           517-485-9444 (office) 517-899.5513 (cell)
Email:            msaxton@crcmich.org
Web:              crcmich.org
Date:              March 13, 2024

Livonia, MI – The 108-year-old Citizens Research Council of Michigan is pleased to announce the election of Carolee Kvoriak as Chair of the Board of Directors at the March 13 board meeting. Ms. Kvoriak was elected to fill the balance of the term after Chase Cantrell resigned to explore becoming a candidate for public office in Detroit. Carolee Kvoriak is Executive Director of Tax for Consumers Energy. She has been on the Citizens Research Council Board since 2015, the past year and a half as the vice-chair of the board.

Ms. Kvoriak is the third woman to serve as the Research Council’s board chair.

Mr. Cantrell is the Founder and Principal at Building Community Value (www.bcvdetroit.org), a nonprofit organization dedicated to implementing and facilitating real estate development projects in underserved Detroit neighborhoods. BCV responds to the aspirations of Detroit residents who are most directly impacted by development in their neighborhoods. He served on the Research Council board for seven years, the last year and a half as board chair.

Founded in 1916, the Citizens Research Council of Michigan (crcmich.org) works to improve government in Michigan. The organization provides factual, unbiased, independent information concerning significant issues of state and local government organization, policy, and finance. By delivery of this information to policymakers and citizens, the Research Council aims to ensure sound and rational public policy formation in Michigan.   

It is a Citizens Research Council policy that neither elected government officials, persons actively running for elected office, nor government staff may serve on the Research Council’s 35-member Board of Directors or the 60-member Council of Trustees that constitutes the membership of the not-for-profit organization. This policy provides the Council with the ability to comment on government policy without the bias or perception of bias that might arise with government officials on the board.

“The Research Council’s Board of Directors conveys a hearty debt of appreciation to Chase for his service on the board and his leadership in recent years,” said Carolee Kvoriak, the new board chair. “While the Research Council does not endorse candidates for public office, we wish him well in this exciting new chapter in his life.”

Thomas Kyros, Partner at Varnum LLP, remains Treasurer of the Board of Directors.