Eric A. Backman

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

Eric has always had an entrepreneurial spirit and has been gifted in creating measurable systems for start-up businesses and charities. He founded his financial planning business in 2008. Through focus, determination, and a client-centered approach, Eric’s business has significantly grown year over year since its inception. He and his team now manage over 100 million dollars and have recently just pioneered an investment platform that screens for companies that adhere to Catholic social teaching.

Eric had previously been a board member at Gianna House Pregnancy and Parenting which serves young expecting mothers who struggle to find a safe loving environment to live. He worked with Gianna House to integrate systems, to run the organization more efficiently, and made a significant impact on the financial stability of the organization. Eric has been involved as a donor and outside advisor of Chesterton since its inception. He and his wife classically educate their children and are currently enrolled in Regina Caeli Academy (a homeschool hybrid program) where Eric sits on the finance committee. He is passionate about classical education and bringing his gifts to the Chesterton Academy.

Harry C. Veryser, Jr.

Harry C. Veryser was born and raised in Mt Clemens. He lives in Sterling Heights and is a member of St Lawrence Church.

Veryser was the director of graduate studies in economics at the University of Detroit Mercy from 2007 to 2012. In 2009, Prof. Veryser was appointed as Treasurer at Thomas More College in New Hampshire. In addition, he served as chairman of the economics and finance department at Walsh College for twenty years, retiring in 2007 with the rank of Distinguished Professor. He also held the rank of Associate Professor of Economics and Finance at Walsh College. Mr. Veryser has been teaching for the last 40+ years both at the high school and collegiate level on both a full and part-time basis. During his high school career, he taught courses in mathematics, history, economics, government, and religion. Mr. Veryser has served on the faculties of Northwood University, St. Mary’s College-Orchard Lake, Hillsdale College (Assistant to the President 74-78), Ave Maria College, Thomas More College of Liberal Arts, and the University of Detroit. He taught courses in economics, history, ethics, and philosophy. Also, he is currently an adjunct professor at the University of Detroit Mercy. Presently, he has semi-retired to continue writing and research but, in addition, teaches courses at The University of Detroit Mercy, Northwood University, and Macomb Community College.  His articles have appeared in The Detroit News, The Intercollegiate Review, and The University Bookman. He is the author of Our Economic Crisis: Sources and Solutions. His latest book, It Did Not Have to Be This Way: How the Principles of Austrian Economics Lead to Peace and Prosperity, was published by ISI Books in 2012.

Harry Veryser is Chairman of the American Council on Economics and Society, a former senior member of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers and a member of the Philadelphia Society, where he served on the board of trustees from 2011 to 2013. He was recently elected to membership in the Prismatic Club of Detroit. Mr. Veryser is also active in the Fine Arts Society of Detroit and served on the board of the Long Island Opera. Mr. Veryser also served on the advisory boards of De La Salle Collegiate High School in Warren, Michigan, and St. Thomas More Academy in Burton, Michigan. He is currently on the advisory boards of The Mackinac Center for Public Policy in Midland, Michigan, and the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He has served on the advisory board of the Michigan Catholic. Mr. Veryser was a member of the Business Advisory Committee for Baker College in Allen Park, MI. He was recently appointed an associate scholar at the Ludwig von Mises Institute. He currently serves on the board of trustees for Detroit Collegiate High School, a charter school. He established the new Master of Arts in Economics program at Walsh College in September of 2000 and helped reestablish the MA in Economics degree at UDM in 2007.

Harry is a graduate of De La Salle Collegiate in Detroit. He received his undergraduate degree in Philosophy and Economics and two Master of Arts degrees in Economics and Religious Studies from the University of Detroit. In 2005, Mr. Veryser received the Will Herberg Award for Faculty Excellence from the Intercollegiate Studies Institute. He was awarded the Doctor in Humane Letters Degree (LHD) by Thomas More College in 2010. In September 2012, he received the KHS (Knight of the Holy Sepulchre) from the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem.

Rev. Fr. Kevin Roelant

SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR

Fr. Kevin Roelant was raised in Newport, MI, near Monroe, MI. He entered Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit shortly after finishing high school. At the seminary, he received a bachelor's degree in philosophy, a master's degree in divinity, and a baccalaureate in sacred theology. He was ordained a priest of Jesus Christ in 2016. He served as associate pastor at the National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica (2016-2019) in Royal Oak and the parishes of St. Mary and St John in Monroe (2019-2020). He served as pastor of St. Gabriel in Detroit and helped serve the family of parishes within that family from 2020-2022. In 2022, he was then asked to become pastor of St. Thecla parish in Clinton Township and serves within its family of parishes.  

Russell (Butch) Hill

VICE CHAIRMAN

Russ Hill is a career professional in the luxury car business.  Russ is the former head of sales and retail operations for Audi of America. During his 33-year tenure with the luxury division of Volkswagen of America, Russ successfully completed senior executive positions in sales, marketing, and retail field operations for both Audi and Porsche. 

Following his career with Audi, Russ became a retailer in the San Francisco Bay Area as Area Vice President of the first retail platform for the Penske Automotive Group in Northern California. In his second assignment with Penske, Russ built a "best of the best" retail network in record time as well as its wholesale support organization for Penske's Smart USA. In 2009, Russ was promoted to VP, of Retail Operations.   

In 2010 Russ became an entrepreneur. He has founded several new businesses to service the luxury retail automotive market.  Today, Silver Hill Consulting (est. 2010) currently advises luxury dealer groups and a number of agencies working with OEM clients on strategic network projects. AmPD Performance (est. 2022) is a leadership development and team-building company based in Michigan and is the authorized USA partner for Neurozone.com.

Silver Hill Consulting does executive consulting work at The Shrine of Jesus the Divine Mercy, Chesterton Our Lady of Guadalupe, and Parkway Christian School …. all in Macomb County Michigan. In 2022, Russ successfully completed a two-year certificate program in Catholic Theology at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit.   

Russ is a graduate of the Warrington School of Business at the University of Florida with degrees in Marketing and Management. He lives in Grosse Pointe Farms, MI. He is a member of St. Paul’s on the Lake parish and is a sacristan, a lector, and a leader in the Catholic Men’s Fellowship ministry. Russ is a choir member at St. Clare Montefalco in Grosse Pointe Park.  Russ is a varsity football coach for Parkway Christian School and will be celebrating 50 years of coaching Varsity and youth football teams this year. Russ (Butch) was named Assistant Coach of the Year while at Grosse Pointe North High School.

Most importantly, Russ is married to his high school sweetheart Cindy, and they have a very big and happy family.

David M. Miller

CO-FOUNDER/SECRETARY

David was born in Detroit and raised in Warren, MI. He and his wife Alejandra live in Rochester and are active members of Holy Family Catholic Church in Detroit. They have three children aged nine and under.

David is a graduate of De La Salle Collegiate in Warren and has a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan-Dearborn. During his twenty-plus-year career in the automotive industry as an engineering specialist, he spent five years in Italy. It was there that he reverted back to the Catholic faith, met his wife, Alejandra, had their first of three children, learned Italian, and grew in his love for theology, philosophy, and the humanities.

David strongly desires for his children to have a thoroughly rounded and fully Cristo-centric education. He believes that classical education is the way to accomplish this goal. He believes that Chesterton Academy's full-time classical curriculum would greatly benefit those seeking such in the Metro Detroit area.

Mark Thibault

TREASURER

Mark Thibault is the proud father of five, all of whom were home-schooled for at least one year and attended Catholic Schools K-12.  After earning an MBA from Northwestern University, he was an executive at GM, having recently retired after 33 years of dedicated service in planning and marketing. He and his wife, Johnese, have been actively engaged in many philanthropic endeavors, including Healing the Children, Big Brothers, Dad’s Club at Regina, and Life Remodeled.  

Alejandra Correa Miller

CO-FOUNDER

Mrs. Correa Miller, along with her husband David Miller, is the co-founder of Chesterton Academy of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Mrs. Correa Miller has a degree from Florida International University in Design and a Master's in Theology of Evangelization from Pontifical Lateran University in Rome, Italy. She has over 20 years of experience in many areas of Catholic administration and education. She has also done freelance writing for online publications such as Aleteia and the Women’s section for the now Pontifical Dicastery of Laity, Family, and Life. Her diverse background in Catholic education, catechesis, and mission work inspired her and her husband to launch a Chesterton Academy in the metro Detroit area. The research and legwork began in 2017 and have continued to keep them busy since then. She and her husband look forward to making Chesterton Academy a beacon of hope to the surrounding community and all Chesterton families, faculty, and staff. She remains active in the community through advising and assisting the board of directors and staff. She and her husband reside in Rochester where she currently homeschools her three children. They belong to Holy Family Catholic Church in Detroit and St. John Fisher University Chapel in Rochester.

Ex-Officio (Non-Voting) Board members:

Rev. Fr. Kevin Roelant, Spiritual Director

Alejandra Correa Miller, Co-Founder