A recognized leader in the field of new home construction, Mick McGraw received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Olivet Nazarene University in Kankakee, Illinois. Mick was Vice President of Union Bank & Trust as well as two of its subsidiaries from 1973 to 1978 before joining Eastbrook Development Company. He became the President of Eastbrook Development Company and Eastbrook Homes in 1986 and after the founder’s death in 1994, he also became CEO. He has continued to serve as President and CEO of Eastbrook Homes and Eastbrook Development Company for the last 21 years.
Under Mick’s leadership, Eastbrook Homes launched innovative land planning and community planning techniques to spur the company’s growth in the Grand Rapids market place. The company has grown significantly, expanding its footprint to include the lakeshore area of West Michigan, Lansing and Auburn, Alabama.
Eastbrook Homes continues with the vision of creating entire communities from the ground up, from the acquisition and design of the raw land, to the zoning, designing, engineering, and marketing to the end consumer. A noteworthy example of this is Eastbrook Homes’ Bailey’s Grove, the largest Master Planned community in West Michigan. The Bailey’s Grove community includes nearly 1,000 homes and condominiums, over 300 apartments, an elderly care facility, a medical facility, a daycare center, retail areas, and a public elementary school.
During his time at Eastbrook Homes, Mick has built approximately 10,000 residential units and developed hundreds of communities while being a servant to the local environment by ensuring the land developed is left in better condition than when acquired. Mick has maintained his company’s leadership position by accurately evaluating the market and responding quickly and judiciously to market forces.
Mick has continuously been a champion for housing, development, service and the environment. He has chaired several state committees and helped form the Land Development Committee, the Foundation Board, the Community Service Committee, the Ethics and Complaints Committee, the Affordable Housing Committee, the Homeless Committee, and the Environment and Development Committee. He continued to promote development concepts at the state level, by serving on Governor Granholm’s 26 member Land Use Council.
In his work Mick has been an advocate for responsible business and attention to the environment. He has received awards from the Department of Environmental Quality for being a partner in water quality and the National Audubon Society for working with trees.
As an active community member, Mick has served on a variety of Non-Profit boards including West Michigan Advisory Board for the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, Mel Trotter Cabinet Council, Wedgwood Christian Services Board, Home Repair Services Board, and the State Chamber of Commerce Board. He is currently serving on the Grand Valley Metro Council and Community Link Board.