Rick Snyder

Rick Snyder is an American business executive, venture capitalist, attorney, accountant, and politician who served as Michigan's 48th governor. Snyder earned his bachelor's degree, MBA, and law degree from the University of Michigan by age 23. He is the first certified public accountant elected governor of Michigan. Snyder began his career as a tax accountant with the Detroit office of Coopers & Lybrand (now PricewaterhouseCoopers) and became partner within six years. Before entering public service, Snyder served as chief operating officer and later chairman of Gateway, a personal computer company, where he contributed to its growth from a $600 million entity to a $6 billion corporation listed on the New York Stock Exchange. He also led two of the largest venture capital funds in Michigan, focusing on early-stage investments and university technology transfer.

Prior to his gubernatorial campaign, Snyder had not sought political office. He ran on a platform of economic revitalization and government reform. During his tenure as governor, Snyder oversaw Michigan's transition from a bottom-10 to a top-10 state in job creation and per capita income. Key initiatives included the turnaround of Detroit, expansion of health care access to more than 600,000 residents, elimination of a significant budget deficit, and reduction of government debt by over $20 billion. Michigan passed four balanced budgets, eliminated a $1.5 billion deficit, reformed tax and regulatory codes, and created more than 300,000 private sector jobs during his administration.

Snyder's tenure included both policy achievements and significant challenges, most notably the Flint water crisis, which brought national attention to public health and government accountability. Snyder addressed the crisis publicly, acknowledging failures at multiple levels of government. His approach to governance was recognized by GOVERNING magazine, which named him Public Official of the Year.

After leaving office, Snyder returned to entrepreneurship with a focus on technology and cybersecurity. He is chief executive officer and co-founder of SensCy, a company providing cybersecurity solutions for small and medium-sized businesses. Snyder has been active in public education on cyber risks and serves on the boards of Business Leaders for Michigan and the Detroit Regional Chamber. He is also a member of the Aspen Digital U.S. Cybersecurity Group and the Public Affairs Advisory Board of Palo Alto Networks. Snyder's experience in executive leadership, economic development, and cybersecurity positions him as a knowledgeable voice on economic revitalization, bipartisan governance, and digital risk management.