Leigh Greden, Eastern Michigan University’s vice president of government and community and community relations, will retire from EMU and become Congressman John Dingell’s chief of staff, EMU President Susan Martin said at Tuesday’s Board of Regents meeting.
Greden has served as vice president of government and community relations since March 2010. His current salary at the university is $141,480.00. Greden says he will keep his home in the Ann Arbor area and will come back to the district regularly.
Dingell, who has served as a mentor to Greden throughout his career, announced he would retire from the House of Representatives after almost 60 years of service in February. Dingell is longest serving member of Congress in the history of the U.S.
“This was too good of an opportunity to turn down,” Greden said. “[I will be able] to work for a legend who presided over the passage of Medicare and has been a mentor to me.”
Congressman Dingell’s wife, Debbie Dingell, is running for her husband’s seat in Michigan’s Twelfth Congressional District. Greden has had an active role in her campaign up to this point.
“I’m focused on serving the Congressman, and serving the 800,000 people he represents in Southeast Michigan,” Greden said. “That is my focus right now.”
Someone else will assume Greden’s role as chair of the search committee for EMU’s news chief financial officer in the next two weeks. How Greden’s own role at EMU will be filled has not yet been determined.
“Given that we just found out about Leigh’s planned departure, it’s too soon to say exactly what replacement plans are,” said Geoff Larcom, EMU Executive Director of Media Relations.
During the Board of Regents Meeting, Martin took time to acknowledge Greden’s service to EMU.
“His role in Government and Community Relations has been exciting to watch,” Martin said. “Leigh’s dedication to Eastern has been steadfast and appreciated.”
