by Scott McClallen
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s Growing Michigan Together Council includes one person under 40 and no one from the Upper Peninsula.
The Council will advise Whitmer on policies to reach a population goal for 2050 and prepare Michigan’s workforce for in-demand jobs and emerging industries. The council will develop long-term, sustainable transportation, and water infrastructure funding solutions.
Whitmer hired a population czar to stop people from fleeing Michigan. More than 40,000 people left since 2020. Whitmer’s office hasn’t responded to a request for comment but told Axios that an appointee under age 25 is coming soon.
Whitmer appointed 16 people so far to the commission, but no one from the Upper Peninsula, according to Sen. Ed McBroom, R-Waucedah Township.
“This is not the first time the governor has neglected to have U.P. representation,” McBroom said in a statement. “A few months ago, she failed to maintain an appointment on the Agriculture Commission for a U.P. citizen for the first time in any history I could find.”
The appointees so far include:
- Ambassador John Rakolta Jr., Chairman, Walbridge.
- Shirley Stancato, Past President and Chief Executive Officer, New Detroit Inc.
- Linda Apsey, President and Chief Executive Officer, ITC Holdings.
- Brian Calley, President, Small Business Association of Michigan.
- JoAnn Chávez, Founder, Michigan Hispanic Collaborative.
- Robert Coppersmith, Executive Vice President, MITA, Inc.
- Jeffery Donofrio, President and Chief Executive Officer, Business Leaders for Michigan.
- Patrick F. “Shorty” Gleason, Retired President and Business Agent, Michigan Iron Workers Local 25.
- Anika Goss, Chief Executive Officer, Detroit Future City.
- Maha Freij, President and Chief Executive Officer, ACCESS.
- Ollie Howie, Managing Director, New Community Transformation Fund.
- Santa Ono, President, University of Michigan.
- Bill Parfet, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Northwood Group.
- Jennifer Root, Executive Director, SEIU Michigan.
- Nickolai Vitti, Superintendent, Detroit Public Schools Community District.
- Sandy K. Baruah, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Detroit Regional Chamber.
House Minority Leader Rep. Matt Hall tweeted last week that Whitmer is violating her own order that says she will appoint someone under the age of 25 to the council.
“She’s violating her own order and leaving young voices off the commission – as young Michiganders flee the state,” House Minority Leader Matt Hall, R-Richland Township, tweeted.
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Scott McClallen is a staff writer covering Michigan and Minnesota for The Center Square. A graduate of Hillsdale College, his work has appeared on Forbes.com and FEE.org. Previously, he worked as a financial analyst at Pepsi. In 2021, he published a book on technology and privacy. He co-hosts the weekly Michigan in Focus podcast.
