John D. Cherry
Encyclopedia
John D. Cherry was the 60th Lieutenant Governor of Michigan
of the U.S. state
of Michigan
from 2003 to 2011. Cherry served as a gubernatorial appointee to the Midwestern Higher Education Compact
, and was the immediate past chair of the international Great Lakes Commission
(of which he is still a member).
Cherry was an announced candidate for Governor of Michigan
in 2010. However, on January 5, he announced his withdrawal from the race, citing an inability to "secure enough money to make my candidacy fully viable."
and graduated from Hill-McCloy High School in Montrose in 1969. Cherry received bachelor's degree
in political science
from the University of Michigan
in 1973 and earned a Master of Public Administration
from the University of Michigan–Flint in 1984.
A former staff member to Michigan State Senator
Gary Corbin, Cherry served as the state political director for the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, until 1982. He was then elected to the Michigan Legislature
as a State Representative
(1983–1986), State Senator
(1987–2002) and Senate Minority Leader
.
Cherry was elected in 2002 as the running mate
of Democrat
Jennifer Granholm
, passing on his state senate seat to his sister Deborah Cherry
. As the lieutenant governor, John Cherry presides over the State Senate, casting votes there in the event of a tie.
As lieutenant governor, John Cherry was elected chairman of the National Lieutenant Governor's Association (NLGA) in July 2006. John Cherry also chaired the Lt. Governor’s Commission on Higher Education & Economic Growth, with the commission making recommendations on higher education
and the need to expand Michigan's job base. The Cherry Commission report led to the Michigan Promise scholarship, the No Worker Left Behind program, and Michigan replacing the high school MEAP
exam with the ACT. Michigan also increased standards in the K-12 curriculum and graduation requirements consistent with the Commission's recommendations.
of the Honorable (abbreviated to Hon. or Hon'ble) for life.
Cherry has been awarded Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Saginaw Valley State University
and an Honorary Doctor of Public Service degree from Central Michigan University
. He has earned several awards including being recognized as "one of Michigan’s Most Effective Legislators" by The Detroit News
and the 2005 Conservationist
of the Year by the Michigan United Conservation Clubs.
Lieutenant Governor of Michigan
The Lieutenant Governor of Michigan is the second-ranking official in U.S. state of Michigan, behind the governor, and one of four great offices of state...
of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
from 2003 to 2011. Cherry served as a gubernatorial appointee to the Midwestern Higher Education Compact
Midwestern Higher Education Compact
The Midwestern Higher Education Compact is a regional interstate compact devoted to advancing cooperation and resource sharing in higher education. The member states of the Compact are Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and...
, and was the immediate past chair of the international Great Lakes Commission
Great Lakes Commission
The Great Lakes Commission is a United States interstate agency established in 1955 through the Great Lakes Compact, in order to "promote the orderly, integrated and comprehensive development, use and conservation of the water resources of the Great Lakes Basin," which includes the Saint Lawrence...
(of which he is still a member).
Cherry was an announced candidate for Governor of Michigan
Governor of Michigan
The Governor of Michigan is the chief executive of the U.S. State of Michigan. The current Governor is Rick Snyder, a member of the Republican Party.-Gubernatorial elections and term of office:...
in 2010. However, on January 5, he announced his withdrawal from the race, citing an inability to "secure enough money to make my candidacy fully viable."
Biography
Cherry grew up in Montrose, MichiganMontrose, Michigan
Montrose is a city in Genesee County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,619 at the 2000 census. The city is situated within Montrose Township, but is politically independent.- History :...
and graduated from Hill-McCloy High School in Montrose in 1969. Cherry received bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
from the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in 1973 and earned a Master of Public Administration
Master of Public Administration
The Master of Public Administration is a professional post-graduate degree in Public Administration. The MPA program prepares individuals to serve as managers in the executive arm of local, state/provincial, and federal/national government, and increasingly in nongovernmental organization and...
from the University of Michigan–Flint in 1984.
A former staff member to Michigan State Senator
Michigan Senate
The Michigan Senate is the upper house of the Michigan Legislature. The Senate consists of 38 members, who are elected from constituencies having approximately 212,400 to 263,500 residents....
Gary Corbin, Cherry served as the state political director for the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, until 1982. He was then elected to the Michigan Legislature
Michigan Legislature
The Michigan Legislature is the legislative assembly of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is organized as a bicameral body consisting of the Senate, the upper house, and the House of Representatives, the lower house. Article IV of the state's Constitution, adopted in 1963, defines the role of the...
as a State Representative
Michigan State House of Representatives
The Michigan House of Representatives is the lower house of the Michigan Legislature. There are 110 members, each of whom is elected from constituencies having approximately 77,000 to 91,000 residents, based on population figures from the 2000 federal U.S. Census.Members are elected in...
(1983–1986), State Senator
Michigan Senate
The Michigan Senate is the upper house of the Michigan Legislature. The Senate consists of 38 members, who are elected from constituencies having approximately 212,400 to 263,500 residents....
(1987–2002) and Senate Minority Leader
Minority leader
In U.S. politics, the minority leader is the floor leader of the second largest caucus in a legislative body. Given the two-party nature of the U.S. system, the minority leader is almost inevitably either a Republican or a Democrat, with their counterpart being of the opposite party. The position...
.
Cherry was elected in 2002 as the running mate
Running mate
A running mate is a person running together with another person on a joint ticket during an election. The term is most often used in reference to the person in the subordinate position but can also properly be used when referring to both candidates, such as "Michael Dukakis and Lloyd Bentsen were...
of Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Jennifer Granholm
Jennifer Granholm
Jennifer Mulhern Granholm is a Canadian-born American politician, educator, and author who served as Attorney General and 47th Governor of the U.S. state of Michigan. A member of the Democratic Party, Granholm became Michigan's first female governor on January 1, 2003, when she succeeded Governor...
, passing on his state senate seat to his sister Deborah Cherry
Deborah Cherry
Deb Cherry is a former Democratic member of the Michigan Senate, representing the 26th District until she was elected Genesee County treasurer in 2010. Her district included parts of Genesee and Oakland counties. Previously she was a member of the Michigan House of Representatives from 1995 to...
. As the lieutenant governor, John Cherry presides over the State Senate, casting votes there in the event of a tie.
As lieutenant governor, John Cherry was elected chairman of the National Lieutenant Governor's Association (NLGA) in July 2006. John Cherry also chaired the Lt. Governor’s Commission on Higher Education & Economic Growth, with the commission making recommendations on higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
and the need to expand Michigan's job base. The Cherry Commission report led to the Michigan Promise scholarship, the No Worker Left Behind program, and Michigan replacing the high school MEAP
MEAP
MEAP may refer to:* Canon MEAP , a software development kit* Michigan Educational Assessment Program, a standardised school test* Mobile enterprise application platform, a development framework for mobile devices...
exam with the ACT. Michigan also increased standards in the K-12 curriculum and graduation requirements consistent with the Commission's recommendations.
Title and Honors
As lieutenant governor of Michigan, Cherry is afforded the courtesy titleCourtesy title
A courtesy title is a form of address in systems of nobility used for children, former wives and other close relatives of a peer. These styles are used 'by courtesy' in the sense that the relatives do not themselves hold substantive titles...
of the Honorable (abbreviated to Hon. or Hon'ble) for life.
Cherry has been awarded Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Saginaw Valley State University
Saginaw Valley State University
Saginaw Valley State University, commonly known as SVSU, is a state university in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located in the middle of Michigan's lower peninsula in the Saginaw Valley region. The university is located in Kochville Township, Saginaw County...
and an Honorary Doctor of Public Service degree from Central Michigan University
Central Michigan University
Central Michigan University is a public research university located in Mount Pleasant in the U.S. state of Michigan...
. He has earned several awards including being recognized as "one of Michigan’s Most Effective Legislators" by The Detroit News
The Detroit News
The Detroit News is one of the two major newspapers in the U.S. city of Detroit, Michigan. The paper began in 1873, when it rented space in the rival Free Press's building. The News absorbed the Detroit Tribune on February 1, 1919, the Detroit Journal on July 21, 1922, and on November 7, 1960,...
and the 2005 Conservationist
Conservationist
Conservationists are proponents or advocates of conservation. They advocate for the protection of all the species in an ecosystem with a strong focus on the natural environment...
of the Year by the Michigan United Conservation Clubs.