Reflections Magazine Issue #76 - Spring 2012 | Page 28

Alumni Profile

People Person

Alumni Profile
T
Terry Beurer ’80 Takes on
Statewide Leadership Role
in Michigan
By Doug Goodnough

“Siena prepared me very well . . . Siena
has been very influential in my life. The
spirit of what the Adrian Dominicans
represent, I try to live each day.”

28

Reflections Spring ’12

erry Beurer ’80 considers himself to be a people person.
As someone who supervises staff in Michigan’s 83 counties,
drives approximately 4,000 miles per month and has to be
able to respond at a moment’s notice, he has to be.
Beurer, who was named the director of Field Operations
for the Michigan Department of Human Services in January,
said he is ready for the new challenge his promotion offers.
“In my job, it’s something new every day,” said Beurer,
who served as acting director for six months before being
named permanent director. “I am heavily involved in labor
relations and personnel issues (as well as) the day-to-day
operations of the county offices to make sure we are pushing
forward the mission and the vision of the department.”
Beurer has been working for the state since 1978, when
he started at the Adrian Training School. He then went on to
the Lenawee County DHS as a child protective services worker,
and later supervised CPS and foster care. In 2004 he was promoted to the Monroe County director’s position, and has also
served as director of Urban Child Welfare Field Operations and
the deputy director of the Children’s Services Administration.
Since the promotion, he said he is wasting very little time
implementing ne