At its Feb. 7 meeting, the Michigan Humanities Council formally welcomed eight new members to its Board of Directors, including Dean “Dino” Bach of West Bloomfield.  

One of four gubernatorial appointees, Bach will serve alongside Steve Wilson (Grand Rapids), Brian Brunner (Mt. Pleasant), and Jody Lynn Egen (Wyandotte). In addition, the board elected Paul Chaffee (St. Charles), Sarah Jury (Saginaw), Debra McKeon (Grand Haven), and Kelvin Smyth (Escanaba).

“It’s an honor to have been appointed by Governor Snyder to this Council,” Bach said. “It’s exciting knowing that I have an opportunity to help contribute my energy to an important part of our state’s culture.”

Bach is the owner operator of Dino’s Restaurant Lounge and Catering in Ferndale. The “upscale but not uptight” restaurant/bar has been a Ferndale favorite since 2002, and Bach is well-known for his involvement in the community and for the events in which he takes part. He also has numerous affiliations and responsibilities outside of Dino’s.

Bach is involved in Ferndale Youth Assistance and sat on the board of MAPP – Michigan AIDS Prevention Project, now called Michigan AIDS Coalition. He resigned in 2010 and joined the board of the Ferndale Downtown Development Authority – he now sits on its Executive Committee as vice chair and is a member of the Promotions and Events Committee. Bach is also treasurer of the Board of Directors for Ace Academy Charter School in Highland Park which is a high discipline school for incarcerated individuals.

Since 2008, Bach has served as director of the Ferndale Film Festival, which promotes the independent film industry on a local, national and international level. The most recent honor for Bach is the 2012 National Good Neighbor Award, presented on May 1, 2012 by the Michigan Restaurant Association.

About the Michigan Humanities Council

The Michigan Humanities Council is a private, nonprofit organization created to foster a better understanding of each other and our state through local cultural, historical and literary experiences for all. The Council was founded in 1974 and is funded in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities and individual donors. For more information on future programs, upcoming grant opportunities or how you can support these efforts, please visit www.michiganhumanities.org or call (517) 372-7770.