Greater Detroit Bowling Association
22601 Greater Mack Avenue
St. Clair Shores, MI 48080
Phone: (586) 773-6350Toll Free: (888) 753-6350
Fax: (586) 773-6271
2005-2006 Committee Assignments
Board Meeting dates for the 2005-2006 season
The Detroit Bowling association (now known as the Greater Detroit Bowling Association) acquired a Charter in 1912, with the purpose of entertaining bowling leagues throughout the State of Michigan, to hold tournaments and conventions and such other business as is adaptable to a Bowling Congress.
The Greater Detroit Bowling Association currently has a paid membership of 71,460 bowlers in the greater Detroit area. The Association elects a President every year and has had 11 Executive (Secretaries) Directors starting in 1912 - 1915 with Mr. Harry Beaton. Holding the position of Executive Director for the longest was Mr. Thomas W. McKay from 1965 to 1996. Tom retired at the age of 65 in 1996 and is currently still a very active member of the Board of Directors in our Association. Mark Martin is the current Executive Director.
The current line officers of the
Greater Detroit Bowling Association are:
Tony Lindemann, President
Tony was born May 23, 1919 in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin where he graduated from high school in 1937 with a general education diploma. He started bowling at the age of 16. In 1942 Tony moved to the Detroit area during the height of World War II to work at the Army Tank Center as a Draftsman. He bowled with the World Champion Stroh’s Beer Bowling Team for 11 years, winning many city, state and national titles and was voted to the All American 1st team in 1951, after winning the ABC All-Events Title and the ABC Team All-Events Title with the Stroh’s Beer Bowling team. Also in 1951 he was named Detroit’s "King of Bowlers". In 1954 Tony married Barbara Cervini. They have one daughter (Diana) who resides in Key West, Florida. He also has 4 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren. His wife passed away in 1998. Tony was elected to the Greater Detroit Bowling Hall of Fame in 1970, elected to the ABC National Bowling Hall of Fame in 1979 and elected to the Michigan State Tournament Hall of Fame in 1997. He has 22-300 games, 4- 299 games, 2- 298 games and 4- 800 series (801-803-803-857). His highest average for a single season was 224 in 1961. Tony was appointed to the GDBA Board in 1990 and has served on the Senior, Tournament, Budget & Finance, Membership, Planning, Hearings & Re-Rating and Hall of Fame Committees. His hobbies include golf, fishing, cards and other outdoor recreational activities.
Roy Biggs, 1st Vice President
Roy was born in Berea, Kentucky, on September 2, 1943, and has lived in Michigan since 1961 when he was assigned to Selfridge Air Force Base in Mt. Clemens. Roy has three daughters - Amy, Kelly and Lindsey. He also has five grandchildren. Roy recently retired from General Motors Corporation after nearly 36 years in human resources. He is General Manager at Plaza Lanes in Plymouth. Roy was appointed to the board in 1997 and was "Director of the Year" in 1999-2000. He worked on many committees including the Awards, Masters, Budget & Finance, Scholarship and Legislative. Roy was Chairman of both the Masters and Budget & Finance committees. He started his bowling career at the age of 13 when he began setting pins in a small seven-lane center in the basement of the local YMCA in Middletown, Ohio. Roy has one 299 game, six 300 games and two 800 series. He was also captain of the 1987 GDBA Team Champions in the Classic Division, has won two National Senior Bowling Association tournament titles and has won a Great Lakes Senior Bowling Association tournament title. He was also named to the 2003-04 GDBA First Senior "All-City" Team.
Dave Bowman, 2nd Vice President
Dave was born in Pontiac on Sept. 8, 1958 and had lived in Clawson until moving to Chesterfield in 1993. Dave married his wife, Cheryl, in June 1983. Dave is currently working with Community Bowling Centers at Bowl One Lanes. He started to bowl at the age of 12 at Thunderbird Lanes in Troy on an every Saturday youth league. Dave was appointed to the GDBA Board in 1997 by then president Roland Snodgrass and was "Director of the Year" in 2000-01. Dave received the "President's Award" for outstanding service in 2000-01 and 2001-02. Dave bowled his first 300 game on Jan. 15, 1993 and has a total of six 300 games. He also has one 299 game, one 298 and a high series of 798. Dave, along with Roland Snodgrass, won the 1992 GDBA Actual Doubles. He is a silver level USA Bowling certified coach. He has served on many GDBA committees including Masters, Tournament, Budget & Finance, Certification, Awards, Constitution & Bylaws. Dave is probably best known for his work at Tournament Chairman from 1999-2002. Hobbies include golf and outdoor activities.
Andy Meyka, 3rd Vice President
Andy was born in Highland Park on May 8, 1965 and has been a life-long resident of Warren. Andy married his high school sweetheart, Sandy, in May of 1988. They have three children, Andrew II, Kyle and Danielle. Andy has been employed at Progressive Impression Die Company since 1988. His father, John, who was a past president of the GDBA, introduced him to bowling early in life but he didn't start bowling until he was in his 20's. Andy was appointed to the board in 1997 by then President Roland Snodgrass and was "Director of the Year" in 2001-02. He also received the "President's Award" that same year. Andy has served on the Masters, Tournament, Budget & Finance, Awards, Constitution & Bylaws, Ways & Means, House Representative, Membership, Election, Hearing & Re-Rating and YABA committees. Andy shares time between the GDBA Board and his other passion, his church.
Gerald DeRuiter, 4th Vice President
Jerry was born in Grosse Pointe Farms on Sept. 4, 1947 and has been a life-long resident of St. Clair Shores. Jerry was married on Aug. 2, 1975 to Linda. Heather is their only child. Jerry graduated from Oakland University in Rochester, Mich. in December 1969 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Systems Engineering. He has been employed with Michigan Consolidated Gas Company since January 1970 and has held several positions during his tenure. Jerry began league bowling in 1967 at Eastland Bowl in Roseville in the Eastside Lutheran 9:30 p.m. Friday Night Men's League. He has served as a league officer for the past 27 years and is also the Secretary of the Detroit Lutheran Annual Bowling Tournament. Jerry is a lifetime member of USBC and GDBA. Jerry has a lifetime ABC Tournament average of 167 for 25 consecutive National Tournaments and has bowled in the Michigan State Tournament for 30 consecutive years. His high game is 289 and high series of 735. Past GDBA President Robert Schumacher appointed Jerry to the GDBA Board in 1987. Since then, Jerry has served many times on the following Committees in various capacities: Awards, Budget & Finance, Constitution and By Laws, Dinner & Special Functions, Elections, Hearings and Re-ratings, Mailing, Membership, Planning, Publicity & Public Relations, House Rep., Scholarship, Tournament, YABA and Yearbook.
Mark A. Martin, Executive Director
Mark, born in Pontiac on May 29, 1954, has lived in the Pontiac area his entire life. Mark is single with one son (Steve), one daughter-in-law (Shannon) and three granddaughters (Laura, Shelby and Cassandra). Mark graduated with honors from Oakland Community College in 1986 with a degree in Applied Sciences, majoring in Computer Programming. Hobbies include golf, running and spectator sports.
He has run 11 marathons, including nine Detroit Free Press marathons. He began bowling at the age of 12 at Orchard Lanes in Pontiac. Since then, he has carried a high average of 216, had a high game of 300 and a high series of 772. Currently, he has a lifetime ABC Tournament average of 183 for 26 consecutive National Tournaments. Over the years, Mark has served as a league officer and has held all elected offices at one time or another. Mark became the 226th lifetime member of the ABC on May 4, 1994. He was appointed as Pontiac Area Director for the Greater Detroit Bowling Association in August of 1986 by then President John Meyka. Mark has been a Certified Lane Inspector since 1989. In 1990 Mark was named "Director of the Year", followed by the Meritorious Service Award in 1991and "Bowlers Man of the Year" in 1995. Mark was elected Executive Director on October 25, 1995 and took office January 1, 1996. For his many contributions to the game of bowling, Mark was elected to the Detroit Bowling Hall of Fame in 2003. He serves as Zone 1A Director for the Michigan State Bowling Association. Mark was hired as Secretary/Treasurer of the Detroit Women's Bowling Association effective August 1, 2003. He writes a weekly bowling column for the Oakland Press and is a member of the Bowling Writers Association of America. He earned the 1997 Journalist Award from the Michigan State Bowling Council.
