Board Chair Steven R. Mills ’77 said of the induction of the two newest trustees, “I am pleased that two accomplished alumni have recently joined the Illinois College Board of Trustees. Trustees Michael Bauersachs ’86 and Luiz Guimaraes ’91 bring great skills and experiences to our board, and l look forward to working with them to advance the mission and vision of the College.”
Bauersachs is the co-founder and former President and CEO of Ramaco Resources. He is an investor, entrepreneur and consultant, primarily working with energy, real estate and mining companies. Previously, he held senior management positions with several companies, including Massey Energy Company. His professional experience includes business development, financial analysis, planning, mergers and acquisitions.
Bauersachs received a bachelor’s degree in economics, business and history from IC, where he was a member of Sigma Pi, and holds an MBA from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. He and his wife, Lisa Lonson Bauersachs ’85, have two sons, Matthew (St. Louis, Missouri) and Justin (Glen Allen, Virginia). The Bauersachs are members of the Illinois College Society.
“Illinois College provided me with a well-rounded foundation to build on. Lessons learned at IC have proven to be invaluable, not only in the business world, but life in general. I am excited to serve on the Board of Trustees, and look forward to collaborating with other IC trustees, President Barbara A. Farley and her executive team,” Bauersachs said. “I am ready to roll up my sleeves and do my part to help secure best-in-class learning opportunities for future generations.”
Guimarães brings expertise in mergers and acquisitions; environmental, social and health impact assessment; enterprise carbon management,
and climate governance through his work at Environmental Resources Management Inc (ERM). Recently, Guimarães was promoted to North America Director of Services and Innovation with ERM for whom he has served in a number of technical, commercial, and operational roles for more than fifteen years in Asia, Africa and the Americas. His tenure with ERM has been characterized by a growth mindset; a commitment to social purpose and collaboration; and embedding sustainability, inclusion and diversity in all of his pursuits.
Guimarães received bachelor’s degrees in mathematics from IC, and engineering environmental and public policy from Washington University in St. Louis. He holds an MPA with a focus on environmental policy from the University of Missouri, Columbia, and an MBA from the University of Chicago. At IC, he was involved in men’s soccer and Phi Alpha Literary Society. He was the recipient of the Young Alumnus Award in 2007 and currently serves on the Engineering Advisory Board. Guimarães and his family have lived all over the world, from Washington D.C. and Houston, to Indonesia and South Africa. He, his wife Celina and their younger daughter Gabriela reside in the Chicago area. Their oldest daughter Giovana just started a biomedical engineering career in Boston. They are members of the Illinois College Society.
“Because I believe in the power of a liberal arts education, I am excited about supporting and being part of Illinois College,” Guimarães said. “It is a privilege to join President Farley and fellow trustees on their commitment to student growth, faculty scholarship and the sustainability of IC.”
For a complete listing of the Illinois College Board of Trustees, visit ic.edu/trustees.
