Dr. Edward Mathein poses for a portrait at the Center for Family Health dental clinic in Jackson on Thursday, May 5, 2022. Mathein volunteers at the clinic. He is retiring from the Jackson College Board of Trustees.J. Scott Park | MLive.com

JACKSON, MI - John Crist could see the hurt in Ed Mathein’s eyes as they welled up with tears when he explained he couldn’t do another six-year term on the Jackson College Board of Trustees.

While his passion for watching the college grow and evolve has always been apparent, Crist, who has served alongside Mathein for 16 of his 24 years on the board, knew it was time for his colleague to step away and spend more time with his family.

After all, Mathein has spent the better part of the past four decades offering his time and energy to countless boards and councils.

“Let’s put it this way, he loves the college, he really does,” Crist said of Mathein.

Mathein stepped down from the board in April, his vacant seat being filled by Jackson County Undersheriff Christopher Simpson. This marks the end of an era, as Mathein, the board’s longest tenured member, is the last remaining trustee who took part in hiring current Jackson College President Dan Phelan in 2001.

In describing his desire to give back to the Jackson community, Mathein points to the community support he received in his thriving Jackson dental practice for more than 45 years as motivation.

“When you’re in private service, you get all your income from the community where you live,” Mathein said. “I’ve always felt that I had a responsibility to help pay back the community for the support they showed me over all these years. I made a good living and it was from the people that I lived with and our neighbors and friends.

“I thought one way to pay them back is to give my skills to the education area because that’s where you can make the biggest difference in people’s lives.”

The college also was instrumental in shaping Mathein’s future, as he earned an associate’s degree in science from Jackson Community College before going on to earn a Doctor of Dental Surgery from the University of Detroit.

After serving in the U.S. Navy, Mathein returned to Jackson and set up a dental practice. He also was president of the Jackson District Dental Society from 1979-1980, before chairing the Michigan Dental Association Ethics Committee from 1986-97. He also served as chair of the Jackson County United Way Dental Professionals from 1980-81 and again from 2008 to the present.

Mathein also has served with the Jackson Lions Club and Jackson Jaycees. He’s had stints on the Jackson County Intermediate School District Health Professions Advisory Council, and has been a member of the Jackson Host Lions Club since 1971, filling all office chairs, including president.

Jackson College initially reached out to Mathein to see if he’d be interested in joining its Alumni Association board. He agreed, serving on the board from 1983-90 before moving on to serve on the JC Foundation board from 1990-97, with terms as president on both boards.

The next step was for Mathein to take in six months of the college trustees meetings before a successful run for the board in 1998. He has served four terms, using an almost “scientific” approach in breaking down the issues facing the college, while spending an overwhelming amount of time preparing for meetings.

Phelan recalls Mathein’s meticulous notes - often printed out and highlighted - were a staple at any board meeting, and even in their interactions during one-on-one meetings they had when Mathein chaired the board from 2008-12.

“I could always count on Dr. Mathein having fully read the board packet,” Phelan said. “No matter how long it was, or how much material was in it, he read it thoroughly. He read the minutes thoroughly and I could always count on him if there was an error in the minutes, he would point that out to us.”

During meetings, Mathein was the member who “always has a question or a statement,” Crist said, which could frustrate other board members or those in attendance who wanted to move through the agenda.

Mathein’s intentionality, Crist said, was always apparent and a sure sign of how much he cares.

“Ed would take the time and thank the president - he would take the time to thank other board members,” Crist said. “He took the time to recognize students who would come up to him and talk to him.”

While thorough preparation was his hallmark as a board member, Phelan and Crist agree Mathein juxtaposed his meticulousness with a good sense of humor.

“He’s just a good-natured individual who is highly committed to this community, highly committed to Jackson College as an alum and he has distinguished himself on many levels, but he doesn’t seem to take himself overly seriously,” Phelan said.

“He brings a bit of light to every conversation and brings that humor, which makes people feel comfortable and opens pathways for conversations and creates fellowship and community.”

Mathein is proud of the college’s growth during his time on the board - evidenced by its recent acceptance as a board member organization to the League for Innovation in the Community College, which is comprised of 20 chief executive officers from community colleges and districts in the world.

“We’ve gone to extreme efforts to make sure that this community has what they need,” Mathein said.

That includes increased efforts to improve outcomes for the college’s minority students, Mathein said, and the establishment of the Jackson County Early College program, a joint effort of the county’s 13 school districts. The program provides a 13th year of school, after which students can leave with up to 60 college credits, or a career credential or certification, all relatively free to them and their families.

“We’ve had great progress in allowing those on the other end of the spectrum - those that have some skills and talents that were sort of ignored - to advance at their own speed and rate in addition to helping those that need the help,” Mathein said.

While his time on the college board is over, Mathein won’t disappear from the Jackson community. He plans to remain active, including through his board service and volunteering at the Center for Family Health dental clinic.

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