Eric DeBoer- Ottawa County Sheriff

“I was born in the suburbs of Chicago and moved to MI after attending Calvin College. I began working for the Sheriff’s Office while at Calvin and have been there ever since. I am married to Hillary and we have a son and daughter. We have lived in Holland and attend Harderwyk CRC.”

Josh Brugger – D10 Commissioner

Chris Kleinjans – D2 Commissioner

Chris has committed his life to service — service to country, service to family, and service to community. He is a US Navy veteran, a husband, father and grandfather, an employee in the nonprofit sector, and a volunteer to those in need.

• 55 years old
• Native of the Holland area, graduated from Holland HS in 1986
• Descendant of the settlers of Zeeland, ancestors arrived in Ottawa County in 1847.
• Joined the US Navy in 1987. Upon completion of advanced training served onboard several commands that were assigned to the 32nd Street Naval Station in San Diego. During his time in the Pacific Fleet, Chris completed three deployments, the final one being as a staff member of DESRON 21 in support of Operation Desert Shield/Storm.
• Married to Sarah since 1992, two sons and one grandchild.
• Resident of District 2 for nearly 30 years
• A.A in Youth Services, B.S. In History, and M.A in Public Administration. Chris’s love of the past led him to develop educational programming around the history of Holland.
• 25 years working in the nonprofit sector, up to and including his current position as a community nutrition instructor.
• Serves as a volunteer with the Ottawa County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)

Cheryl Clark – Treasurer

“I was born and raised in Grand Haven, and have lived in Ottawa County for most of my life. I have been married to my husband Joe for 33 years and together we have 2 sons in their late 20’s. I am an active member at Hope Church in Grand Haven, where I am a leader of the High School Youth Group, a member of the Worship Team, and part of the Women’s Ministry. 

I attended Grand Haven High School and received my Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Cornerstone University. I am also an Advanced Certified Public Funds Investment Manager and have several other certifications in public treasury and good governance. 

I was appointed to the Ottawa County Treasurer position in December of 2023 and took office in January of 2024. I have over 32 years of experience in public financial management and prior to my appointment, I spent the last 15 years serving as Chief Deputy Treasurer for Ottawa County. I have worked for Ottawa County for over 28 years, learning and growing under the direction of four different county treasurer’s, Eunice Bareham, Mary Richardson, Bradley Slagh, and Amanda Price. I also served as the Robinson Township Treasurer for 9 years.”

Doug Zylstra – D3 Commissioner

“These past five years, I have worked to be a consistent, positive voice on the County board to best represent City of Holland residents.

I am running for re-election to continue this work and advocate for the following principles in a way that actively includes all residents:

• Housing – Expanding Housing opportunities here in Holland and throughout Ottawa County.
• Health Care – Ensuring that the County continues investing in the physical and mental health of Ottawa and Holland residents
• Cost of Government – Ensuring that we’re spending your tax dollars responsibly, and then communicating that openly and transparently.”

Chris Crothers – D4 Commissioner

Chris is running for Ottawa County Commissioner in District 4. His step into the political realm is largely inspired by his grandfather, who played a pivotal role in shaping his worldview and instilled in him the value of civil discourse. When he was younger, Chris would drive his grandfather to Socrates Café, where he would observe a group of his elders civilly discuss a different topic each month. These monthly gatherings taught Chris invaluable lessons: always be open to changing your opinion, support your views with facts, and strive to understand others’ perspectives.

Born in Holland and raised in Zeeland, Chris grew up very involved at church. After attending GVSU for engineering, he had a dream of opening a space where the community could gather. In 2019 he helped start Tulip City Brewstillery. Now, he is the head brewer and a member of leadership at Tulip City Brewstillery and Hopland Brewstillery. Chris was integral to these growing into those dreamed of community spaces. Through his affiliation with the breweries, Chris has worked with numerous local nonprofits. These collaborations and relationships propelled his passion for community and inclusivity. Chris will bring much needed perspective to this board. He represents the working class while also having some experience at the leadership level. Chris brings a generational perspective with the prosperity of the 90’s and the unique economic challenges facing young people today. Chris is a problem solver, collaborator, and hard worker. He will ensure progress is pursued.

Heather Majestic – D7 Commissioner

“I was born and raised in Western Pennsylvania and then went to Notre Dame for college on a Navy ROTC scholarship. Upon graduation with a business degree I commissioned as an officer and served in Alaska, on an aircraft carrier (USS Dwight D. Eisenhower) and at Navy SEAL Team TWO in Virginia. In 2001 I got married, completed and received my MBA from Michigan State and started my career at Steelcase. I am currently a sourcing manager at Corewell Health.

I have I have 2 children, Nick who is a rising senior at Michigan State, and Abby who is starting as a freshman there as well in the fall. Both of them are graduates of Jenison Public Schools and we have lived in Georgetown Township since 2001 and in the same house since 2004. My husband passed away suddenly in 2019 when the kids were 16 and 13. He was a CPA who worked for Deloitte and also at Spectrum Health as an executive. My extended family includes my sister who lives and works in Philadelphia with her husband and my partners who also live in Jenison.”

Becky Patrick – D8 Commissioner

Becky Patrick served as the Lake Michigan Regional Director for the combined departments of Natural Resources and Environmental Quality. Her responsibilities included bringing together leaders from divergent groups to find common ground on natural resource use and regulation.

She worked closely with the Michigan Department of Agriculture and its constituents to develop a Leadership Academy for emerging government leaders in Ag, Natural Resources, and Environmental Quality.

She holds a BA in Education (with honors) from Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL. She is married to her husband of 40 years, with one son and daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren.

Her volunteer and community leadership experience include:

• Steering Team member, Progressive Lakeshore;
• past Steering Team member, Together Ottawa (a multi-partisan, county-wide grassroots group committed to restoring good governance to Ottawa County);
• Steering Team member, Allendale Area Action Team (a multi-partisan, Allendale-based grassroots group committed to restoring good governance to Ottawa County);
• past Board Officer and Trustee, Lansing Christian School Board;
• past Trustee and Executive Committee member, church councils in East Lansing and Big Rapids;
• past Volunteer, Love INC of Northeast Ottawa County;
• member, Covenant Life Church, and leader in a women’s ministry group.

Philip Kuyers – D9 Commissioner

“As a lifelong resident of Ottawa County, it’s been my honor to serve this community in several different roles. I helped Ottawa County become the fastest-growing community in Michigan, with some of the lowest tax rates best credit ratings in the state.

Jordan Jorritsma – D2 Commissioner

“Hi! I’m Jordan Jorritsma, a native of the North side of Holland where I still live with my wife, Liz, and our dog, Ike.

I’m running for County Commission to bring back conservative values like integrity, fiscal responsibility, and common-sense!

I look forward to serving you, your family, and our community!”