Brian VanDenBrand,
Distinguished Alumnus in Residence, 2008
B.S. in Geography and Planning, 2006
Emphasis in Urban and Regional Planning

After graduation Brian accepted a position as Associate Planner with the Oshtemo Township Planning Department in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where he was employed until taking a position as Planner with Traverse City in December, 2008.

Brian’s day-to-day duties as Associate Planner at Oshtemo Township included conducting site plan review for commercial and residential development, variance and rezoning requests, analysis of police and fire department response locations, development and maintenance of the Township geographic information system (GIS), and general developer/resident assistance. He was involved in the implementation of a Form-Based Code overlay district which is intended to steer development towards the “Main Street” ideal and away from the strip-mall geography, and has participated in the Master Planning process for the Township.

Brian has spearheaded a number of specialized projects, including development of a 5-Year Parks and Recreation Master Plan that will qualify the Township for Michigan DNR grant funding, development of an Historical Overlay Zoning District to help protect historic properties from encroaching development, and a Buildout Analysis to investigate the impact of the 2006 announcement of the Kalamazoo Promise on land use trends in Oshtemo. Brian served on the Host Committee for the 2008 Michigan Association of Planning Annual Conference, and is a founding member of the Kalamazoo Trails Movement, an advocacy group for the development and maintenance of sustainable off-road trails in the Kalamazoo area. 

Neil Besteman,
Distinguished Alumnus in Residence, 2007
B.S. in Geography and Planning, 2004
Emphasis on Geographic Methods

(Photo 1, 2 of event,12 October, 2007, Alumni House)

A Michigan Technological University alumnus in Forestry (1994) and a military veteran, Neil attended GVSU in pursuit of a new career. Focused study in Geographic Methods combined with a minor in Microcomputer Systems allowed Neil to quickly become proficient in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), programming, and computer networking. His energy and aptitude resulted in his selection by faculty as the Outstanding Geography and Planning Student of the Year 2005.

Today, as a Geographic Information Systems Analyst for Allegan County, Neil works directly with county departments and local units of government to imporove business processes through the integration of spatial information. His database design, hardware integration, and applications development skills are an integral part of the daily operation within the Land Information Systems (LIS) Department that uses mapping technology and spatial relationships to increase government efficiency and assist in decision making.

A member of Michigan Counties Association of Mapping Professional (MiCAMP), Neil has presented at the annual MiCAMP conference each of the past three years. He is currently pursuing his GIS Professional (GISP) certification.