Guide to the 2014 Health Policy Committees Get the scoop on the legislators in the House of Representative and Senate who will be working most closely on health care and pharmacy issues on the Health Policy Committees. Use this guide to get to know these key legislators in order to better advocate on pharmacy s behalf. Senate Health Policy Committee Sen. Jim Marleau, chair (R-Lake Orion), chairman of the Senate Health Policy Committee, was elected to the Senate in 2010 after having served three terms in the House of Representatives. His previous work experience is that of a small business owner. Sen. Marleau is also vicechair of the Committee on Insurance and as a member of the Redistricting, Energy and Technology, and Banking and Finance Committees. Sen. David Robertson, majority vice-chair (R-Grand Blanc), vice-chair of the Senate Health Policy Committee, is in his first term in the Senate. He was first elected to the Legislature in 1990 and returned to the Michigan House after the 2002 election and served until 2008, serving a total of four House terms. Sen. Robertson is a former Genesee County commissioner and an insurance agent. He also serves as chairman of the Local Government and Elections Committee and a member of the Finance (Tax Policy) Committee, Insurance Committee and Reform, Restructure and Reinventing Committee. Sen. Rebekah Warren, minority vice-chair (D-Ann Arbor) is in her first term in the Senate after having served two terms in the House. She was previously a legislative staffer. She also acts as minority vice-chair of the Natural Resources, Environment and Great Lakes Committee. Sen. Warren serves as a member of the Finance Committee, the Regulatory Reform Committee and the Reforms, Restructuring and Reinventing Committee as well. Sen. Judy Emmons (R-Sheridan) is in her first term in the Senate after serving three terms in the House. She was tapped by Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville to lead the Michigan Senate Committee on Families, Seniors and Human Services. She also was appointed vice-chair of the Committee on Education, and also serves on the Agriculture, Economic Development and Veterans, Military Affairs and Homeland Security. Sen. Emmons background is a fifth generation farmer and long-time Board of Education member.
Sen. Joe Hune (R-Hamburg Township) is in his first term in the Senate after having served three terms in the House. Sen. Hune was previously a legislative staffer and a consultant. He also has a background in agriculture, is a licensed realtor and a small business owner. He was selected as chair of the Senate Agriculture, Insurance and Redistricting Committees. Sen. Hune also serves on the Regulatory Reform Committee. Sen. Bert Johnson (D-Detroit) is in his first term as a State Senator after having served two terms in the House. Prior to being elected, Johnson was a legislative staffer. He now serves on the Appropriations Committee and was assigned the position of minority vice-chair of the DELEG, General Government and Judiciary Subcommittees. Sen. Johnson also sits on the Redistricting Committee and serves as minority vice-chair of the Regulatory Reform Committee. Sen. Rick Jones (R-Grand Ledge) is in his first term in the Senate after serving three terms in the House. Prior to serving in the legislature, Sen. Jones was the Eaton County Sheriff. He was elected by his colleagues as majority caucus chair and also serves as chairman of the Judiciary Committee; vice-chair of the Senate Regulatory Reform and Redistricting Committees; and as a member of the Energy and Technology Committee. Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R-Lawton) is in her first term in the Senate after previously serving three terms in the House. Sen. Schuitmaker is an attorney. She currently serves as vice-chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a member of the Energy and Technology and Legislative Council Committees. Sen. Schuitmaker is also a member of the Appropriations Committee; chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Higher Education; and a member of the Appropriations Subcommittees on Capital Outlay, Community Colleges and Judiciary.
House Health Policy Committee Rep. Gail Haines, chair (R-Lake Angelus) is in her third term in the House of Representatives and currently serves as chair of the House Health Policy Committee. She was a 12-year public school teacher, serving also as a middle and high school coach. She has worked as a computer educator for a medical center as well. Rep. Haines also serves on the Commerce Committee as well as the Military, Veteran Affairs, and Homeland Security Committee. Rep. Mike Callton, majority vice-chair (R-Nashville) is currently the majority vice-chair of the House Health Policy Committee. He is in his second House term. Callton is the owner of Nashville Chiropractic Center, and served six years as a Barry County commissioner. He also served as a member of the Nashville Village Council and the Maple Valley Board of Education. He served in the U.S. Army from 1982 to 1985. Rep. Callton is also chair of the Financial Services Committee, and a member of the Criminal Justice, Elections and Ethics, and Financial Liability Reform Committees. Rep. George Darany, minority vice-chair (D-Wayne) is currently serving his second House term as the minority vice-chair of the House Health Policy Committee. He served as a member of the Dearborn City Council from 2007 through 2010. Rep. Darany also owned and operated his own small business, Classic Trolley Company, in Dearborn for 20 years and worked as a realtor/broker for 16 years with RE/MAX Team 2000 in Dearborn. He is also a member of the Military and Veteran Affairs Committee. Rep. Phil Cavanagh (D-Redford) is currently serving his second term in the House. Before coming to the House, Rep. Cavanagh served for four years as a Wayne County Commissioner. He served as an appointee to the Detroit-Wayne County Community Mental Health Agency. Rep. Cavanagh is a practicing attorney. Cavanagh also serves as minority vice chair on both the Financial Liability Reform Committee and the Judicial Committee. Rep. Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids) is currently serving her first term in the House. Before serving in the legislature, Rep. Brinks served Grand Rapids as the executive director of The One Way House, a nonprofit community-based corrections agency. Most recently, Rep. Brinks was a caseworker at The Source in Grand Rapids, where she worked with businesses and nonprofits to improve workplaces while helping companies grow and retain employees. Brinks also serves on the Education Committee.
Rep. Hugh D. Crawford (R-Novi) is currently serving his third term in the House. Rep. Crawford is a long-time Oakland County political figure, serving as vice-chair of the Oakland County Commission, Novi City Council member and Novi Mayor pro-tem. He also is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and a retiree of Xerox Corporation, where he worked for 20 years. Rep. Crawford serves as Chair of the Regulatory Reform Committee and as a member of the Education and Tourism Committees. Rep. Frank Foster (R-Petoskey) was first elected to the House in 2010 and is currently serving his second term. Rep. Foster is the business manager for his family s third generation construction company, which is based in Pellston, and has projects throughout Emmet County. He is the current chair of the Commerce Committee, and also holds a seat on the Tax Policy Committee. Rep. Bob Genetski (R-Saugatuck) is currently serving his third and final term on the House. He was first elected in 2008. Before coming to the House, Rep. Genetski was a teacher at Orion Alternative school, where he taught at-risk high school kids for 10 years. Along with holding a seat on Health Policy, he also serves on the Education and Tourism Committees. Rep. Joseph Graves (R-Argentine Township) was elected in the February 2012 special election to serve the constituents of the 51 st House District. He most recently served as Genesee County Commissioner and owns J&D Select, a real estate, property management and engineering consulting business serving Genesee County. Rep. Graves worked as an engineer at GM for 32 years and also previously served as Argentine Township trustee and clerk. He is vice-chair of the Criminal Justice Committee, and also a member of the Military and Veterans Affairs, Energy and Technology, and Local Government Committees. Rep. Thomas Hooker (R-Byron Center) is currently serving his second House term. He was a teacher in the Byron Center Public School system for 37 years and served more than 20 years as a high school football coach and 37 years as wrestling coach. He is a Red Cross instructor, taught swimming through the YMCA, and trained teachers and staff members in CPR and first aid. Rep. Hooker currently serves as vice-chair of the Families, Children, and Seniors Committee and is also a member of the Education and Military and Veteran Affairs Committees.
Rep. Martin Howrylak (R-Troy) is serving his first term in the House. He is a licensed and practicing Certified Public Accountant in private practice in Troy. Rep. Howrylak has been active in the Troy community for decades, serving most recently as a Troy City Councilman and Mayor Pro-Tem. He currently serves on the House Appropriations Committee, chairs the Subcommittee for Fiscal Oversight and as vice chair on the Subcommittee for School Aid. In addition, Rep. Howrylak serves as a member of the Subcommittees on Joint Capital Outlay and Education. Rep. Klint Kesto (R-Commerce Twp.) is serving his first term in the House. He served for more than five years as a prosecuting attorney with the Wayne County Prosecutor s office. He also is a manager of his family s small business, Buscemi s Pizza and Sub Shop. Rep. Kesto also previously worked for the United States Department of Energy and the United States Department of Justice. He is currently the vice-chair of the Judiciary Committee. Rep. Kesto also holds a seat on the Criminal Justice, Families, Children, and Seniors, and Regulatory Reforms Committees. Rep. David Knezek (D-Dearborn Heights) is in his first term in the House. He was student body president at the University of Michigan-Dearborn before running for the 11 th House District seat. Rep. Knezek is also an Iraq War veteran. In addition to his military career, he has worked as a substitute teacher in Wayne County. Rep. Knezek also is a member of the Education Committee. Rep. Phil Phelps (D-Flushing) is serving his first term in the House. He previously worked for eight Democratic members from the mid-michigan area in the Michigan State House of Representatives Democratic Communications Office. In addition, Rep. Phelps served as regional director of external affairs for the Granholm-Cherry administration. After leaving the executive office to help a tech start-up company move to the commercialization phase of their development, he rejoined the state legislature as a special advisor for House Democratic Leader Richard Hammel and then served as chief of staff for Rep. Pam Faris. Rep. Phelps won his seat in the House during a special election in November 2013.
Rep. Kate Segal (D-Battle Creek) is in her third and final term in the House. She previously served on the Calhoun County Board of Commissioners from 2002 to 2008, serving as chairwoman in her final term. She was also a founding member and past chair of the Calhoun County Health Plan. Rep. Segal is a graduate of Kalamazoo College, where she received a bachelor s degree in sociology, with a concentration in public policy and urban affairs. For the 2013-2014 session, Segal was also selected to serve as the Democratic vice chair of the House Insurance Committee. Rep. Mike Shirkey (R-Clark Lake) is currently in his second term in the House. He is the founder and owner of Orbitform, a leading engineering company that manufactures forming, fastening, joining and assembly equipment for a wide range of industries and applications. Rep. Shirkey also worked for General Motors in various management and engineering roles for 13 years. He is currently serving as vice-chair of the Energy and Technology Committee as well as a member of the Government Operations and Financial Liability Reform Committees. Rep. Thomas Stallworth III (D-Detroit) is serving his second term in the House. Prior to being elected to the House, he worked as a utility company executive. He previously served as a member of the Detroit School Board, the Wayne County Child Care Coordinating Council, The Black Child Development Institute, Children s Aid Society, The Heat and Warmth Fund (THAW), and as director of the Black Caucus Foundation of Michigan (BCF). He also serves as vice-chair on the Energy and Technology Committee as well as a member of the Education Committee. Rep. Ken Yonker (R-Caledonia) is in his second term in the House. He is the founder and owner of Yonker s Landscaping Inc., and has served on the local industry Board as trustee and president, as well as on the state Board of Directors and the legislative Committee. He is also a former president of the Caledonia Schools Board of Education. Rep. Yonker currently serves on the Education, Elections and Ethics, and Regulatory Reform Committees. Rep. Dale Zorn (R-Ida) is currently serving his second term in the House. He works with his brother Dean at the family-owned automotive business, Zorn s Service Inc., which was opened in 1953 by their father, Ivan Zorn. Before being elected, Rep. Zorn served Raisinville Township for 10 years and then spent the following 20 years as a Monroe County commissioner, including four years as chairman. He is also the vice-chair of the Commerce Committee, and serves as a member of the Energy and Technology, and Military and Veteran Affairs Committees.