Rick Snyder facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rick Snyder
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Snyder in 2017
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| 48th Governor of Michigan | |
| In office January 1, 2011 – January 1, 2019 |
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| Lieutenant | Brian Calley |
| Preceded by | Jennifer Granholm |
| Succeeded by | Gretchen Whitmer |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Richard Dale Snyder
August 19, 1958 Battle Creek, Michigan, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Sue Snyder
(m. 1987) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | University of Michigan (BGS, MBA, JD) |
| Signature |  |
Richard Dale Snyder (born August 19, 1958) is an American businessman and politician. He served as the 48th governor of Michigan from 2011 to 2019.
Snyder was born in Battle Creek, Michigan. He started his career in business in 1982. He was the chairman of the computer company Gateway, Inc. from 2005 to 2007. He also helped start other companies. These include Ardesta, a firm that invests in new businesses, and HealthMedia, a company focused on digital health. Today, he is the CEO of SensCy, a cybersecurity company in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Snyder is a member of the Republican Party. He won the election for governor in 2010 and was re-elected in 2014. He could not run for governor again in 2018 due to term limits. Gretchen Whitmer became the next governor.
During his time as governor, Snyder faced challenges, including the Flint water crisis in 2014. This situation involved lead-contaminated water in Flint, Michigan. Many people were affected by the unsafe water. Snyder later apologized for the crisis.
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Early Life and Education
Richard Dale Snyder was born in Battle Creek, Michigan. He grew up there with his parents, Dale F. and Helen Louella Snyder. His father owned a local window-cleaning business.
When he was 16, Snyder took a business class at Kellogg Community College. By the time he finished high school, he had already earned many college credits.
Snyder went to the University of Michigan. He earned three degrees from the university. He received a Bachelor of General Studies in 1977. He then earned a Master of Business Administration in 1979. Finally, he earned a Juris Doctor (a law degree) in 1982. Snyder is also a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
He lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan with his wife, Sue. They have three children. The couple married in 1987. Snyder is a practicing Presbyterian.
Business Career
Before becoming governor, Rick Snyder had a long career in business. He worked in accounting, technology, and investing.
Coopers & Lybrand
Snyder worked at Coopers & Lybrand from 1982 to 1991. He started in the tax department in Detroit. In 1988, he became a partner. The next year, he led the mergers and acquisitions team in Chicago. He also taught accounting at the University of Michigan for a few years.
Gateway, Inc.
In 1991, Snyder joined the computer company Gateway, Inc.. He became an executive vice president. From 1996 to 1997, he was the president and chief operating officer. He stayed on Gateway's board of directors until 2007. From 2005 to 2007, he was the chairman of the board. He also served as interim CEO in 2006.
Venture Capital and Investments
After Gateway, Snyder returned to Ann Arbor in 1997. He founded Avalon Investments Inc., a company that invests in new businesses. He was its president and CEO until 2000.
In 2000, he co-founded Ardesta LLC, another investment firm. This company invested in many start-up businesses. Snyder was the chairman and CEO of Ardesta.
HealthMedia, Inc.
In 1998, Snyder helped start HealthMedia Incorporated (HMI). This company created digital health coaching tools. It helped people make customized health plans. HMI was later sold to Johnson & Johnson in 2008.
SensCy, Inc.
In 2022, Snyder co-founded SensCy. This cybersecurity company helps small and medium-sized businesses. SensCy created the "SensCy Score." This score shows how well a company is doing with its cybersecurity.
Non-profit Service
Snyder has also served on several non-profit boards. These include Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village. He also served on the board of the Michigan chapter of the Nature Conservancy. He was also involved with boards at the University of Michigan.
Gubernatorial Elections
Rick Snyder ran for governor of Michigan twice.
2010 Election
In 2010, Snyder ran for governor as a Republican. He competed against several other candidates. His campaign focused on his business experience. He said he could help grow businesses and create jobs.
Snyder won the Republican primary election in August 2010. In the general election in November, he ran against Democrat Virg Bernero. Snyder won the election with 58 percent of the vote.
After Snyder's election, Republicans gained more seats in the Michigan legislature. Snyder was the first Certified Public Accountant (CPA) to become governor of Michigan.
2014 Election
In January 2014, Snyder announced he would run for a second term. He did not have any opponents in the Republican primary. In the general election, he faced Democrat Mark Schauer.
Snyder won re-election in November 2014. He received about 51% of the vote. This earned him a second term as governor.
Governor of Michigan
Snyder became governor on January 1, 2011. He focused on improving Michigan's economy.
First Actions as Governor
One of his first actions was to divide the Department of Natural Resources and Environment. He split it into two separate departments. These were the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Environmental Quality.
Snyder gave his first "State of the State" address on January 19, 2011. He talked about his plans for Michigan's future. He supported building the Detroit River International Crossing.
He presented his first budget plan in February 2011. He called it a plan for "Michigan's reinvention." The budget aimed to reduce state spending. It also changed the state's business tax.
In March 2011, Snyder signed a bill into law. This law gave more power to "emergency managers." These managers could help local cities with financial problems. Voters later repealed this law in 2012. However, a revised version was signed back into law in December 2012.
Snyder also signed a law in 2011 that affected health benefits for public employees. A federal judge later struck down this law in 2013. He also traveled to Europe and Asia to attract businesses to Michigan.
In December 2012, Snyder signed "right-to-work" legislation. This law means that workers cannot be forced to join a union or pay union dues as a condition of their job. This was part of his plan to bring more jobs to the state.
Later Years as Governor
In January 2013, Snyder visited Israel. He met with the Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. He wanted to learn from Israel's success in technology.
In March 2013, Snyder declared a financial emergency for the city of Detroit. He appointed an emergency manager to help the city.
In January 2014, Snyder announced a plan to offer visas to 50,000 skilled immigrant workers. The goal was to help boost Detroit's economy.
In June 2014, Snyder created a commission. It aimed to improve legal defense for people who could not afford it.
In November 2015, Governor Snyder stated his opposition to allowing Syrian refugees to move to Michigan.
By April 2018, Snyder's approval rating was below 40 percent. In December 2018, he granted clemency to 61 Michigan prisoners.
Flint Water Crisis
From 2011 to 2015, Snyder appointed several emergency managers for Flint, Michigan. In 2014, one of these managers decided to change Flint's drinking water source to the Flint River. This was done to save money.
However, the river water was too harsh. It caused lead to leak from old pipes into the water. This meant that many people in Flint were exposed to lead-contaminated water. In September 2015, a study found that children in Flint were being affected by the lead.
Flint switched back to its old water source in October 2015. But lead levels in the water remained a concern.
People raised questions about when state officials knew about the lead problem. In February 2016, reports showed that some of Snyder's advisors had concerns about Flint's water in October 2014.
In November 2015, some families filed a lawsuit against Snyder and other officials. They claimed the officials acted carelessly, leading to lead poisoning.
On December 15, 2015, the Mayor of Flint declared a public health emergency. Snyder apologized for the situation. On January 5, 2016, Snyder declared a State of Emergency for Genesee County, Michigan, where Flint is located. He also asked the federal government for help.
In March 2016, Snyder released a plan to address the crisis. It included steps to improve water regulations and infrastructure.
After Being Governor
After leaving office, Snyder started a new company called RPAction LLC. It includes former officials from his administration.
In June 2019, Snyder was offered a position at Harvard University. He would have shared his knowledge of government. However, he decided to turn down the offer. He stated that the political environment was too difficult.
In the 2020 United States presidential election, Snyder supported Democrat Joe Biden. He said that President Trump "lacks a moral compass."
Images for kids
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Rick Snyder's signature
See also
In Spanish: Rick Snyder para niños
