Corinne Sikorski
President

 

Corinne Sikorski has served as the Chair of the Friends of the Ypsilanti Freighthouse since June, 2013. She has been in Ypsilanti since 1974, and is the General Manager of the Ypsilanti Food Cooperative. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Biology and Geography and a Master's Certificate in Public Administration, both from Eastern Michigan University. She has served on several boards: the Western Washtenaw County Recycling Authority, the Ypsilanti Downtown Development Authority, and the Ypsilanti Recycling Project. She is a partner of the Ypsilanti Millworks Partnership, a group that renovated the 1840s building that houses apartments and the Ypsilanti Food Cooperative.

Nicole Porter

Vice-Chair

Nicole Porter joined the Board in 2014 and has served as the Vice Chair since 2016. She is a longtime resident, living here as a child and returning for college.  She is a 2001 graduate of Eastern Michigan University’s Political Science Department and also studied Public Administration there. Nicole served as a volunteer and member of the board of directors for Great Lakes Rabbit Sanctuary for more than seven years, working directly with the animals, as well as fundraising, event planning, education and grounds keeping/maintenance. She currently serves on the executive board for the Detroit Alumnae Chapter of Sigma Kappa as the delegate to the Detroit Alumnae Panhellenic Association. She works in Global Sales, Marketing for ProQuest.

 

Martha Kern-Boprie

Treasurer

 

Martha Kern-Boprie serves as the Treasurer for the Friends of the Ypsilanti Freighthouse. She graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Public Administration from Oakland University in 1980 and a Master of Public Administration degree from Eastern Michigan University in 1984. She has held elective office for a total of 27 years, including 12 as Superior Twp. Treasurer, 10 as a Washtenaw County Commissioner, and 5 as a Superior Twp. Park Commissioner. She has served on multiple public commissions including the County Planning Commission, Historic District Commission, Park Commission, EMS Commission, Washtenaw Area Transportation Study, SEMCOG, several non-profit boards including P.O.W.E.R., Inc., Northfield Human Services, Friends of the Ypsilanti Freighthouse and her church council. She has been employed as an accountant with the University of Michigan Medical School since 1998.

 

Susan Campbell

Secretary

 

Susan Campbell has lived in the Ypsilanti area since 1991, and has worked in the grants and contracts office at Eastern Michigan University since 2000.  She joined the Board of the Friends of the Ypsilanti Freighthouse in 2008 - 2009.  She has worked on numerous grant proposals for FOYF during that time. She has served as the Board Secretary since August 2014

 

Ron Rupert

Board Member

 

Ron has been active with the Friends of the Ypsilanti Freighthouse since the beginning. He currently serves as the Chair of the Building Committee, and is also on the Ypsilanti Historic District Commission. Working as a preservationist for the last 40 years, Ron has restored hundreds of buildings in Ypsilanti, Ann Arbor, Wixom, Novi, Livonia, Plymouth, Milan, Saline, and Detroit.

"The Freighthouse has been a very challenging endeavor for the past twelve years. With the completion of the Freighthouse restoration looming. 
I am excited to ensure a historic as well as useful legacy for the entire community. I am very proud and honored to be a part of this wonderful project." 

 

Philip Proefrock

Board Member

Philip joined the Board in 2014.  He is a licensed architect with more than 20 years experience in building design, renovation, and project management.  He holds degrees from Bowling Green State University (BFA), Cranbrook Academy of Art (MFA), and Miami (OH) University (M Arch).

He is the principal of CoStudio Architects, and is also Project Architect/Consultant for Testing Engineers and Consultants, Inc. He has also served on the board of the American Institute of Architects Huron Valley Chapter, and has been active with Ypsilanti Youth Theater.

Jason Branham

Board Member

Bio coming soon!

Ron Bluhm

Board Member

Bio coming soon!

THE FRIENDS OF THE YPSILANTI FREIGHTHOUSE

The Friends of the Ypsilanti Freighthouse (FOYF) is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization with the mission of managing, preserving and cultivating the heritage of the Ypsilanti Freighthouse. This group, comprised of local residents and business owners, is dedicated to re-opening the Freighthouse with the goal of promoting inclusive community participation by providing an environmentally sound gathering place for recreation, celebration, arts, education and local activities to increase opportunity for personal and collective growth of Depot Town. 

Interested in joining the FOYF Board? Submit an application here! Want to reach out to any of the board members? Email them at [email protected].

2018 BOARD MEMBERS