Albion College to honor seven alumni during 2024 Purple & Gold Weekend

March 27, 2024

Albion College is set to honor seven alumni for making outsized contributions to their fields, government, and their communities as professionals and volunteers during its Purple & Gold Celebration and Alumni Awards Dinner, Saturday, April 20. Among the 2024 recipients are coaches, a restaurant owner, physician, business consultant, equity and inclusion officer, chief financial officer, and chief of staff.

The James L. Curtis Alumni Leadership Award recognizes Black alumni who have made significant contributions of time and effort to Albion College and its students. The Distinguished Alumni Awards and Young Alumni Awards honor alumni who have demonstrated excellence in career achievements and contributions to community and humanity through their business, profession, or life’s work.  For more information, visit albion.edu/alumni-awards.

All members of the Albion College community are invited to join us in celebrating the 2024 Alumni Award recipients during the Purple & Gold Celebration and Alumni Awards Dinner held Saturday, April 20, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. in Upper Baldwin. Click here to register. This event will be the culmination of a weekend of Purple & Gold weekend activities that kick off Thursday, April 18 with the day-long Elkin R. Isaac Student Research Symposium and include the installation of Albion’s 18th President Dr. Wayne P. Webster, Saturday, April 20 at 10 a.m.

The 2024 Alumni Award winners:

James L. Curtis Alumni Leadership Award

Marcus Gill ’04

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer, Jackson County Intermediate School District
Head Boys’ Basketball Coach, Concord High School
Albion, Michigan

An accomplished basketball coach with experience including Siena Heights University, Albion College, Ohio Wesleyan, Earlham College and AAU, Marcus Gill is currently the head boys’ basketball coach at Concord High School as well as the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer for Jackson County Intermediate School District. His professional career has also included several years of service at Albion College as a senior associate director and multicultural coordinator with the office of Admission.

Combining his professional involvements with his personal affinity for Albion College, Marcus has been instrumental in the Mike Turner Basketball Classic, which features basketball games between high school teams coached by Albion College alumni who were influenced by Coach Mike Turner ’69. The first of this now-annual event, in 2023, included a tribute and court dedication to Coach Turner.

While at Albion, Marcus studied physical education and was a member of Black Student Alliance, basketball and track teams, and A Club. He was captain when the men’s basketball team achieved a 20-win season his senior year. In 2021, Marcus was inducted into the Albion College Hall of Fame with the 2004 Men’s Track and Field team. He holds a master’s degree in educational leadership from Siena Heights University.

Michael Thomas  ’06

Head Boys’ Basketball Coach, East Kentwood High School
Caledonia, Michigan

Michael (Mike) Thomas began his coaching career at Northwood University before leading Kalamazoo Central High School as their head basketball coach to earn two Michigan High School Athletic Association state championships. In 2010, he was recognized as the Coach of the Year from the Detroit Free Press as well as the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan. He returned to Albion College as the assistant men’s basketball coach for the 2012-13 season. Prior to coming to his current role as Grand Rapids’ East Kentwood High School basketball coach in 2022, he led Grand Blanc High School to a state championship in 2021.

Mike has been instrumental in the Albion College Mike Turner Basketball Classic, which features basketball games between high school teams coached by Albion College alumni who were influenced by Coach Mike Turner ’69.

In addition to Mike’s coaching career, he has volunteered with Western Michigan University’s Special Olympics and Kalamazoo Area Recreation Services and works with area youth basketball camps. His drive for developing young athletes has earned him a State of Michigan Commendation for Excellent Representation of the Community.

While at Albion, Mike studied economics and management and was a member of the A Club, track and basketball teams. He was recognized with the Young Alumni Award in 2012 and is an individual Hall of Fame inductee (2015).

Distinguished Alumni Award

Michael Juchno ’93

Consulting Partner — Digital, Data, and Analytics, Ernst & Young
South Lyon, Michigan

Michael (Mike) Juchno began his career at Computer Methods Corporation and earned an MBA from Michigan State University and executive education from Harvard and Northwestern. Moving to Ernst & Young in 1999, Mike was promoted to consulting partner in 2007. He currently leads EY’s Data and Analytics offerings for the power and utilities sector in the United States while also holding a national Quality leadership role within EY’s Technology Consulting practice.

Translating his professional success to benefit Albion College students, Mike actively recruits students to EY Consulting in addition to reviewing resumes, conducting mock interviews, and serving as a professional mentor and coach. He is a frequent guest lecturer on campus and regularly participates in Economics & Management and Gerstacker professional development programs.

Mike serves on the board of directors at the Arabic Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS) and has served on boards for the Michigan Roundtable for Diversity & Inclusion and Junior Achievement, and is a founding board member of Hamtramck Charter Academy.

While at Albion, Mike was a double major in economics and management and mathematics, had two internships, and was a member of the Gerstacker Institute, football team (two years All-MIAA First Team), Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, Phi Beta Kappa, Albion Volunteer Service Bureau, Mortar Board and Interfraternity Council.

Keith Roberts  ’81

Retired Chief Financial Officer, Dimplex Thermal Solutions
Augusta, Michigan

Keith Roberts, a Certified Public Accountant, served as a Chief Financial Officer for over 30 years, retiring in 2022 from Dimplex Thermal Solutions, Inc. (Kalamazoo, MI). Under his leadership, the finance team mentored several Albion College interns; this is just one of Keith’s many contributions to Albion College and his community.

Keith served on the Alumni Association Board of Directors from 2007 to 2013. During this time, he held several leadership positions, including vice president and chair of the Admissions Committee. A member of the Stockwell Society, Keith is an enthusiastic supporter of Briton athletics and is active in the alumni network of southwest Michigan. Within his community, Keith has been involved in Albion Community Foundation, Albion High School cross country and track/field programs, American Cancer Society, Race for the Cure, and Battle Creek Roadrunners.

As a student at Albion, Keith was a member of the Professional Management program and earned a degree in economics and management. He earned varsity letters in cross country and track and was inducted into the Albion College Athletic Hall of Fame with the 1980 and 1981 MIAA champion track and field teams.

Young Alumni Award

Joey Barcheski ’14

Owner, FrankZ Restaurant
Frankfort, Michigan

When Joey Barcheski was a student at Catholic Central High School in Grand Rapids, he dual enrolled in culinary school and received a degree in culinary arts. Directly after graduating from Albion, he created FrankZ, a restaurant in Frankfort, MI. The business has grown from humble beginnings to a booming business with over 250,000 meals served each summer. With a focus on family, community, and staff development, Joey says his business spreads a message of “love through food. The network of patrons he has created spans from the east to the west coast of America, which he calls his “FrankZ Family.”

Featured in MLive, The Bravo Network, Behind the Mitten, and local news stations, FrankZ is a Michigan destination. Ever the advocate for Albion College (as well as a supporter of Frankfort-area schools and athletic programs), Joey proudly displays Albion gear in his restaurant and promotes the College to prospective students in the area. He made a significant contribution to Britons in his local community during the COVID-19 pandemic, including funding to local students and area hospitals in Northwest Michigan.

While at Albion, Joey studied economics and management and was a member of Sigma Nu.

Marie Brown ’14

Family Medicine Physician, Oaklawn Medical Group
Marshall, Michigan

Marie Brown, MD, is a full-spectrum family medicine physician. Her comprehensive medical education gave her opportunities to expand upon her passions for global and women’s health. At Albion, Dr. Brown participated in medical mission trips to Honduras and studied abroad at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. She completed medical school at St. George’s University School of Medicine in Grenada, West Indies and received a degree of higher education in biomedical science through the University of Northumbria in Newcastle, England. She also spent time in Thailand learning about Eastern Medicine practices.

Dr. Brown completed her residency at MyMichigan Family Medicine (Midland, MI). During that time, she taught at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine and Central Michigan University College of Medicine and served as a high school football sideline physician. She has lectured in high school health classes, volunteered for underserved communities, and traveled to Honduras to help with medical clinics in rural areas. As she pursues board certification in breastfeeding medicine, Dr. Brown continues to practice medicine in Albion/Marshall, MI.

At Albion, Dr. Brown studied biology and was involved in Kappa Alpha Theta, Student Volunteer Bureau, and Global Medical Brigades.

Mitchell Moore ’16

Chief of Staff to Michigan State Senator Michael Webber
East Lansing, Michigan

Mitch Moore is currently Chief of Staff to State Senator Michael Webber (R-Rochester Hills), serving as the chief administrative officer and advisor for all legislative, district, and political matters. He is a 2022 fellow of the Michigan Political Leadership Program.

One of Mitch’s notable legislative accomplishments involved working with Governor Gretchen Whitmer to pass social drinking districts. This measure allowed local municipalities to establish designated drinking areas where people can purchase and enjoy on-the-go alcoholic beverages, allowing for residents to practice social distancing while supporting bars and restaurants during the COVID-19 health crisis.

Mitch holds a master’s degree in international peace and security from King’s College London. Prior to his current role, he has worked as a legislative aide and legislative director for the Michigan House of Representatives. While a student at Albion, Mitch studied political science, was a member of the Ford Institute, and was involved in Student Senate and Delta Sigma Phi. He studied abroad in Zambia, completing a public affairs internship at the U.S. Embassy in Lusaka with the U.S. Department of State, and also held an executive communications internship with the Michigan Attorney General’s office.