Donald J. Trump is the very definition of an American success story, continually setting the standards of excellence for real estate, sports and entertainment. In New York City and around the world, the Trump signature is synonymous with the most prestigious addresses in the world.
Mr. Trump was born in Queens, New York, and is married to Melania Trump and father to Donald Trump, Jr., Ivanka, Eric, Tiffany, and Barron. He is a proud grandfather of seven. A graduate of the Wharton School of Finance, and an accomplished author — having authored over fifteen bestsellers, Mr. Trump has devoted his life to growing a company and expanding prosperity for his family and the tens of thousands of Americans he has employed.
Mr. Trump began his business career in an office he shared with this father in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, New York. He worked with his father for five years during which time his father often stated, “some of my best deals were made by my son, Donald…everything he touches seems to turn to gold.”
The Trump organization owns some of the world’s top properties. Mr. Trump has been recognized for both his business accomplishments and his deep passion for the country. He has long been a devoted supporter of veterans’ causes, and has been honored by the Pentagon for his commitment to restoring the dignity of the New York City’s Veterans Day Parade after it had been neglected and poorly managed.
Mr. Trump entered the 2016 presidential campaign because he was deeply concerned about the direction of the country. His motto has been to “Make America Great Again” by bringing jobs back to Americans through renegotiated trade deals and a reformed tax code, securing our borders and restoring the rule of law, repealing and replacing Obamacare, strengthening our military, caring for our veterans, and unifying Americans. He believes that the United States of America is the greatest country in the world, and that the American people unified and working toward a common goal can restore our standing around the world as a beacon of freedom, strength and prosperity.
Mike Pence is a native Indiana Hoosier who has dedicated his public service life to issues pertaining to fiscal responsibility, economic development and educational opportunity. He is a dedicated husband to Second Lady Karen Pence, and father to their three adult children, Michael, Charlotte and Audrey. Vice President Pence most recently served as the 50th Governor of the State of Indiana before accepting the invitation from President Trump to serve as his running mate.
Vice President Pence was one of six children born to Edward and Nancy Pence. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Hanover College in 1981 and a law degree from Indiana University in 1986. After working for the Indiana Policy Review Foundation he hosted The Mike Pence Show — a syndicated radio show that aired on 18 stations throughout Indiana.
Beginning in 2000, Vice President Pence was elected six times to represent the Sixth District of Indiana in the U.S. House of Representatives where he championed legislation that promoted smaller government and economic growth for the nation. His colleagues quickly recognized his leadership acumen and legislative accomplishments and unanimously elected him to serve as House Republican Conference Chairman and Chairman of the House Republican Study Committee.
The Governor has worked with the Indiana General Assembly to craft an honestly balanced budget that maintains strong reserves for the State and continues to generate a surplus. This fiscal discipline has helped Indiana maintain its AAA credit rating and earn a global reputation as a great place to do business.
As Governor, Vice President Pence managed a State employee workforce of approximately 28,000 and a State budget of $30.6 billion. He oversaw the duties of the executive branch as the State’s chief executive officer, recommended and reviewed legislation with members of the Indiana General Assembly, and served as the commander-in-chief of the Indiana National Guard.
A strong supporter of the military, Pence has made a priority of reducing veteran unemployment and, while in Congress, he visited Hoosier soldiers in Iraq and/or Afghanistan every year since hostilities began.
State Board of Education
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Tom McMillin
In November 2016, Tom McMillin was elected to an 8 year term as a member of the Michigan State Board of Education. Tom is a former State Representative, who served in the Michigan House of Representatives from January 2009 through December 2014, when he was term-limited. Tom served as chairman of the House Oversight committee, the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules and the House Education committee. Tom has served as an Oakland County Commissioner, Mayor of Auburn Hills and Auburn Hills City Councilman for 9 years. He was also President of the Board of Prevail Academy charter school in Mt. Clemens from its inception in 2004 until he started in the legislature in 2009. Tom currently serves on the Board of Directors and as Treasurer of Crossroads Pregnancy Center in Auburn Hills. Tom is a Certified Public Accountant and owns a small CPA firm. He has done consulting work, serving as a part-time Chief Financial Officer for several clients. Tom is married to Dalila McMillin and has three daughters. Tom has been a strong advocate for local control of education and has been a leader in the ongoing fight against those who want to centralize education at the state and federal level. Over the years, Tom has fought against such centralization schemes as Outcome Based Education, Goals 2000, School to Work and now Common Core. As a state representative, Tom led the effort in the legislature to repeal Common Core and to stop the drive to make the statewide assessment more high-stakes. He was also a leader in giving parents more choices in education through the lifting of the charter school cap.
Nikki Snyder
Serving her first term as a Member of the State Board of Education, Nikki is an Eastern Michigan University graduate serving first as a Registered Nurse and then as a Nurse Educator. Nikki is a Mother of three children in the traditional public school system. She also comes with experience as a disability advocate.
University of Michigan Board of Regents
Ron Weiser
Regent Weiser is from Ann Arbor. He received his bachelor's degree in business from the University of Michigan in 1966. Regent Weiser founded McKinley Associates Inc., a national real estate investment company, in 1968 and was its chairman and chief executive officer until 2001. From 2001-05 under President George W. Bush, he served as the U.S. Ambassador to the Slovak Republic. Regent Weiser served on the board of directors of numerous non-profit organizations, including the national board of the Ginsberg Center at UM, the Detroit Institute of Arts, the UNCF of Washtenaw County, the Michigan Theater, Artrain USA, and The Henry Ford Museum. He served on the advisory boards of the Zell Lurie Institute in the Stephen M. Ross School of Business and the University’s Food Allergy Center. In 1984, together with his wife, Eileen, he created the McKinley Foundation, a public community foundation that built the NEW Center. He and his wife also founded two educational institutes at UM: the Weiser Center for Emerging Democracies and the Weiser Center for Europe and Eurasia. They are also deputy chairs of the University’s Victors for Michigan Campaign. He is a trustee or director of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation and The Henry Ford, a member of the endowment committee of the Detroit Institute of Arts, a member of the campaign for the University’s Health System, and the chair of an effort to raise resources for a pediatric brain cancer research initiative at the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in honor of the late Chad Carr. Regent Weiser was elected to the Board of Regents in 2016.
Michigan State University Board of Trustees
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Melanie Foster
Elected to the Board of Trustees in 2004 and again in 2014, Melanie Foster has served as vice chair for six years and also has served on the MSU Foundation Board. For 15 years, she served as president and CEO of a commercial landscape company she built into a nationally acclaimed firm. For 10 years, Foster also was president and CEO of a commercial landscape firm in Orlando, Florida, that specialized in theme park and entertainment-related landscaping. She is a former member of the MSU Wharton Advisory Council, serving for six years, and the Michigan Dyslexia Association. Former directorships include Charter National Bank, Artrain, the State of Michigan Board of Landscape Architecture Registration, and the Associated Landscape Contractors of America.
Dan Kelly
Dan Kelly was elected to the Michigan State University Board of Trustees for an eight year term that began on January 1, 2017. Previously, Dan served six years on the Oakland Community College Board of Trustees as both a Trustee and the Board Chair. Additionally, Dan was elected to two four year terms on the Independence Township Board of Trustees, where he also served as a member of the Township’s Planning Commission. Mr. Kelly is a practicing attorney and Member of the Board of Directors of the Troy based law firm of Giarmarco, Mullins & Horton, P.C., where he serves as chair of the firm’s municipal department. Given his 25 plus years of litigation experience on behalf of municipalities, school districts and various corporate clients, Dan has been asked to speak on numerous occasions in the areas of risk management and governmental liability. He is a court appointed mediator and certified in Risk Management and Risk Management for Public Entities by the AICPCU. Dan is a graduate of Michigan State University’s fellowship in Political Leadership, Western Michigan University and obtained his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. Dan resides in Clarkston, Michigan with his wife, Kathleen, and their four children.
Wayne State University Board of Governors
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Diane L. Dunaskiss
A graduate of Wayne State University and current Elementary School Principal, Mrs. Dunaskiss has been active at several levels of education. Elected in 1994, she also specializes in special education, working with students who have special needs to enhance the education experience.
David A. Nicholson
David Nicholson graduated with a BA in Political Science from University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1992 and obtained a MBA from the University Of Chicago Graduate School Of Business. David Nicholson is Chief Executive Officer of PVS Chemical’s Sulfur and Distribution Groups. Mr. Nicholson serves as Chairman of the Board of Forgotten Harvest, and he is a board member of the DMC Legacy Board and Kids Kicking Cancer. He resides in Grosse Pointe, Michigan with his wife Kristin and two sons.
Michael Busuito
Michael Joseph Busuito is a lifelong Detroit area resident. Born in Detroit, he is a second generation descendent of Sicilian Catholic immigrants and a product of the public education system in Michigan. He received his B.S. degree in 1976, from the University of Michigan, and his M.D. from the Wayne State University School of Medicine in 1981. Following medical school, he completed a five-year residency in General Surgery and a two year residency in Plastic Surgery. He was chosen to be the Chief Administrative Resident in both of these training programs at the Wayne State University/Detroit Medical Center Affiliated Program, and subsequently earned his board certification from both the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Dr. Busuito has dedicated his life to serving his profession and training future physicians. Since beginning his practice, he has continually been involved in research as well as teaching medical students and surgery residents. He is proud of his affiliation with Wayne State University, and currently serves as Clinical Associate Professor of Surgery, a voluntary position, at the Wayne State University School of Medicine. In addition to his busy practice of plastic and reconstructive surgery, Dr. Busuito frequently lectures in his specialty and is internationally published.
Dr. Busuito has held and currently holds seats on several boards. His board experience includes a bank board and community and charitable foundations, among others. He has been very active in service in philanthropy for causes he supports, including the Wayne State School of Medicine.
Dr. Busuito currently holds several leadership positions in the hospitals where he practices. His practice is split between both disciplines of plastic surgery, cosmetic surgery and reconstructive surgery. Dr. Busuito has been the recipient of many honors and awards for his surgical accomplishments as well as his teaching endeavors, his community service and his charitable work. He is the father of six children, all of whom participate in community service.
Dr. Busuito has performed thousands of charitable surgical procedures on children around the world through Operation KINDNESS (Kids In Need Deserve Necessary Essential Surgical Services), a charitable surgical organization of which he is a co-founder. Operation KINDNESS provides surgical services to infants and children who live in areas of the world where the expertise and/or technology is not available to treat the terrible deformities with which they are born. Most of these congenital defects involve cleft lip and palate deformities. Dr. Busuito and his team have been performing these surgeries for more than 25 years and they donate their time, services and supplies free of charge to those in need.
