Mike Vander Kooi’s primary professional experience encompasses the fields of banking and finance, having spent several years as a bank officer, a stock broker and a private lender. He also spent time in the nonprofit performing arts industry as an opera producer. Through his years in industry and education, Vander Kooi has developed firsthand insight into the workings of the financial markets, as well as the financial underpinnings of many companies. In 2003, Vander Kooi was voted Outstanding Teacher of the Year by his JWU colleagues.