Jennifer M. Granholm Governor of Michigan

JENNIFER M. GRANHOLM was re-elected the 47th governor of Michigan in November 2006.  Since taking office in 2003, she has successfully resolved more than $6 billion in budget deficits, trimming more from state government than any governor in Michigan's history.  A fiscal hawk, Granholm has worked to ensure that state government spends every penny efficiently.  At the same time, she is working aggressively to diversify Michigan's economy, ensure world-class educational opportunities for every Michigan student, create universal access to affordable health care, and stand up for Michigan workers and families during tough economic times.

Governor Granholm has set in motion a comprehensive economic agenda, which includes creating thousands of jobs for Michigan workers by accelerating infrastructure projects, training unemployed workers for high-demand jobs, and diversifying Michigan's economy through an unprecedented $2 billion 21st Century Jobs Fund.  By going anywhere and doing anything to attract business to Michigan, Granholm has convinced companies like Google, Whirlpool, United Solar Ovonic, Keebler, Advance Photonix, Hemlock Semiconductor, and Grupo Aernnova to choose Michigan for relocation or expansion.  Her investment missions to Japan, Germany, and Sweden have brought back millions of dollars in new investment and more than 1,000 new jobs.  She has continued to push for fair trade policies at the federal level.  And, Governor Granholm created Michigan's first-ever state-level earned-income tax credit to put more money into the pockets of working families.  She also increased the minimum wage for the first time in nearly a decade.

In the first year of the No Worker Left Behind (NWLB) program, more than 31,000 displaced workers received tuition-free training at any Michigan community college, university, or an approved training program for new careers in high-demand areas such as health care and the skilled trades.  And the MI Opportunity Partnership program introduced in 2005, has trained and placed more than 51,000 Michigan workers. 

Governor Granholm also signed into law the new Michigan Business Tax (MBT), which replaced Michigan's Single Business Tax (SBT).  It is the most significant reform of Michigan business taxes in three decades, and it makes Michigan's business climate even more attractive for business growth and job creation. 

Granholm's focus on families has meant expanded health care coverage for approximately 300,000 uninsured Michiganians, making Michigan the state with the lowest rate of uninsured children in the country (tied with Hawaii).  The Michigan Health Information Network offered more than $5 million in grants in 2007 to create a statewide infrastructure for health information, making Michigan a national leader in this effort.  She saved the state nearly $40 million in 2003 by introducing the nation's first bulk-buying pool for prescription drugs; and in 2004, she extended those savings to citizens by introducing the MiRx Card which provides discount prescription drugs to thousands of uninsured families.  Governor Granholm continues to fight to make health care universally affordable and accessible to everyone in Michigan.  Governor Granholm also introduced the Insurance Pooling Initiative that has made lower home-owners and automobile insurance rates available to metro-Detroit and Flint-area residents.

Despite tough fiscal times, Granholm has increased spending for Michigan's public schools to record levels and championed universal access to higher education.  In December 2006, Granholm signed legislation creating the Michigan Promise scholarship, a first-in-the-nation program that awards $4,000 to every Michigan student who successfully completes two years of post-secondary education.  In her 2008 State of the State address, she proposed creation of a 21st Century Schools Fund to create smaller, more personal high schools that not only keep at-risk students in school, but also helps them get the college education or technical training they need. 

Michigan was cited by Governing magazine as the third best-managed state in the nation giving Michigan and the Granholm administration high marks in the areas of money, people, infrastructure, and information management. 

Granholm began her career in public service as a clerk for U.S. Judge Damon Keith on the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals.  In 1990, Granholm became a federal prosecutor in Detroit, where she maintained a 98 percent conviction rate.  In 1994, Granholm was appointed Wayne County corporation counsel.  She worked to reduce taxpayer-funded lawsuit payouts by 87 percent.  Elected Michigan's first female attorney general in 1998, Granholm continued her fight to protect Michigan's citizens and consumers.  She established the state's first high-tech crime unit to prosecute Internet crimes. 

Following the September 11 attacks, Granholm led a multi-agency effort to ensure that Michigan laws could effectively be used to fight terrorism at the state level.  In the wake of the attacks, as well as following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Granholm, an advocate for protecting citizens and their pocketbooks, took swift action to protect consumers from price gouging at the pump by unscrupulous gas station owners.  As attorney general, Granholm also started a successful statewide mentoring initiative.

Jennifer Granholm was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, and is an honors graduate of both the University of California at Berkeley and Harvard Law School.  She serves as the chair of the Health and Human Services Committee of the National Governors Association, and is vice chair of the Midwestern Governors Association.  She and her husband, Daniel G. Mulhern, have three children.