General Meeting Speaker Information

Mick Koster
Vice President & Philanthropic Advisor
Comerica Charitable Services Group Leadership

Mick Koster is a nationally recognized leader in philanthropy and charitable giving. As Vice President & Philanthropic Advisor for the Comerica Charitable Services Group, he assists wealthy individuals in contributing their accumulated wealth to charity. In addition, he works directly with Comerica not-for-profit clients, particularly in the western United States, in establishing and growing their endowment funds.

Specializing in estate and gift design, private foundations, and planned giving strategies, Mick has served a variety of not-for-profit organizations around the country including education, health care, issue advocacy, social service, and faith-based organizations. This broad experience, and keen insight into the unique desires of philanthropic individuals, has offered Mick the opportunity to share his knowledge and expertise before professional and charitable groups throughout the United States.

Mick has been quoted in The New York Times and published in a variety of national journals. He has been a member of the National Committee on Planned Giving, the Planned Giving Roundtable of Southeast Michigan, and the West Michigan Planned Giving Group. He is a past president of the Troy, Michigan, Rotary Club, and an adjunct professor with a local college. Prior to his role with Comerica, Mick served as Senior Consultant with Strategic Partners, a full service business consulting firm specializing in not-for-profit organizations throughout the United States and Europe.

He holds a B.A. Degree from Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and a Masters in Public Administration from Michigan State University with a concentration in Nonprofit Management.

Kevin Daehnke
Managing Partner
Daehnke Cruz Law Group, LLP

Active in the environmental legal arena since 1981, when he co-founded and served as Editor-in-Chief of USC’s Journal of Law and the Environment, Mr. Daehnke’s main focus is on environmental regulatory matters and transactional environmental matters, in particular, those relating to Brownfield redevelopment projects, real estate purchase/sales transactions, and mergers and acquisitions. Mr. Daehnke’s 25 years as an attorney also includes significant experience as litigation counsel in major Superfund matters, and in Polanco Act, insurance, environmental cost recovery and toxic tort lawsuits.

Mr. Daehnke has served for 15 years as the managing partner of the firm now known as Daehnke Cruz Law Group, LLP, a California-based law firm specializing in “contaminated property” issues, including an emphasis (for the last 10 years) on Brownfield redevelopment. Mr. Daehnke is an active member of the Brownfields Committee of the California Redevelopment Association, serves on the Executive Committee, and is Chair of the Policy Committee, of the California Chapter of the National Brownfields Association, has served as Chair of the Brownfield Roundtable for the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, has authored or contributed to numerous publications, including co-authorship of a hazardous waste manual published by the California Chamber of Commerce, and has served on various trade group and regulatory committees and panels which address Brownfield and other related environmental issues.

Mr. Daehnke is active in developing legislative and regulatory incentives for Brownfield projects, including legislation affecting multi-parcel projects, Brownfield loan programs and Brownfield liability reform. Mr. Daehnke’s most significant legislative success is the creation, drafting and passage of Senate Bill 989, an important new tool for the development of Brownfield sites in California. Since 2005, Mr. Daehnke (and his 15-year law partner, John Cruz) have downsized their 10-attorney law firm and are now focusing the practice mainly on Brownfield redevelopment projects and other contaminated property matters, including litigation. John Cruz served as a member of Governor Schwarzenegger’s Cabinet.

Gregory A. Schupra
Vice President and Group Manager
Comerica Charitable Services Group Leadership

Gregory A. Schupra brings an uncommon, if not unique, combination of experiences, capabilities and values to his role as Vice President of Comerica Bank and Group Manager of the expanding Comerica Charitable Services Group, which currently manages over 2,000 charitable accounts totaling more than $5 billion.

Before joining Comerica, Mr. Schupra worked in the nonprofit community for 20 years most recently serving as vice president for a large community foundation. Prior to that, he directed the fund development programs for several colleges and universities.

In addition to his 30 years of experience as a charitable gift planning professional, Mr. Schupra worked as a bank manager and has served as a governing board member of several for-profit corporations and national and regional nonprofit organizations.

He the Chairman of the Spring Arbor University Board of Trustees in Spring Arbor, Michigan, and is a former member of the Board of Directors of the Partnership for Philanthropic Planning [formerly NCPG] based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Mr. Schupra is a founding member of the Planned Giving Roundtable of Southeast Michigan and a former officer of the Council on Foundations Community Foundation Advancement Network. He is often asked to share his ideas, perspectives and experiences on topics relating to charitable gift planning with various groups and the media throughout the country.