The United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan is pleased to announce the appointment of Maarten Vermaat as its newest Magistrate Judge. Mr. Vermaat will fill the position opened by the retirement of Magistrate Judge Timothy P. Greeley after more than 30 years of distinguished service. The appointment is based in Marquette and effective March 15, 2019.

In reflecting on the transition, the Chief Judge of the District, Robert J. Jonker, commented:

"Judge Greeley has served the District with such uncommon skill and dedication over the years that we will never be able to truly replace him. But Maarten Vermaat will be a worthy successor. Maarten brings a wealth of leadership experience, a deep record of achievement in the law and a fresh level of enthusiasm. Plus, he genuinely loves living in our Northern Division. We are eager to welcome him to our bench."

Mr. Vermaat was born and raised in Beloit, Wisconsin, the son of first generation Dutch immigrants. In 1984, he graduated from the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps. Mr. Vermaat rose to the rank of Major during his more than twelve years of active service in aviation, earning the Air Medal for distinguished combat service. After more than twelve years with the United States Marine Corps Reserve, Mr. Vermaat retired from military service in 2009 with the rank of Colonel.

Mr. Vermaat earned his Juris Doctor degree from Yale Law School in 1999. He began his legal career clerking for Chief Judge Robert G. Coats of the Alaska Court of Appeals. He then served as an Assistant District Attorney in Anchorage, Alaska, and later joined the law firm of Dorsey & Whitney in the same city. For the past 15 years, Mr. Vermaat has been serving in the Western District of Michigan as an Assistant United States Attorney. He is active in the Federal Bar Association. He lives with his wife and their two sons in Marquette.

A Merit Selection Panel, chaired by attorney Mark Dobias of Sault Saint Marie, reviewed dozens of applications for the position, and ultimately forwarded a slate of finalists to the District Judges. From the list of highly qualified finalists, the District Judges unanimously selected Mr. Vermaat to be the next Magistrate Judge for the District.