Board Member Spotlight: Jim Dutmers, President

James E. Dutmers Jr. – President, Sleeping Bear Gateway Council

Jim and his wife of 59 years, Susan, live on the east side of Glen Lake on land originally homesteaded by his great-great-grandfather in 1864. The property remains in the family today, shared among his brother and cousins. They have two adult children and five grandchildren.

Jim earned a business degree from the University of Notre Dame and later an MBA from Michigan State University. His banking career began at American Bank and Trust in Lansing, where he rose to Executive Vice President, overseeing all lending operations. In 1979, Jim became CEO of Empire Banc Corporation and Empire National Bank of Traverse City, serving Northwest Michigan communities. Under his leadership, the bank achieved 16 consecutive years of record profits before being acquired by Huntington National Bank in 2000, when he retired.

Deeply committed to community service, Jim has served on numerous boards, including Munson Healthcare, the Grand Traverse Area Chamber of Commerce, Junior Achievement, and the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Advisory Board, among others.