Rick Snyder
48th Governor of Michigan
Incumbent
Assumed office January 1, 2011
Lieutenant	Brian Calley
Preceded by	Jennifer Granholm
Personal details
Born	Richard Dale Snyder (1958-08-19) August 19, 1958 (age 53) Battle Creek, Michigan
Political party	Republican Party
Spouse(s)	Sue Snyder
Children	Jeff Melissa Kelsey
Residence	Ann Arbor, MI (private) Michigan Governor's Mansion Lansing, Michigan (public)
Alma mater	University of Michigan (B.G.S./M.B.A./J.D.)
Profession	Executive chairman Venture capitalist
Religion	Presbyterian[1]
Signature	Rick Snyder's signature
Website	Official website

Richard Dale "Rick" Snyder^[2] (born August 19, 1958) is an American business executive, venture capitalist, and 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. Previous to his election as governor, he was chairman of the board, chief executive officer, and co-founder of Ann Arbor, Michigan-based venture capital firm Ardesta LLC.^[3] Snyder has been mentioned as a possible pick to be the Republican Party candidate for Vice President of the United States in 2012.^[4][5][6][7] Snyder's business executive background and positive style have been cited as assets, with his accomplishments seen as strengthening the case for electing Mitt Romney as President.^{[8][9][10][11]}

Early life, education, and family[link]

Snyder was born in Battle Creek, Michigan, the son of Helen Louella "Pody" and Dale F. Snyder.^[12] Snyder earned his B.G.S., M.B.A., and J.D. from the University of Michigan by age 23.^[13] When he was 16, he took a business class at Kellogg Community College on weekends. By his senior year of high school, Snyder earned 23 college credits.^[14] 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.^[15]

Snyder also served as an adjunct assistant professor of accounting at the University of Michigan. He resides in Ann Arbor with his wife Sue and their three children and has a vacation home near Gun Lake.^[16][17] The couple were married in 1987 at Cherry Hill Presbyterian Church in Dearborn.^[1] Snyder has acknowledged his faith as a Presbyterian.^[1]

Career in business[link]

Early in his career, Snyder gained experience in business finance. Eventually, he would serve as a high tech industry executive chairman of the board. He also co-founded a venture capital company and served as its chairman and chief executive officer prior to his election as governor of Michigan in 2010. 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. In 1989, Snyder was named partner-in-charge of the mergers and acquisitions practice in the Chicago office.^[18]

Snyder joined the computer company Gateway, based in Irvine, California, in 1991 as the executive vice president and was named president and chief operating officer in January 1996, a position he held until leaving the company as an employee in August 1997.^[19]

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, an investment firm, in 2000, becoming chairman and chief executive officer.

From 2005 to 2007, Snyder served as the chairman of the board of Gateway. 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.^[20]

Ardesta LLC was founded by Snyder^[21] and three co-founders in 2000 and has invested in 20 start-up companies to date. 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.

Michigan gubernatorial election, 2010[link]

Snyder joined Mike Bouchard, the sheriff of Oakland County, state Senator Tom George, Peter Hoekstra, an influential member of Congress from western Michigan, 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.^[22][23]

Snyder campaigned as pro-life, pro-Second Amendment, and pro-family, with a focus on helping the economy.^[13] Snyder's campaign emphasized his experience in growing business and creating jobs in the private sector, while his opponents were mainly career politicians.^[24] Snyder is pro-life and favors 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.^[25][26]

On August 3, 2010, Snyder won the primary to secure the Republican nomination with a plurality of 36 percent.^[27] In the general election on November 2, 2010, Snyder faced Democratic gubernatorial nominee Virg Bernero, the mayor of Lansing, and three minor party candidates. Snyder, demonstrating cross over appeal, won with 58 percent of the vote.^[28] With Snyder's election in 2010, Republicans gained a majority in the Michigan House and increased the Republican majority held in the Michigan Senate.

Governor of Michigan[link]

Governor Snyder takes the oath from Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Marilyn Kelly

Snyder (far right) with (from left to right) United States Deputy Secretary of State Thomas R. Nides, United States Ambassador to Canada David Jacobson, Canadian Minister of State for Science and Technology Gary Goodyear, Governor General of Canada David Johnston, and Canada 2020 Chair Don Newman at the US-Canada Partnership: Enhancing the Innovation Ecosystem conference at the Château Laurier in Ottawa, Ontario, November 2, 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.^[29][30]

On January 7, 2011, Snyder announced he was appointing Michigan Supreme Court Justice Maura D. Corrigan to head the Department of Human Services.^[31] and appointed Michigan Appeals Court Judge Brian K. Zahra to fill the resulting Supreme Court vacancy.^[32]

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.^[33] Snyder endorsed the Detroit River International Crossing for the first time publicly in the address, which was received favorably by Republicans as well as by many Democrats, including Mark Brewer, the leader of the Michigan Democratic Party.^[34][35] Snyder appointed Andy Dillon, a pro-life Democrat,^[36] 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,^[37] calling it a plan for "Michigan's reinvention", and saying it would end Michigan's deficits. He also described the budget as containing "shared sacrifice" but added that it would create jobs and economic growth, "while preserving core, essential services and ensuring a safety net for those who are vulnerable".^[37] The $46 billion budget reduced $1.8 billion in spending, eliminated tax exemptions on higher income private pensions, and abolished the state's complex business tax, replacing it with a 6% flat tax on the profits of C corporations. State Senate Minority Leader Gretchen Whitmer criticized 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."^[38] Snyder supported the government backed rescue of the American auto industry which has gained the support of a 56% of Americans in 2012 according a Pew Research Center poll (63% support in Michigan).^[39][40]

Following approval from the legislature, Snyder signed the fiscal year 2012 budget in June, the earliest it has been completed in three decades.^[41]

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.^[42] 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.^[43] Snyder has focused efforts to attract companies such as Chrysler.^[44]

In May 2012, Snyder sent a letter to the majority and minority leaders of the U.S. Senate urging Congress to affirm that states can collect sales taxes on online purchases.^[45]

Snyder has been mentioned as a possible pick to be the Republican Party candidate for Vice President of the United States in 2012.^{[46][4][5][6]} Snyder's business executive background and positive style have been cited as assets, with his accomplishments seen as strengthening the case for electing Romney as President.^[8][9][10] Romney's associates have suggested the VP pick is likely to be mild mannered with high integrity and have a similar aptitude for analysis.^[47] Snyder has an extensive career in business and high tech industry; as governor, he abolished the state's complex business tax in favor of a flat tax. Snyder's support for a government backed rescue plan for the American auto industry is shared by 56% of Americans in 2012.^[40][39] A Market Research Group poll conducted in March 2012 showed Snyder's approval rating rising to 50% among likely voters, which matched that of Obama, placing Snyder among the most popular Republican governors in a state carried by Obama in the 2008 election cycle.^[48] Snyder won Michigan with 58% of the vote and has demonstrated a strong cross over appeal. Snyder endorsed Romney prior to the Michigan primary.^[39]

Cabinet[link]

See also[link]

	Biography portal
	Michigan portal
	Politics portal

• List of JD/MBAs

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Rick Snyder

• Michigan Office of the Governor Rick Snyder official Michigan government site
• Michigan Governor-elect Rick Snyder official transition site
• Biography at the National Governors Association
• Biography, interest group ratings, public statements, vetoes and campaign finances at Project Vote Smart
• Biography at WhoRunsGov.com at The Washington Post
• Campaign contributions at FollowTheMoney.org
• Appearances on C-SPAN programs

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Arne Duncan
9th United States Secretary of Education
Incumbent
Assumed office January 21, 2009
President	Barack Obama
Deputy	Anthony Miller
Preceded by	Margaret Spellings
Superintendent of Chicago Public Schools
In office June 26, 2001 – January 21, 2009
Appointed by	Richard Daley
Preceded by	Paul Vallas
Succeeded by	Ron Huberman
Personal details
Born	(1964-11-06) November 6, 1964 (age 47) Chicago, Illinois, United States
Political party	Democratic Party
Alma mater	Harvard University

Arne Duncan (born November 6, 1964) is an American education administrator and currently United States Secretary of Education. Duncan previously served as CEO of the Chicago Public Schools.