​

CJ Mikkelsen is a native Michigander, born and raised in Montague, MI.  Growing up, he learned the value of hard work through working on his grandfather's dairy farm.

 

After high school, he moved to the Dallas area where He served the City of Dallas as a firefighter and paramedic for 33 years.

 

Rising to the rank of Lieutenant, he was responsible for managing several Dallas fire stations.

 

Public service has always been a core pillar of CJ's life. He has always strived to better the community that he is a part of.  While serving as a firefighter he was also an adjunct faculty member for the American Heart Association and worked at Children's Medical Center of Dallas, liver transplant floor, in charge of the treatment room.   CJ held a fire instructor certification and taught numerous subjects in continuing education to active firefighters. 

​​

After retiring with 33 years in public service, CJ and his wife, Linda, fell in love with the community of Midland and decided to make it their home.

 

Since settling in Midland in 2019, CJ has become active in the community. He is a proud graduate of the Midland Citizen Academy, Class of 2022, and served as a guest columnist for the Midland Daily News from 2023-2026. After the flooding in 2020, CJ used his expertise in emergency management to help organize the community around future flood mitigation efforts. He helped coalesce community stakeholders around the issue, which eventually resulted in increased state funding to implement a flood mitigation plan.  

 

Although he is retired, CJ elects to spend his spare time giving back to the community as a bus driver for the City of Midland's Dial-A-Ride program. He currently serves as Vice President of the Central Michigan Labor Council, steward for the United Steelworkers, on Midland EMS Board, and is Chairman of the nonprofit Michigan Coalition for Civic Policy. Additionally, he is a former board member for The ARC of Midland, where he taught fire safety and first aide classes and worked  to promote the welfare and inclusion of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

​

CJ and Linda are the proud parents of four adult children and the even prouder grandparents of two beautiful granddaughters.