About Mike and Todd
Todd (left) and Mike at Kawbawgam Headstone, Presque Isle, Marquette, Michigan, August 2022
Mike and Todd support the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition
Mike and Todd first met when Mike was 9 and Todd was 11. They grew up in close proximity in the northwest suburbs of Detroit, Michigan, USA. They both chose to attend Northern Michigan University in Marquette, and eventually met again around a campfire at LIttle Presque Isle in Marquette Township in 1977.
Mike and Todd are both NMU alumni. Todd attended 1972-1977 and Mike attended 1974-1989. Todd earned the Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in Psychology. Mike earned the Bachelor of Science degree majoring in English with a minor in Computer Information Systems.
Mike and Todd returned to Marquette together in 1981. They lived in the yellow "Fletcher" house on South Third Street across from the Fire Hall. Todd learned sign painting from his father who had a long and successful sign-painting career in Pontiac, MI, and in Naples, Florida. From the Marquette Third Street kitchen and garage, Todd painted the memorable Love Notes car with the colorful balloons, a purple and yellow large Shunk delivery truck, an MGH hearing bus, an ambulance, and many, many more signs and banners and advertisements and artworks, including hundreds of hand-painted license plates.
In the living room of the Marquette Third Street house, Mike relocated Michaeleen's Typing Service, which she had originally started in Ann Arbor, MI. The typing service evolved into Michaeleen's Word Processing, which eventually included delivering educational services per demand. This gave rise to the idea to create Central Business School. In 1994, Mike and Todd opened Central Business School in downtown Marquette. Central Business School evolved into a worldwide online educational platform. For two decades Mike and Todd owned and operated state-licensed proprietary schools--with outstanding completion and placement rates and affordable tuition and fees--online throughout the world and in classrooms in Michigan. Together they taught computer skills and healthcare coding, billing, and transcription certificate programs--and more--and they provided free placement services to help successful graduates launch new careers.
In addition to owning and operating Central Business School from 1994 to 2014, Todd owned and operated classroom-based Career Academy of Marquette from 2005 to 2011. From 2000 to 2004, Todd was lead instructor for Technology Learning Center in Marquette owned by Bill Sklar. Todd was the lead instructor for CompUSA in Pensacola, FL, from 1999 to 2000, and he also worked as the lead instructor at The Learning Center in Petoskey, MI, from 2004 to 2005. Todd closed Career Academy of Marquette in 2011. Mike closed Central Business School in 2014. Together they had educated more than 1000 students who successfully earned career certificates. Their schools achieved an 80% placement rate overall. School transcripts are maintained in perpetuity by the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity.
For most of the past 10 years, Mike worked from home as a risk adjustment coder and auditor. Mike contributed to risk adjustment data validation teams to help strengthen healthcare documentation and reporting. Mike’s current credentials include Certified Coding Specialist (AHIMA) and Certified Risk Adjustment Coder (AAPC). Mike is a longtime member of AHIMA, since 1995, and she is a current member of AAPC. In July 2022, Mike began working her dream retirement position (12 hours per week, M-W-F, Noon to 4pm) serving as Office Secretary for Northern Center for Lifelong Learning (NCLL) at NMU. NCLL is sponsored by Continuing Education and Workforce Development and is located on NMU's beautiful campus in Room 204 of Cohodas Hall. Mike and Todd are members of NCLL, a member-supported seniors organization delivering enjoyable, educational, and adventurous events to the community.
On two Sundays per month, Mike attends to young children at Messiah Lutheran Church Nursery. Mike is a member of the Marquette Regional History Center, the Hiawatha Music Co-op, and Messiah Lutheran Church. Mike is an affiliate member of the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition.
Todd is a lifelong painter and working artist. He creates vibrant colorful works of art that reflect his harmony with nature and his love for Michigan outdoors. Todd has been active in art community for more than 40 years and has shown his artwork at juried art shows and art fairs and in many retail locations throughout Michigan. Mike and Todd worked many other jobs throughout their lives to earn wages whenever needed. Todd has served more than 6 years in direct support to adult foster care home clients. Mike has served more than 3 years in office positions, including biller, coder, and manager; and she traveled the Upper Peninsula roads to official depositions as a certified court reporter in the early 1990s. Mike and Todd have weathered many traumatic events, both as children apart and then together in their adulthood. They feel blessed to have persevered against the storms and to be still here to love and care for one another and to enjoy their simple way of life. Mike and Todd have avoided travel for the past 15 years due to Climate Change. It is their believe that we all must do what we can to mitigate the effects of Climate Change. Nowadays Todd and Mike enjoy playing tennis together in the spring, summer, and fall. They were avid downhill and cross-country skiers in their younger years. Some of their best memories involve skiing together down Snowfield and Rocket and Cliffs Ridge at Marquette Mountain and warming up with BackDoor Ski Association friends at the hidden fire circle on top of the mountain. These days Mike and Todd enjoy watching younger folks participating in the more rigorous activities, but they continue to enjoy blizzard events and the fun and excitement and beauty big Upper Peninsula snow brings.
Mike and Todd enjoy creating art projects together; chatting and visiting with friends, family, and neighbors; reading news and watching news on TV; reading books; watching movies; and talking with one another. They care for and cherish and are loved by 12-year-old Links the Cat. Todd is an avid gardener and groundskeeper, and he enjoys swimming and kayaking.
Mike and Todd have been married for 32 years and live joyfully on Forestville Basin, Marquette Township, MI. Mike and Todd pioneered the Forestville Basin area and were the first recent human inhabitants to live year-round in what has now become a more accessible, full, and upscale neighborhood.
Before Mike and Todd owned their home in Forestville, they pioneered the wilderness of Baraga County and built the most remote log cabin in the county. This remote designation was by the way of the DNR officer who followed Todd's narrow trail to the cabin one day and surprised him with a friendly visit. After exploring and enjoying and making a wilderness home on the 120-acre parcel along the Sturgeon River in Baraga County, Mike and Todd sold their beloved wilderness property and moved to the more accessible Forestville location near the city of Marquette where they have lived for the past 32 years. Happy 2023! Mike and Todd Contact Information: Michaeleen OSullivan Email Todd Carter Email 355 Forestville Basin Trail Marquette, MI 49855 phone/text: 906.250.9492
Mike and Todd returned to Marquette together in 1981. They lived in the yellow "Fletcher" house on South Third Street across from the Fire Hall. Todd learned sign painting from his father who had a long and successful sign-painting career in Pontiac, MI, and in Naples, Florida. From the Marquette Third Street kitchen and garage, Todd painted the memorable Love Notes car with the colorful balloons, a purple and yellow large Shunk delivery truck, an MGH hearing bus, an ambulance, and many, many more signs and banners and advertisements and artworks, including hundreds of hand-painted license plates.
In the living room of the Marquette Third Street house, Mike relocated Michaeleen's Typing Service, which she had originally started in Ann Arbor, MI. The typing service evolved into Michaeleen's Word Processing, which eventually included delivering educational services per demand. This gave rise to the idea to create Central Business School. In 1994, Mike and Todd opened Central Business School in downtown Marquette. Central Business School evolved into a worldwide online educational platform. For two decades Mike and Todd owned and operated state-licensed proprietary schools--with outstanding completion and placement rates and affordable tuition and fees--online throughout the world and in classrooms in Michigan. Together they taught computer skills and healthcare coding, billing, and transcription certificate programs--and more--and they provided free placement services to help successful graduates launch new careers.
In addition to owning and operating Central Business School from 1994 to 2014, Todd owned and operated classroom-based Career Academy of Marquette from 2005 to 2011. From 2000 to 2004, Todd was lead instructor for Technology Learning Center in Marquette owned by Bill Sklar. Todd was the lead instructor for CompUSA in Pensacola, FL, from 1999 to 2000, and he also worked as the lead instructor at The Learning Center in Petoskey, MI, from 2004 to 2005. Todd closed Career Academy of Marquette in 2011. Mike closed Central Business School in 2014. Together they had educated more than 1000 students who successfully earned career certificates. Their schools achieved an 80% placement rate overall. School transcripts are maintained in perpetuity by the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity.
For most of the past 10 years, Mike worked from home as a risk adjustment coder and auditor. Mike contributed to risk adjustment data validation teams to help strengthen healthcare documentation and reporting. Mike’s current credentials include Certified Coding Specialist (AHIMA) and Certified Risk Adjustment Coder (AAPC). Mike is a longtime member of AHIMA, since 1995, and she is a current member of AAPC. In July 2022, Mike began working her dream retirement position (12 hours per week, M-W-F, Noon to 4pm) serving as Office Secretary for Northern Center for Lifelong Learning (NCLL) at NMU. NCLL is sponsored by Continuing Education and Workforce Development and is located on NMU's beautiful campus in Room 204 of Cohodas Hall. Mike and Todd are members of NCLL, a member-supported seniors organization delivering enjoyable, educational, and adventurous events to the community.
On two Sundays per month, Mike attends to young children at Messiah Lutheran Church Nursery. Mike is a member of the Marquette Regional History Center, the Hiawatha Music Co-op, and Messiah Lutheran Church. Mike is an affiliate member of the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition.
Todd is a lifelong painter and working artist. He creates vibrant colorful works of art that reflect his harmony with nature and his love for Michigan outdoors. Todd has been active in art community for more than 40 years and has shown his artwork at juried art shows and art fairs and in many retail locations throughout Michigan. Mike and Todd worked many other jobs throughout their lives to earn wages whenever needed. Todd has served more than 6 years in direct support to adult foster care home clients. Mike has served more than 3 years in office positions, including biller, coder, and manager; and she traveled the Upper Peninsula roads to official depositions as a certified court reporter in the early 1990s. Mike and Todd have weathered many traumatic events, both as children apart and then together in their adulthood. They feel blessed to have persevered against the storms and to be still here to love and care for one another and to enjoy their simple way of life. Mike and Todd have avoided travel for the past 15 years due to Climate Change. It is their believe that we all must do what we can to mitigate the effects of Climate Change. Nowadays Todd and Mike enjoy playing tennis together in the spring, summer, and fall. They were avid downhill and cross-country skiers in their younger years. Some of their best memories involve skiing together down Snowfield and Rocket and Cliffs Ridge at Marquette Mountain and warming up with BackDoor Ski Association friends at the hidden fire circle on top of the mountain. These days Mike and Todd enjoy watching younger folks participating in the more rigorous activities, but they continue to enjoy blizzard events and the fun and excitement and beauty big Upper Peninsula snow brings.
Mike and Todd enjoy creating art projects together; chatting and visiting with friends, family, and neighbors; reading news and watching news on TV; reading books; watching movies; and talking with one another. They care for and cherish and are loved by 12-year-old Links the Cat. Todd is an avid gardener and groundskeeper, and he enjoys swimming and kayaking.
Mike and Todd have been married for 32 years and live joyfully on Forestville Basin, Marquette Township, MI. Mike and Todd pioneered the Forestville Basin area and were the first recent human inhabitants to live year-round in what has now become a more accessible, full, and upscale neighborhood.
Before Mike and Todd owned their home in Forestville, they pioneered the wilderness of Baraga County and built the most remote log cabin in the county. This remote designation was by the way of the DNR officer who followed Todd's narrow trail to the cabin one day and surprised him with a friendly visit. After exploring and enjoying and making a wilderness home on the 120-acre parcel along the Sturgeon River in Baraga County, Mike and Todd sold their beloved wilderness property and moved to the more accessible Forestville location near the city of Marquette where they have lived for the past 32 years. Happy 2023! Mike and Todd Contact Information: Michaeleen OSullivan Email Todd Carter Email 355 Forestville Basin Trail Marquette, MI 49855 phone/text: 906.250.9492