Alumni Relations Board

Our Alumni Relations Board plays the lead role in building and coordinating our extensive network of some 2,500 highly accomplished alumni. This board provides our alumni with unique opportunities to network with fellow alumni and engage with our students.

Alumni Relations Board By-Laws

PRESIDENT
Duncan Ferguson
Duncan Ferguson
Managing Director, Marketing and Client Services
Vantage Leadership Consulting

Duncan Ferguson joined Vantage in 2013 as the Managing Director for Client Services. Duncan brings broad corporate human resources experience to Vantage, having held a variety of senior leadership roles with both BP-Amoco and GATX. Prior to joining Vantage, Duncan was Managing Director at BPI Group, a global HR consulting firm. Duncan’s role at Vantage is diverse and includes executive coaching, leadership development consulting, marketing, social media, and relationship management. Duncan’s also provides connections, insights, advice, and assistance to his extensive HR professional network.

Based on his unique experiences, Duncan has developed an avid interest and contemporary perspective on the changing relationship between companies and their employees. To that end, Duncan has been doing research on what it means to be a “Best Boss” and how this impacts organizational leadership, engagement, performance and retention.

Duncan received his Bachelor's degree from Michigan State’s College of Social Science and his M.A. degree from Michigan State University’s School of Human Resources and Labor Relations (SHRLR). He actively gives back to his alma mater, where he is the President of the SHRLR Alumni Relations Board, an Advisory Board member for MSU’s College Employment Research Institute, and a founding member of Chicago Spartan Leaders. He has twice been a guest on WGN Radio and has been interviewed by the Wall Street Journal, Investment Daily, Chicago Tribune, and Benefits Online.



DIRECTORS
    • Tiffany L. (Gaston) Jones
      Tiffany L. (Gaston) Jones
      Human Resources Business Partner
      Phillips 66

      Tiffany is a proud May 2012 graduate of the School of Human Resources and Labor Relations. During her time in the Program, she served as SHRM President, and worked as an Assistant in the Career Development and Placement Office. Tiffany interned at Marathon Petroleum Company and accepted a full-time opportunity to join their team upon graduation. During Tiffany’s 6 years as a HR Consultant with Marathon Petroleum, she worked at their Corporate Office in Findlay, OH, and refineries in Garyville, LA, and Detroit, MI. In those roles she supported hourly and salaried employee groups, served on a number of project teams, and gained valuable labor experience. In her role at the Detroit Refinery, she also served as the Community Relations Representative. Tiffany has recently joined Phillips 66 as a Human Resources Business Partner at their corporate office in Houston, Texas.

    • Jeff Krautkramer
      Jeffrey Krautkramer
      Chief Human Resources Officer
      Starkey Hearing Technologies

      Jeffrey Krautkramer holds more than 20 years of experience in human resource leadership, spanning across the industries of manufacturing, financial services, healthcare and consumer food and beverage. As Chief Human Resources Officer, he is responsible for developing and executing strategies to support Starkey Hearing Technologies' success in the areas of talent management, training and development, and organizational performance.

      Prior to joining Starkey Hearing Technologies, Jeffrey Krautkramer served as Vice President of Human Resources at IDEX Corporation (Illinois), where he built and implemented a global human resource strategy focused on company growth and employee development. Additional leadership roles in human resources include service at Dunkin’ Brands, Bank of America and General Electric.

      Jeffrey Krautkramer is actively involved in the human resources community through service on the alumni board of directors for Michigan State University's School of Human Resources and Labor Relations, and as a member of the Human Resources Management Association of Chicago (HRMAC). He obtained his bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota and his master's degree in human resources and labor relations from Michigan State University.

    • Jerry McGrath
      Jerry McGrath
      Managing Partner, Global Human Resources Practice
      DHR International

      Jerry is Managing Partner of the Human Resources Practice Group at DHR International in New York. He manages searches for human resources leaders across a vast array of industries and organizations, and his clients benefit from his more than two decades of global experience in both corporate human resources and executive search. Mr. McGrath began his corporate career with GTE Corporation, a predecessor firm to Verizon. He spent 10 years in progressive human resources roles culminating with the role of director of executive placement. Mr. McGrath holds a master’s in labor and industrial relations from Michigan State University and a bachelor’s in political science from West Virginia University.

      Prior to joining DHR, Mr. McGrath was the leader of Caldwell Partners’ Human Resources Practice and a member of the Financial Services Practice. He joined Caldwell Partners from Korn/Ferry International, where he served as the client relationship manager for a number of the firm’s large global clients, leading executive searches across functions and industries in the Americas and in Europe.

      Mr. McGrath began his corporate career with GTE Corporation, a predecessor firm to Verizon. He spent 10 years in progressive human resources roles culminating with the role of director of executive placement.

      Mr. McGrath holds a master’s in labor and industrial relations from Michigan State University and a bachelor’s in political science from West Virginia University

    • Patrick Wilkinson
      Patrick Wilkinson
      Managing Director
      Wilkinson Martel Godfrey LLC

      Patrick is a Global and Regional Chief Human Resources Officer, operating effectively at the C-suite to provide strategic and pragmatic solutions in times of crisis and potential exposure to the Brand. Coach and sounding board to leadership, ensuring actions taken by leaders are aligned to their values and the higher purposes of the company and all stakeholders. Deliver sustainable outcomes to business and human capital matters that involve constant, rapid and complex changes; frequently with cross border and cross cultural impact, across major global financial institutions. Provide Leadership to all elements of Human Resources Risk Governance with a focus on protecting and strengthening the Brand, economic performance, inclusion and employee engagement.

      He was born and raised in Germany and France, speaks French fluently, and has worked both in the United States and Europe. He is open to domestic and global assignments and operates effectively in multi-cultural global environments. Pat holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Maryland in Political Science and Economics with High Honors and a Master of Labor and Industrial Relations from Michigan State University with Distinction.

    • Baily Wyant
      Baily Wyant
      Organizational Engagement Analyst
      Quicken Loans

      Baily received her Bachelor's in Economics and Psychology from Albion College and graduated in 2012 from the MHRLR program. Currently she is a Organizational Engagement Analyst at Quicken Loans. While at Quicken Loans (6 years in Fall 2018!), she has been part of building a new performance management program, annual compensation program, creating the engagement survey, recognition programs to name a few! A HUGE Michigan State Spartan fan, lucky enough to be a football season ticket holder for 7 years now and has gone to 5 MSU bowl games including the 2014 Rose Bowl.