Steven H. Hilfinger, Director
Governor Rick Snyder appointed Steven H. Hilfinger as director of the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) and Chief Regulatory Officer to serve in a leadership role in reinventing the State's regulatory and licensing environment.
Hilfinger's vision for LARA is to create a climate of economic growth with a simple, fair, efficient and transparent regulatory environment and a focused, efficient state government, the department's philosophy is "Customer Driven, Business Minded."
Mike Zimmer, Chief Deputy Director
Mike Zimmer is Chief Deputy Director for LARA and Executive Director of the Michigan Administrative Hearing System, a Type 1 agency housed in LARA with an operating budget over $30 million, which provides administrative law hearings for 13 departments in state government. Adjudicative areas include professional licensing, public benefits, unemployment and workers compensation, property tax appeals, insurance and finance regulation, public utilities, environmental enforcement, education, Medicaid, state retirement, and employment relations. Zimmer previously served as deputy director of the State Office of Administrative Hearings and Rules. He also served as director of the Bureau of Hearings in the former Department of Consumer and Industry Services; as an attorney in the Office of Regulatory Reform under former Governor John Engler; and worked for the Senate majority floor leader. Zimmer earned a bachelor's degree from Michigan State University and a law degree from George Washington University.
Steve Arwood, Deputy Director
Steve Arwood is the Unemployment Insurance Agency Director and a LARA Deputy Director overseeing Employment Security and Workplace Safety, which includes MIOSHA, Employment Relations, and Worker's Compensation. Arwood joined LARA from Windlab Developments, USA, LTD, where he served as U.S. Regional Director. He has worked in wind energy development, conservation, and business development since 1999. He previously served as deputy director and other executive management positions at the Michigan Jobs Commission under Governor John Engler. He has also served as director for the House of Representatives Programs and Policy, and the National Federation for Independent Business-Michigan. Arwood is a graduate of the James Madison College at Michigan State University.
Shelly Edgerton, Deputy Director
Shelly Edgerton is a LARA Deputy Director with oversight of Licensing and Regulation. She is charged with oversight of Liquor Control Commission, Public Service Commission, Office of Financial & Insurance Regulation, Fire Services and occupational and health facility licensing. Prior to joining LARA, Shelly dedicated 27 years of service to the state Legislature where she served most recently in the capacity of Deputy Senate Majority of Counsel in the Senate Majority Policy Office for 12 years. She also previously held titles of Assistant Senate Majority Counsel, Chief of Staff for 15th District Senator Dave Honigman, and as Senate Majority Counsel Law Clerk. She is a graduate of Western Michigan University with Bachelor of Political Science and Master of Public Administration degrees. She went on to receive her Juris Doctorate at Thomas M. Cooley Law School.
Rob Nederhood, Deputy Director
Rob Nederhood is a LARA Deputy Director with oversight of the Office of Regulatory Reinvention (ORR). The ORR was created by Governor Snyder to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of Michigan's government. The primary goal of the ORR is to work with the various departments of state government to amend duplicative, obsolete, unnecessary or unduly restrictive rules. This will lead to a regulatory environment that is simple, fair, efficient, transparent and conducive to business growth and job creation.
Previously, Nederhood was an associate in the Detroit office of Foley & Lardner LLP, where he was a member of the firm's Transactional & Securities and Private Equity and Venture Capital Practices. He was also a member of the Health Care and Automotive Industry Teams.
Prior to joining Foley, Nederhood was a legislative assistant in the Michigan House of Representatives.
Nederhood is a graduate of Northwestern University School of Law, where he was a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Criminal Law & Criminology. He received his bachelor's degree from Calvin College.
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