Erdman to Coordinate New MSU Extension District

posted on April 28, 2010 9:14am

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  517-432-1555, ext. 151

EAST LANSING, Mich.—Michigan State University Extension (MSUE) is pleased to announce that Michael Erdman has been appointed as the district coordinator for District 1 which covers Marquette, Dickinson, Menominee, Iron, Baraga, Keweenaw, Houghton, Ontonagon, and Gogebic counties.  Erdman brings over 30 years of experience to this position and will officially begin his district coordinator position on July 1, 2010.
             
  “District coordinators are critical to MSUE’s ability to move Michigan forward.  Working with local governments, nonprofits, school systems and neighborhood groups, MSUE is focused on providing the knowledge resources necessary to identify community challenges and propose and implement successful solutions,”  commented Michelle Rodgers, associate director of MSUE. “These leaders will represent Extension in communities across the state and serve the role of linking Michigan State University’s vast research and teaching resources to Michigan communities.”
             
  Creating the thirteen districts was part of Extension’s redesign to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the organization. Five regional director positions and 82 county Extension director positions were eliminated in the redesign and replaced with the redefined district coordinator role. Some staff members are being reassigned as education specialists increasing Extension’s capacity to get relevant and essential information critical to improving our communities and assisting individuals out to Michigan residents.

  “I look forward to enhancing the MSU Extension service to clients throughout the Upper Peninsula and the entire state of Michigan,” said Erdman. “The redesign of MSU Extension will help the citizens of Michigan to receive critical educational opportunities to improve our life and financial position.”
             
  Erdman brings grant writing, administration experience, and equal employment counselor experience while serving for eight years as a research microbiologist with USDA Agricultural Research Service, a two year laboratory operation on campus at MSU, and 21 years as Menominee County Extension director. He has worked internationally with the University of Puerto Rico, Caribbean Development Bank in Barbados, Republic of Panama department of energy,  Arrowroot Association in St. Vincent, West Indies and Food and Agriculture Organization in Pakistan. Erdman received his bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from Northern Michigan University and his doctorate degree from Michigan State University. He has also concurrently been teaching for the past 15 years at the University Wisconsin – Marinette.
             
  Erdman will join other district coordinators in training and program planning during the transition period leading up to July 1.
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  Photo available upon request.