Hope College has made two appointments in recent months to the college's advancement team.

Hope College has made two appointments in recent months to the college's advancement team.

Brett Holleman and John Ruiter, who are both Hope alumni, have both joined the staff as regional advancement directors. Holleman started at the college in late February, and Ruiter in November.

Holleman was most recently a development officer with the Holland Hospital Foundation. He had earlier served in development roles with Good Samaritan Ministries in Holland and Holland Christian Schools. Prior to his work in development he had worked in youth ministry with Young Life and Beechwood Church in the Holland area.

He graduated from Hope in 1990 with a communication major, and spent a semester studying in Leiden, The Netherlands. As a student he worked in conference services and also managed the college's guest house. His co-curricular activities included the Arcadian fraternity, cheerleading, the Social Activities Committee and Fellowship of Christian Atheletes.

Holleman is a 2003 graduate of Leadership Holland, which he currently serves as a member of the Executive Committee. His community involvement includes continued involvement with Young Life, American Cancer Society Relay for Life and serving as a deacon for Third Reformed Church. He is also involved in the local chapter of the Association for Fundraising Professionals.

He and his wife Karen have a son and daughter at home.

Ruiter, an attorney whose background is in business law, estate planning and real property law, was previously an associate with Scholten Fant since 1997.

He graduated from Hope in 1991 with a history major, and received a master's degree from the Graduate School of Political Management at The George Washington University in 1993 and a Juris Doctor from Drake University in 1997. As a student at Hope he participated in the college's Vienna Summer School and was also a member of the Arcadian fraternity.

Ruiter currently serves as the chairman of the Board of Directors of the Ottawa County Chapter of the American Red Cross and serves on the Board of Directors of the Holland Area Chamber of Commerce.

He and his wife Jennifer, who is also a member of the college's Class of 1991, have two sons and a daughter at home, and attend Third Reformed Church in Holland.