Governor Granholm Appoints Former Senator State Lottery Commissioner

Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today announced the appointment of former State Senator Gary C. Peters as State Lottery Commissioner.

“Gary is a results-oriented professional who left behind the private sector to work for the people,” Granholm said. “I know he will work tirelessly to continue his tremendous loyalty and dedication to serving the people of Michigan.”

The Michigan Lottery generates over $600 million each year for the state School Aid Fund which supports K-12 public education in the state of Michigan.

“As both a business executive and a state legislator, Gary has the unique combination of technical expertise and public service commitment to ensure that the lottery both generates the most money for our schools’ coffers and is run with absolute integrity,” Granholm said.

The Lottery Commissioner is responsible for the overall management and operation of the bureau including development of long-range plans, formulation of policy, assuring the accountability and integrity of the lottery, and establishing and maintaining contact with state legislators to research, evaluate, and gauge the impact of lottery-related legislation.

Peters, age 44 of Bloomfield Township, served as a State Senator from 1995 to 2002. He was chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus, and vice chair of the Finance, Education, Judiciary, and the Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committees.

Previously, Peters served as a councilman for the City of Rochester Hills from 1992 to 1994. While in this position, he served as vice chair of the Budget and Finance Committee, as well as chair of the Solid Waste Management Committee.

He was previously Vice President of Investments at UBS PaineWebber, Inc. in Rochester Hills. He was also an assistant vice president at Merrill Lynch of Rochester Hills from 1980 to 1989; he was one of the youngest Resident Managers ever appointed by the company when he was named in 1984.

Peters received his law degree from Wayne State University Law School and holds a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Detroit and a bachelor’s of arts degree from Alma College.