President
Ed Valauskas
Term expires 12/2026
Ed has been a board member since 2019. He has been a Bridgman resident full time since 2005 and part time since 1982. A former librarian, his favorite author is J.R.R. Tolkien and his favorite book is Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. His favorite thing about BPL is the staff! Check out his exhibit Bibliosaurus! Dinosaurs in the popular imagination.
Vice President
Rick Fuller
Term Expires 12/2026
Rick has been a board member since 2022. He lives in Bridgman and is co-owner of The Sandpiper store in Bridgman.
Treasurer
Jim Kole
Term Expires 12/2024
Jim has been a resident of Bridgman since 2018. He is a retired attorney from Chicago, working as the Consumer Fraud Bureau Chief at the Illinois Attorney General’s office and is now a pro bono attorney for Western Michigan Legal Aid. His favorite thing about BPL is the can-do spirit and helpfulness of BPL librarians and staff. His favorite book is Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan. A Big 10 fan, his family is a mix of Spartans, Wolverines and Badgers.
Secretary
Susan Collins
Term Expires 12/2024
A board member since 2017, Susan has lived in Bridgman since 2014. She is a retired elementary school teacher. Susan loves historical fiction, biographies and children’s literature. Her favorite thing about BPL is that it is a friendly, up-to-date, essential part of the community. She says, “the staff and board work well together to provide the community with a wide variety of quality media, excellent programming, and cooperative staff.”
