Richard Dale "Rick" Snyder[2] (born August 19, 1958) is an American business executive, venture capitalist, and 48th Governor of Michigan. A member of the Republican Party, he assumed office as the 48th governor of Michigan on January 1, 2011. From 2005 to 2007, Snyder served as the chairman of the board of Gateway, Inc., based in Irvine, California. Prior to his election as governor, he was chairman of the board, chief executive officer, and co-founder of Ardesta LLC, a venture capital firm based out of Ann Arbor, Michigan.[3] Snyder was mentioned as among the possible picks to be the Republican Party candidate for Vice President of the United States in 2012.[4][5][6][7][8]
Rick Snyder | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 48th Governor of Michigan | |
| Assumed office January 1, 2011 | |
| Lieutenant | Brian Calley |
| Preceded by | Jennifer Granholm |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Richard Dale Snyder August 19, 1958 Battle Creek, Michigan, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Sue Snyder |
| Children | Jeff Melissa Kelsey |
| Residence(s) | Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S. (private) Michigan Governor's Mansion in Lansing, Michigan, U.S. (public) |
| Alma mater | University of Michigan (B.G.S./M.B.A./J.D.) |
| Profession | Executive chairman Venture capitalist |
| Signature |  |
| Website | Official website |
Early life and education
Snyder was born as the son of Helen Louella "Pody" and Dale F. Snyder. He was born and raised in Battle Creek, Michigan.[9] His father owned a small, local window-cleaning company in Battle Creek. Rick has a sister that is 20 years older than he is.[10] When he was 16, he took a business class at Kellogg Community College on weekends. By his senior year of at Lakeview High School in Calhoun County, Snyder had already earned 23 college credits.[11] Snyder visited the admissions office of the University of Michigan in November 1975 and spoke with the admissions director, who recommended that Snyder attend Michigan and create his own degree.[12] Snyder earned his B.G.S. (1977), M.B.A. (1979), and J.D. (1982)[13] from the University of Michigan by age 23.[14] Snyder is also a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).[15][16]
Business career
Coopers & Lybrand
Snyder was employed with Coopers & Lybrand, from 1982 to 1991, beginning in the tax department of the Detroit office. Snyder was named partner in 1988. The next year, Snyder was named partner-in-charge of the mergers and acquisitions practice in the Chicago office.[17]
Gateway Computers
Snyder joined the computer company Gateway, based in Irvine, California, in 1991 as the executive vice president. He also served as president and chief operating officer from 1996 to 1997. He remained on the board of directors until 2007.[18] From 2005 to 2007, Snyder served as the chairman of the board. During 2006, Snyder served as interim chief executive officer while a search for a permanent replacement was made. His tenure on the Gateway board ran from 1991 to 2007 until Gateway was sold to Acer Inc. Snyder has stated he did not vote for outsourcing while he was a Gateway board director and he worked to bring jobs to America as the interim CEO of Gateway.[19]
Venture capital
In 1997, Snyder returned to Ann Arbor to found Avalon Investments Inc., a venture capital company with a $100 million fund, along with the co-founder of Gateway, Ted Waitt. Snyder was president and chief executive officer of Avalon from 1997 to 2000. He then co-founded Ardesta LLC, an investment firm, in 2000 along with three co-founders, which invested in 20 start-up companies through 2011.[20] He was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the company.
Other activities
Snyder also serves on the boards of the U.S. National Historic Landmark Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village, the Michigan chapter of the Nature Conservancy, and several boards associated with the University of Michigan. He was also first chair of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation in 1999 under Republican Governor John Engler. He was also the Chair of Ann Arbor SPARK. In addition, he serves as an adjunct assistant professor of accounting at the University of Michigan.
2010 election for governor
Snyder decided to run for Governor of Michigan. He joined Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard, state Senator Tom George, U.S. Congressman Peter Hoekstra, and Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox as candidates for the Republican gubernatorial nomination. Bill Ford Jr., Chairman of the Ford Motor Company, endorsed Snyder for the Republican nomination for governor.[21][22] In his first gubernatorial election in 2010, Snyder campaigned as "pro-life, pro-Second Amendment, [and] pro-family," with a focus on the economy.[14] Snyder's campaign emphasized his experience in growing business and creating jobs in the private sector, saying that his opponents were mainly career politicians.[23] Snyder favors the standard exceptions on abortion for rape, incest, and saving the life of the mother (he signed legislation banning partial birth abortion in October 2011); he opposes federal funding of abortions; he would not ban embryonic stem cell research; he supports upholding traditional marriage, but would allow civil unions.[24][25]
On August 3, 2010, Snyder won the primary to secure the Republican nomination with a plurality of 36% of the vote.[26] In the general election on November 2, 2010, Snyder faced Democratic gubernatorial nominee Virg Bernero, the mayor of Lansing, and three minor party candidates. In October 2010, Snyder's campaign total exceeded $11.6 million, outpacing his opponent.[27] Snyder released his tax returns for 2007 and 2008.[28] Snyder, demonstrating crossover appeal, won with 58 percent of the vote.[29] With Snyder's election in 2010, Republicans gained a majority in the Michigan House and increased the Republican majority held in the Michigan Senate. Snyder is the first Certified Public Accountant (CPA) to be elected governor of the state and the only CPA serving as a governor in the United States.[15][30]
Governor of Michigan
2011
Snyder was inaugurated as Governor on January 1, 2011 at the Capitol in Lansing. His first executive order as governor was to divide the Department of Natural Resources and Environment into two distinct departments as they were a few years ago: the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Environmental Quality.[31][32]
On January 7, 2011, Snyder announced he was appointing Michigan Supreme Court Justice Maura D. Corrigan to head the Department of Human Services.[33] and appointed Michigan Appeals Court Judge Brian K. Zahra to fill the resulting Supreme Court vacancy.[34]
He delivered his first State of the State address on January 19, the earliest Michigan State of the State since Governor Engler's 1996 address on January 17.[35] Snyder endorsed the Detroit River International Crossing for the first time publicly in the address, which was received favorably by Republicans.[36][37] Snyder appointed Andy Dillon, a pro-life Democrat,[38] and formerly Speaker of the House, to serve as State Treasurer in his administration.
Snyder presented his first budget to the legislature on February 17, 2011,[39] calling it a plan for "Michigan's reinvention," and saying it would end Michigan's deficits. He described the budget as containing "shared sacrifice" but added that his budget plan would create jobs and spur economic growth. The $46 billion budget reduced $1.8 billion in spending, eliminated tax exemptions on higher income pensions to broaden the tax base, while at the same time abolished the state's complex business tax, replacing it with a significantly reduced flat tax on the profits of C corporations. This shift in tax burden led State Senate Minority Leader Gretchen Whitmer to criticize the budget, saying that it did not involve "shared sacrifice," but instead was balanced "on the backs of our kids, working families, and our seniors" and "picks out who he’s willing to leave behind."[40] Snyder supported the government backed rescue of the American auto industry. This reflected the view of a 56% of Americans in 2012 who supported the 2009 auto bailout according a Pew Research Center poll (63% support in Michigan).[41][42]
On March 16, 2011, Snyder signed a controversial bill into law that gave increased powers to emergency managers of local municipalities to resolve financial matters.[43] The bill was repealed by voter initiative in November 2012. However, weeks later in December 2012 Snyder signed a revised version of the bill back into law.[44]
On December 28, 2011, Snyder signed into law The Public Employee Domestic Partner Benefit Restriction Act, which prevents the same-sex domestic partners of public employees at both the state and local level from receiving health benefits. In January 2012, the ACLU filed a lawsuit against Snyder and the state of Michigan in federal court on behalf of five Michigan same-sex couples, each with one spouse working for local public schools or municipalities in Michigan. The suit alleges that the law violates the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution.[45][46] In December 2012, Snyder signed legislation requiring facilities where at least 120 abortions are performed annually to obtain a state license as freestanding surgical facilities.[47] Planned Parenthood had urged Snyder to veto the bill claiming it unnecessarily increases costs.[48]
2012
In April 2012, Snyder made a surprise trip to Afghanistan to thank and pledge support for U.S. troops. He traveled to Kuwait and then to Germany where he visited injured U.S. soldiers at the U.S. Military hospital.[49] Snyder has also engaged in trade missions to Europe, Asia, and around the world in order to improve international business relations as well as research and development opportunities associated with Michigan universities.[50] Snyder has focused efforts to attract companies such as Chrysler.[51]
Following approval from the legislature, Snyder signed the fiscal year 2012 budget in June, the earliest it has been completed in three decades.[52] In May 2012, Snyder joined a bipartisan effort urging the U.S. Congress to pass a measure to affirm that States can collect sales taxes on online purchases.[53][54]
As Governor, Snyder abolished the state's complex business tax in favor of a flat tax, and signed a bill which eliminated tax exemptions for higher income pensions. Snyder signed "landmark" legislation in December 2012 making Michigan the 24th "Right to Work" state in the U.S. as part of a plan to attract business and jobs to the state.[55][56][57] The Employee Free Choice Act, as it was named, has received mixed results in polls.[58] The law effectively provides that payment of union dues cannot be required as a condition of employment.[59]
A Market Research Group poll conducted in March 2012 showed Snyder's approval rating rising to 50% among likely voters, which matched that of President Barack Obama, placing Snyder among the most popular Republican governors in a state carried by Obama in the 2008 election cycle.[60] Snyder was briefly mentioned as a possible pick to be the Republican Party candidate for Vice President of the United States in 2012.[4][5][6][61][62] He has also been mentioned as a potential Republican Party candidate for President of the United States in 2016.[63][64]
2013
In January 2013, Snyder traveled to Israel to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He was last in Israel in 1999 as a venture capitalist. “I had a chance to see the start of high-tech boom in Israel and that’s great to see. This is really a startup nation. They’ve done a great job of being entrepreneurial, innovative, and that’s a major part of their economy now and the good part is we can learn from that.”[65]
In March 2013, Snyder announced a financial emergency for the city of Detroit[66] and appointed an emergency manager, Kevyn Orr. Nolan Finley claimed "No governor in the past 40 years, Republican or Democrat, has done more for Detroit."[67]
On December 28, 2013, Snyder became the first Republican Governor to sign the bill into law nullifying the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 that contains a controversial provision that allows the government and the military to indefinitely detain American citizens and others without trial.[68]
Criticisms
The Tea Party movement has criticized Snyder for a proposed bridge to Canada, the senior pension tax, a tax hike proposal for the roads, and support for Medicaid expansion.[69]
Cabinet
| Name | Title(s) |
|---|---|
| Maura D. Corrigan | Group executive for people (Department of Human Services, Department of Community Health, Department of Education, Department of Civil Rights) Director of the Department of Human Services |
| Andy Dillon | State Treasurer Group Executive for Treasury (Department of Treasury, Lottery and Michigan Gaming Control Board) |
| Michael Finney | Director of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation Group Executive for Economic Development (MEDC, Department of Transportation, Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs) |
| John Nixon | State Budget Director Director of the Department of Technology, Management, and Budget Value for Money group executive (State Budget Office, Department of Technology, Management, and Budget, Office of the State Employer) |
| Maj. Gen. Gregory J. Vadnais | Group executive for public safety (Michigan State Police, Department of Corrections, Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, Michigan National Guard) Director of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Director of the Michigan National Guard |
| Dan Wyant | Director of the Department of Environmental Quality Quality of Life group executive (Department of Natural Resources, Department of Environmental Quality, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development) |
| Jamie Clover Adams | Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development |
| James Haveman | Director of the Department of Community Health |
| Kriste Etue | Director of the Michigan State Police |
| Mike Flanagan | Director of the Superintendent of Public Instruction |
| Daniel Heyns | Director of the Department of Corrections |
| Steve Arwood | Director of the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs |
| Daniel Krichbaum | Director of the Department of Civil Rights |
| Kirk Steudle | Director of the Department of Transportation |
| Keith Creagh | Director of the Department of Natural Resources |
2014 re-election campaign
In May 2013, an EPIC-MRA poll had Snyder tied with declared 2014 Democratic Party candidate Mark Schauer, a former U.S. Congressman.[70]
Personal life
He resides in Ann Arbor with his wife Sue and their three children and has a vacation home near Gun Lake.[71][72] The couple were married in 1987 at Cherry Hill Presbyterian Church in Dearborn.[1] Snyder has acknowledged his faith as a Presbyterian.[1]
Electoral history
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Rick Snyder | 1,874,834 | 58.11% | +15.81% | |
| Democratic | Virg Bernero | 1,287,320 | 39.90% | −16.46% | |
| Libertarian | Ken Proctor | 22,390 | 0.69% | +0.08% | |
| Constitution | Stacey Mathia | 20,818 | 0.65% | +0.46% | |
| Green | Harley Mikkelson | 20,699 | 0.64% | +0.12% | |
| Majority | 587,514 | 18.21% | +4.15% | ||
| Turnout | 3,226,088 | ||||
| Republican gain from Democratic | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Rick Snyder | 381,327 | 36.4 | |
| Republican | Pete Hoekstra | 280,976 | 26.8 | |
| Republican | Mike Cox | 240,409 | 23.0 | |
| Republican | Mike Bouchard | 127,350 | 12.2 | |
| Republican | Tom George | 16,986 | 1.6 | |
| Total votes | 1,044,925 | 100 | ||
See also
References
- ^ a b c Bomey, Nathan (July 4, 2010).Rick Snyder: Nerd. Accountant. Computer executive. Investor. Governor?.Ann Arbor.com. Archived from the original on February 9, 2012. Retrieved on March 7, 2013.
- ^ Luke, Peter (January 1, 2011). "Gov. Rick Snyder celebrates taking office with 'clean slate' at Inauguration". Mlive.com. Retrieved March 20, 2011.
- ^ Christoff, Chris (November 2, 2010). "Snyder leads Republicans to sweep of Michigan's top 3 posts". Detroit Free Press. Archived from the original on November 8, 2010.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ a b Bell, Dawson (May 4, 2012).Rick Snyder for vice president?.Detroit Free Press.
- ^ a b Experts: Snyder Good Choice For Vice President.WILX news May 4, 2012.
- ^ a b Could Gov. Snyder be Mitt Romney's Pick for Vice President?[dead link]. Fox News, May 4, 2012.
- ^ WWJ Lansing (May 3, 2012).One Tough Veep? Snyder Won’t Quash Romney Running Mate Rumors. CBS Detroit.
- ^ Anders, Melissa (May 3, 2012).Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder as Mitt Romney's vice presidential candidate?. MLive.com
- ^ "Rick Snyder ancestry". Freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com. Retrieved 2013-07-19.
- ^ Drake, Bruce. "How Old Is Rick Snyder?". Politicsdaily.com. Retrieved 2013-07-19.
- ^ McVicar, Brian (May 4, 2011). "Gov. Snyder's message to Muskegon Community College graduates: Optimism and positive action". The Muskegon Chronicle. Retrieved November 5, 2011.
- ^ "Michigan Governor Rick Snyder addresses University of Michigan Spring Commencement 2011". Youtube. Retrieved November 5, 2011.
- ^ "Governor Rick Snyder's Biography - Project Vote Smart". Votesmart.org. Retrieved 2013-07-19.
- ^ a b Bomey, Nathan (September 9, 2009).Ann Arbor venture capitalist Rick Snyder lands gubernatorial endorsements.Ann Arbor.com.
- ^ a b Rick Snyder May Be First CPA Governor. Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants.[dead link]
- ^ Tysiac, Ken (2012). "Snyder's Challenge: Reinvigorating Michigan". Journal of Accountancy. 214 (6). American Institute of Certified Public Accountants: 22–25.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - ^ "Venture Capitalist Rick Snyder Exploring Governor's Race". Associated Press. March 20, 2009.
- ^ "Gateway CEO Steps Down". InternetNews. February 9, 2006.
- ^ "Rick Snyder Talks About Gateway Outsourcing and Bid for Governor". AnnArbor.com. February 20, 2010.
- ^ Rick Snyder's Bio at Ardesta, LLC[dead link]
- ^ Bill Ford Jr. endorses Ann Arbor’s Rick Snyder for governor.AnnArbor.com September 24, 2009.
- ^ Bill Ford backs Rick Snyder for Michigan governor.Mlive.com September 24, 2009.
- ^ Candidate for Governor, Rick Snyder[dead link].Fox 2 Detroit (October 7, 2010).
- ^ "Rick Snyder". OntheIssues.org. Retrieved 2013-07-19.
- ^ Christoff, Chris (August 27, 2010).Poll: GOP's Snyder is winning over voters.Detroit Free Press.
- ^ Snyder, Bernero to face off in Michigan governor’s race[dead link], Boston Herald, August 4, 2010
- ^ Rick Snyder tops Virg Bernero in fundraising in Michigan gubernatorial race. October 22, 2010, Ann Arbor.com.
- ^ Gubernatorial hopeful Rick Snyder of Ann Arbor releases tax returns. July 17, 2010, Ann Arbor.com.
- ^ "2010 Election Map". Politico. Retrieved November 6, 2011.
- ^ 'Nerd' Governor Rick Snyder is rock star to fellow accountants. January 20, 2012, MLive.com.
- ^ "Executive Reorganization Department of Natural Resources and Environment Creating the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Environmental Quality" (PDF). Retrieved 2013-07-19.
- ^ Written by CHRIS CHRISTOFF Free Press Lansing Bureau (2011-01-04). "Detroit Free Press: Snyder makes it official: DNR and DEQ split (January 4, 2011)". Freep.com. Retrieved 2013-07-19.
- ^ Detroit News:Gov. Snyder picks Justice Corrigan to lead Human Services (January 7, 2011)[dead link]
- ^ Detroit News: Snyder names Zahra to Michigan Supreme Court (January 10, 2011)[dead link]
- ^ Detroit Free Press: Gov. Rick Snyder schedules State of the State address for Jan. 19 (January 6, 2011)[dead link]
- ^ "Gov. Rick Snyder: 'Job 1 is jobs'". Freep.com. Retrieved 2013-12-28.
- ^ Leaders upbeat on Snyder's plan[dead link]
- ^ Berman, Laura (July 13, 2010).Dillon's abortion position will matter. Detroit News.
- ^ "Governor Snyder unveils recommended budget to provide foundation for Michigan's reinvention". Michigan.gov. 2011-02-17. Retrieved 2013-07-19.
- ^ Nathan Bomey (2011-02-17). "Rick Snyder proposes significant elimination of business taxes, elimination of credits for film, high-tech industries (February 17, 2011)". Annarbor.com. Retrieved 2013-07-19.
- ^ Bykowicz, Julie (February 25, 2012).Snyder predicts Romney will win Michigan on Tuesday[dead link]. Detroit News. Retrieved March 24, 2012.
- ^ Reeve, Elspeth (February 23, 2012).Most Americans Now Think Auto Bailout Was a Good Idea.The Atlantic Wire.
- ^ State of Michigan Public Act 4. (March 16, 2011).[1]. Retrieved July 14, 2012.
- ^ "New Emergency Manager Law Signed By Michigan Governor Rick Snyder". Huffingtonpost.com. 2012-12-27. Retrieved 2013-07-19.
- ^ "Login". Retrieved 2013-07-19.(registration required)
- ^ "Bassett v. Snyder, First Amended Complaint" (PDF). Retrieved 2013-07-19.[dead link]
- ^ "Governor Rick Snyder Signs Abortion Legislation". wlns.com. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
- ^ [2], "Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder signs bill adding regulations to abortion providers; vetoes Blue Cross bills", mLive, December 2012
- ^ Governor Snyder Visits Afghanistan[dead link].Fox 17 West Michigan (April 19, 2012).
- ^ McMorris, Craig (April 18, 2012).Gov. Snyder continues European trade mission.WNEM, Meridith Corp.
- ^ Buss, Dale (April 1, 2012).7 Things Chrysler Could Use To Mount a Good 'Second Half'.Forbes.
- ^ Barks, Kathy (2011-06-21). "Associated Press: Gov. Snyder signs $47.4B Michigan budget Tuesday". Businessweek.com. Retrieved 2013-07-19.
- ^ Becker, Bernie (May 11, 2012).Michigan governor joins online sales tax chorus. The Hill. Retrieved June 28, 2013.
- ^ Anders, Melissa (May 11, 2012).Gov. Rick Snyder wants Michigan to collect sales tax for all online purchases.MLive. Retrieved June 28, 2013.
- ^ Chad Livengood and Karen Bouffard (December 11, 2012).Snyder makes Michigan 24th right-to-work state[dead link]Detroit News
- ^ Action on Right to Work legislation appears likely.Fox News Detroit, Retrieved December 11, 2012.
- ^ Governor's Office Freedom to Work Press Release (December 6, 2012).[3]. Retrieved December 11, 2012.
- ^ Egan, Paul (January 16, 2013).New poll suggests Snyder's popularity not hurt by right-to-work legislation.Detroit Free Press. Retrieved June 28, 2013.
- ^ Home Press Events Contact Us Log in. "Michigan afl-cio (December 11, 2012)". Mnaflcio.org. Retrieved 2013-07-19.
{{cite web}}:|author=has generic name (help) - ^ Bell, Dawson (March 23, 2012).Poll: More Michiganders like how Barack Obama, Rick Snyder are doing their jobs.Detroit Free Press. Retrieved March 23, 2012.
- ^ Carpenter, Mackenzie (February 20, 2011).Republicans consider early possibilities for vice president.Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved March 23, 2012.
- ^ Murray, Dave (April 21, 2012).Unlike predecessors, 'relentlessly positive' Gov. Rick Snyder reluctant to use veto pen.MLive.
- ^ Republican Presidential Candidates for 2016. Republican-Candidates.org. Retrieved June 28, 2013.
- ^ Crain, Keith (December 2, 2012).KEITH CRAIN: An early vote: Snyder for president. Crain's Detroit Business. Retrieved June 28, 2013.
- ^ Courtesy photo. "See what Gov. Rick Snyder is up to in Israel". MLive.com. Retrieved 2013-07-19.
- ^ "Michigan Governor declares financial emergency in Detroit". Wxyz.com. Retrieved 2013-07-19.
- ^ "Column: In Detroit, Snyder's a populist". The Detroit News. 2013-07-14. Retrieved 2013-07-19.[dead link]
- ^ "BREAKING NEWS: Michigan nullifies NDAA's indefinite detention | Washington Times Communities". Communities.washingtontimes.com. Retrieved 2013-12-28.
- ^ Jake May. "Tim Skubick: Gov. Rick Snyder stands up to Tea Party; time will tell if that matters". MLive.com. Retrieved 2013-07-19.
- ^ Jonathan Oosting. "Poll: Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder running even with Democrat Mark Schauer in potential 2014 matchup". Mlive.com. Retrieved 2013-07-19.
- ^ "Ann Arbor businessman Explores Run for Governor". Detroit News. March 19, 2009.[dead link]
- ^ "Ex-Gateway Computers CEO Offers Advice to Entrepreneurs". Grand Rapids Press. May 6, 2009.
- ^ "2010 Official Michigan General Election Results - Governor 4 Year Term (1) Position". Miboecfr.nictusa.com. Retrieved 2013-07-19.
- ^ "Michigan Primary results". 2010 Unofficial Michigan Primary Election Results. August 4, 2010. Retrieved August 10, 2010.
External links
- Michigan Office of the Governor Rick Snyder official Michigan government site
- Michigan Governor-elect Rick Snyder[dead link] official transition site
- Template:GovLinks