Meet Our Board

The Historical Society of Greater Lansing was founded in 1955 and has roots dating back to 1947. We are made up of a board of nine volunteers who oversee and plan all activities presented by the HSGL. As an all-volunteer organization, our success relies on your support. Please consider joining the HSGL today to help us continue our free events, programming, exhibits, tours, and more!

Meet our board members in their own words below. The HSGL consists of a four person executive board, made up of the president, vice president, treasurer, and secretary, and a group of six trustees. Board members come from diverse everyday lives with a mutual interest and love of history. Our organization has a rich tradition of history professionals serving on the board, but the only requirement is an interest and passion for Lansing and the city’s heritage.

  • President

    Growing up in the Bay City area, Bill Castanier was submersed in history. Around every corner was a historic site. His love of history was further cemented when he was the Deputy Director and Public Relations Director for the Michigan Sesquicentennial Commission which celebrated Michigan’s birthday in 1986 and 1987.

    Following retirement from State Government in 2001, Bill began to immerse himself in local history and wrote extensively on it for the Lansing City Pulse. In 2012, he joined the Historical Society of Greater Lansing as a trustee and shortly became vice president. He became the HSGL President in 2016.

    Bill has been able to continue the efforts of previous presidents with the focus of telling the stories of everyday citizens.

  • Vice President

    Throughout the 20th Century, Lansing was known as a manufacturer of many products, and Zig Olds is one of them. From the day he arrived on the Production Floor at Lansing General Hospital, to well into his first 25 years, Zig was being “Made in Lansing”. Influences include; Lansing Public Schools, Lansing Community College, and Michigan State University. Zig traces his love for Lansing back to the Colonial Village Neighborhood he grew-up in, and the Shopping Center in which much of his young life revolved around. Most importantly, Zig sites his “Boomer” parents as the source for his love of Lansing History.

    After a 20-year life and career in Grand Rapids, Zig decided to return Home, and give back to the community that gave him the tools to succeed in the world, and to repay a wonderful childhood.

  • Treasurer

    Tim moved to Lansing from Macomb County in 1977 to take a job with the Michigan State Legislature. The next year he purchased a 1928 home in Lansing’s historic Westside neighborhood. This started his interest in Lansing’s history and it was further peaked by his discovery that his grandfather moved to Lansing in 1901 as a foreman with the Owosso Sugar Company and his dad was born here. The family lived in a house on East North Street across from the Turner-Dodge House, where it still stands.

    After retiring in 2001, Tim got involved in community affairs by serving on the Lansing City Council for four years and joining the Greater Lansing Housing Coalition Board. He joined the Historical Society Board in 2012 and continues to enjoy being a part of discovering and sharing Lansing’s history.

  • Secretary

    Ron Emery is currently the Secretary of the Historical Society of Greater Lansing. Ron’s family history includes grandparents and great grandparents who were born and lived in Lansing since the mid 1860’s. This has spurred Ron’s interest in local history. Ron has lived in Lansing all of his life. He graduated from Monsignor John A. Gabriels High School in 1966. He is a graduate of Michigan State University with a degree in History/Education. He received a Juris Doctorate from Wayne State University Law School in Detroit. Ron served for 35 years as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Michigan. He retired in 2010. He now volunteers on several non-profit boards and organizations. Ron has three daughters, three grandsons, and one step granddaughter. Ron and his wife Sherry Bond continue to live in Lansing.

  • Trustee

    Joan has lived and worked in Lansing for most of her life. She has a degree in history, government and secondary education from Western Michigan University. Joan has been a high school and adult education teacher and was the director of volunteer services at Ingham Medical Center. Joan’s commitment to public service resulted in her serving eleven years on the Lansing City Council and six years as a state representative in the Michigan Legislature. Joan has been an active volunteer with numerous community organizations over the years including serving on the HSGL board since 2012. Joan feels it is important to preserve and celebrate the history of Lansing.

  • Trustee & Webmaster

    A native of Holt, Jacob McCormick has been involved with the HSGL since 2012 and has served as a trustee on the board since 2016. Genealogy is what initially drew him to local history, with a local family history dating back to Michigan’s territorial days of the 1830s. He holds a BA in History with a minor in Museum Studies from Michigan State University and a Master of Library and Information Science from Wayne State University. Jacob currently works as photo archivist and educator at the Michigan State Capitol. He also serves as founding president of the Holt-Delhi Historical Society, chairperson of the Ingham County Historical Commission, historian of the MSU Alumni Band, and as a member of the history committee at Eight Point Lake (Clare County, MI). He is also a member of the Historical Society of Michigan and a variety of other professional organizations and museums.

  • Trustee

    Anne Wilson has been a lover of history since she was a child researching historical events and working to uncover the mysteries of her family during the American Civil War. Anne enjoys research. She has a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Michigan State University with minors in history and political science. During college, she worked on a project interviewing her family and close family friends about their experiences during World War II. In her spare time, she loves visiting museums, libraries, cemeteries, battlefields and historical sites around the world. Anne been a board member of the Historical Society of Greater Lansing since 2013.

  • Trustee

    Harrison Leffel-Jones is a native Michigander and Michigan State University alum who has recently returned to Lansing after stints in Chicago and London. Harrison is a huge advocate for urban design, architecture, and the history of the places we live, work, and play in our communities. Having served as an interpreter and tour guide for the Chicago Architecture Center and the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation he comes to the region with a deep passion for presenting history and human centered design. By day Harrison serves as the Executive Director for the Lansing Regional SmartZone. In his role, he focuses on delivering and coordinating services to help high-tech businesses grow within and out of the East Lansing Technology Innovation Center (TIC) in coordination with LEAP, the City of East Lansing, the City of Lansing, Ingham County, LCC, MSU, and the MSU Research Foundation.

  • Trustee

    Born and raised in Lansing, Cathy has been an active leader in the community for more than 20 years. You may know her from her work as Executive Director of Lansing Art Gallery and member of the Downtown Lansing Inc, Design Committee. She has been a trustee on the HGSL board since 2018. Her interest was piqued while helping with research for downtown walking tours and the Historical Marker program.

    Cathy’s two secret passions include politics and history – though not necessarily in that order. A graduate of Lansing Eastern High School, she speaks fondly of having Mayor David Hollister as a home room teacher during the 1970 Midterm elections. He inspired her thirst for the connection between history and current events.

    When she isn’t spending time with her family, along with Jack the cat and Roxy the dog, Cathy enjoys figure drawing and birdwatching.

  • Trustee

    Born in Essexville, Michigan, Bob moved to Lansing in 1982, and now lives in the Westside Neighborhood of Lansing. Retired from the City of Lansing’s Engineering Division, Bob was fortunate to have access to many drawing, maps, and other documents considered by most to be of a historical nature. Truth is they are not only historical but are still relevant to the everyday operation of the city’s sewers, sidewalks, buildings, parks, and streets. Looking at a sewer map from the 1890’s and knowing that it still has impact on how the city functions is amazing.

    A board member since 2015, Bob is not only involved in the historical society, but also a member of the Downtown Lansing Inc., Design and Public Spaces Committee. Through that association with DLI Bob, Cathy Babcock, Bill Castanier, and other members of the committee created historical markers alongside wayfinding signage in downtown Lansing.

    Public art is also a passion of Bob, he’s worked with the artist Alexandra Leonard on the Shiawassee Street Bridge Ceramic Tile Mural and with 28 other artists on the DLI traffic signal control box art installations in downtown Lansing.

    Bob believes that history, especially local history, whether impactful to the world or to an individual, is important to us all.