Rick Snyder

When Rick Snyder became Michigan’s 48th Governor in 2011, he pledged a commonsense approach to governing that focused on working together to find solutions for the state’s toughest problems. With the self-proclaimed moniker “one tough nerd,” Governor Snyder has focused on making government more efficient and effective for Michigan’s citizens. In his first term, the state has passed four balanced budgets, eliminated a $1.5 billion deficit and reformed burdensome tax and regulatory codes that were stifling business growth and job creation. Raised in a Battle Creek home known for a strong work ethic and service to others, Governor Snyder’s upbringing has aided in leading the state’s comeback. A homemaker and a small business owner, his parents demonstrated the value of hard work. After graduating the University of Michigan, he joined accounting firm PwC (formerly Coopers & Lybrand). There, he met his wife Sue. They are the proud parents of Jeff, Melissa and Kelsey. Following a successful career as partner at Coopers & Lybrand, Governor Snyder joined Gateway as President and COO. He later returned to Michigan to cofound an Ann Arbor-based venture capital fund. The Governor’s background as a successful job creator has helped him better serve Michigan, producing results that earned him ‘Public Official of the Year’ in 2014 from GOVERNING magazine. In Governor Snyder’s first term, Michigan created nearly 400,000 new private sector jobs. Today, Michigan’s unemployment rate is at its lowest point in 14 years. He successfully implemented Healthy Michigan, an innovative and bipartisan plan that has provided affordable and quality healthcare for more than 500,000 hard-working Michiganders. Among his greatest achievements, Governor Snyder built a bipartisan coalition of Michiganders to put Detroit on a path to success. With the Governor’s unwavering commitment, Detroit has emerged bankruptcy poised to be one of the great comeback stories in American history. The Governor’s “Relentless Positive Action” has brought solutions to pressing problems and renewed optimism in Michigan’s future.