Brad Lunsford is in his ninth year as a full-time member of the Spartan football staff as director of executive football operations. Lunsford's primary responsibilities include coordinating team travel, preseason camp, training table and food servies as well as administrative oversight over all practice sessions. In addition, he supervises the comp ticket program for MSU players during the regular season and postseason; develops all administrative manuals for the program; plus assists in planning the yearly calendar as well as camps and clinics.
Lunsford also organizes and coordinates all day-to-day football-related activities for head coach Mark Dantonio and serves as the football office
s liason to the athletic communications staff. Lunsford spent one year at Delaware State, serving as the school's first director of football operations. In his dual role as assistant athletic's director, he oversaw all operations of the Hornet program in 2006, managing day-to-day administrative tasks while arranging team travel and scheduling.
Prior to spending the 2006 season at Delaware State, lunsford worked for five years in the MSU football office. From September 2000 to May 2004 he was the assistant to the recruiting coordinator, managing all mailings for high school and junior college film requests, mantaining the program's recruiting database and organizing a nationwide recruiting board.
Lunsford completed his master's degree in sports administration from MSU in December 2005. He married the former April Merta in May 2007.
David Thomas, who was a member of the 2000 Spartan men's basketball national championship team, is in his first season as director of basketball operations after spending the 2014-2015 season with the Michigan State women's basketball team in a similar position.
Thomas has been a staple of the Greater Lansing community since finishing his professional basketball career in 2009. Prior to returning to MSU, he spent two years working for MSU Federal Credit Union, most recently as the Business Services Assistant Manager. Prior to that, Thomas was the owner and operator of Evergreen Car Wash & Detail in Lansing for four years. During that time, he also spent time as the host of the Spartan Fastbreak show on WLNS TV from 2010-2012.
Since 2002, Thomas founded, coordinated and managed the daily operations of the David Thomas Basketball Clinic. The camp, which reached over 300 athletes per year, was for both boys and girls ages 6-18. Thomas was also a board member of many local organizations, including the East Lansing Basketball Club, the Lauren Aitch Cancer Research Foundation, the Learn Live Lead Entrepreneurial Academy and the MSU Varsity S Club.
Thomas graduated from MSU in 2001 with a degree in advertising. He lives in East Lansing with his wife Toni, also a MSU grad, and their two children Kingston and Kennedy.
Dr. Curtis Liechty, of East Lansing passed away on Thursday, April 14, 2016. He was born on July 14, 1941 in Berne, Indiana to Gordon and Minda Liechty. He was an esteemed physician, greatly loved by his patients, and held many leadership roles at Sparrow Hospital including Chief of Staff from 1992-1993. He was active on many Boards, at Sparrow and in the community. He was a dedicated community servant, spending many hours of volunteer time as an avid supporter of the Rotary Club of Lansing. Doing mission work in Africa, Ecuador, India and Uganda. Curt originally joined the Lansing Club in October of 1976 with George Guerre as his sponsor. Then moved to the East Lansing Club, returning in 1990. Curt served as a Major in the U.S. Army Medical Corps in Ft. Huachuca, AZ from 1972-1974.
His love of travel took him and his equally wonderful wife, Mary to over 40 countries. They were able to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary with all of their children and grandchildren last summer. He was a devoted husband, father and grandfather and will be lovingly remembered by his wife, Mary; his children, Brenda Rubinstein, Bonnie (Matt) Lennox and Jennifer (Eric) Butler; and his grandchildren, Megan, Kaitlyn and KJ Rubinstein, Riley Lennox and Dylan and Lexi Butler.
He was preceded in death by their son, John Curtis Liechty. A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, April 23, 3:00 p.m. at the Peoples Church, 200 West Grand River Avenue, East Lansing, MI, with The Rev. Andrew Pomerville and The Rev. Shirley L. Paxton officiating. The family will receive friends at the church following the service and also on Friday, April 22, 2016, 3:00-6:00 p.m. at Gorsline Runciman Funeral Homes, 1720 East Grand River Avenue, East Lansing. Those desiring may make contributions in Curt's honor to The People's Church, Lansing Symphony Orchestra, 104 S. Washington Square, Suite 300, Lansing, MI 48933 or Sparrow Foundation.
April is Paul Harris month. Please show your commitment to Rotary International Foundation by wearing your Paul Harris pins to each meeting this month. Thank you,
We made Dagwood proud as we moseyed down the sandwich line creating heaping sandwiches that, in honor of our speakers, would have made a school lunch room proud. We then tried to squeeze a few sips of a world renowned chunky Tomato soup into the inkwell sized bowls. The real challenge came as we set out to find a seat and set to work trying to wrap our lips around the mountainous creations only to be interrupted by President Smith introducing John Grettenberger Jr for an invocation inspired by Rotary’s” Four way Test” and John’s delivery.
Our patriotic song “God Bless America” was followed by a tragic announcement by Diane Sanborn that long time much loved Rotarian Curt Leichty died suddenly this week. John Dale Smith’s “Abide with me” summed up our angst. Donna Gardner plowed some new turf by turning to each of us for reasons to give to the Paul Harris project that was highlighted in the Chamber of Commerce’s web site Link to follow: http://www.lansingchamber.org/?page=FOCUSMagEditions
A new member orientation is scheduled for Wednesday, April 27 from 3:30 to 5:00 at the Michigan Chamber Office. Jeff Crippen was tapped for the “History Timeline” nostalgia and despite 8 or 10 false starts and technical glitches, a 10 minute postponement and the failure of his members to identify the baby pictures of the 6 Rotary presidents, 2010 – 2016, he demonstrated again his quick wit and turned the event into a howling success.
Taylor Taylor (who should have been introduced by Terry Terry) took her cue from Ken Beachler and lightly strummed her guitar in accompaniment as she delicately sang, “putting on the Ritz” and a song of her own “Right here”. Very gentile and melodious.
Michael Clark our chair of the day and month introduced Coaches Kathy and Carlton Valentine by spotlighting their famous offspring Drew and Denzel Valentine to give us a glimmer of the quality of their father and mother, our speakers. Too say this might be a sports family is to say the Bushes might be a political family. And what a family, what amazing people this duo. Some people just have it all; skill, ethics, humor, dedication, and charisma but when you add teamwork it’s no wonder their kids are world beaters. Their dinner table, called a team meeting, revolved around four priorities; God, family, school, and (ready for it) SPORTS. Get it? They ate dinner together, took family vacations, went to church, believe in discipline, emphasized academics, were dedicated to their kids and spent time with them. Somehow there ought to be a law requiring those things, I would think, but then I’m as old fashion as Kathy and Carlton. What a pleasure watching this ideal teacher and coach team demonstrate their genius for all to see. I know I relived my favorite educators and their effect on my development.
Next week; Lansing Center will host another sports theme David Thomas and Brad Lunsford Operations directors of MSU basketball and football respectively. Eat your heart out Downtown Coaches Club. Thanks Mike. See you all in the spring.
Brad Lunsford is in his ninth year as a full-time member of the Spartan football staff as director of executive football operations. Lunsford's primary responsibilities include coordinating team travel, preseason camp, training table and food servies as well as administrative oversight over all practice sessions. In addition, he supervises the comp ticket program for MSU players during the regular season and postseason; develops all administrative manuals for the program; plus assists in planning the yearly calendar as well as camps and clinics.
David Thomas, who was a member of the 2000 Spartan men's basketball national championship team, is in his first season as director of basketball operations after spending the 2014-2015 season with the Michigan State women's basketball team in a similar position.
Dr. Curtis Liechty, of East Lansing passed away on Thursday, April 14, 2016. He was born on July 14, 1941 in Berne, Indiana to Gordon and Minda Liechty. He was an esteemed physician, greatly loved by his patients, and held many leadership roles at Sparrow Hospital including Chief of Staff from 1992-1993. He was active on many Boards, at Sparrow and in the community. He was a dedicated community servant, spending many hours of volunteer time as an avid supporter of the Rotary Club of Lansing. Doing mission work in Africa, Ecuador, India and Uganda. Curt originally joined the Lansing Club in October of 1976 with George Guerre as his sponsor. Then moved to the East Lansing Club, returning in 1990. Curt served as a Major in the U.S. Army Medical Corps in Ft. Huachuca, AZ from 1972-1974. 