My experience in business, finance, law and legislative support makes me ready to lead as your voice to improve the business climate to create jobs.

I am running for State Representative for the 55th Legislative District, the seat currently held by Rep. Kathy Angerer. Rep. Angerer is finishing her third term and is term limited, so it will be an open seat to run for in 2010. I am a Republican.

We must improve the state’s environment to allow small business job providers to prosper, grow and create jobs.

Innovation and entrepreneurship in small businesses will create jobs and grow our way out of the economic mess our state is in. Ranked 48^th out of 50 in attractiveness to locating a business in the state is NOT acceptable!

Experienced and Knowledgeable

Michigan State University Graduate, 1970
Stanford Law School Graduate, 1978
Attorney, Washington State Legislature -1981- 1983
Attorney, WA Governor’s Office – 1983-84
Washington State Bar Association - 1978-97
Passed Michigan Bar Exam, 2009
Certified Financial Planner - 1984-1989
Private Business Manager – 15 Years
Public School Business Manager – 7 Years
Corn Grower Cooperative President
Agricultural Economist – 1970-1975
Washtenaw County Republican Executive Committee
Michigan native - a Yooper, who always seems to return to Michigan after sojourns away, like a boomerang.

Click here for a 2 minute video introduction.

Why My Experience is Important

Our current State Representative is one of 50 of the 110 State Representatives who are term limited and cannot run again. 31 of 38 State Senators are term limited, along with the Governor, the Secretary of State and the Attorney General. We will need people with the kind of experience I have who can be effective from day one, especially with the massive turnover in elected officials in Lansing.

The Choice is Yours: Reinventing Michigan for Our Future vs. Protecting the Past and Special Interest Groups

We must reinvent our current practices so that we can control spending and create an environment in which small business job providers can prosper and create jobs.

My General Election opponent is a 37 year old AFL-CIO Community Service Liaison to the United Way (since 2006), a long time member of the United Steelworkers local 2511 District 2 AFL-CIO who has served as Chief Steward, Trustee and President of the local and currently represents local 2511 as a Delegate to the Monroe/Lenawee County AFL-CIO Central Labor Council. His previous employment was 12 years with the Monroe County Youth Center, a juvenile detention facility, starting as a Child Care Worker.

He can be expected to protect the past, opposing necessary reforms related to labor laws (although none of his publicity is specific enough beyond buzz words to know just what he stands for; i.e., his “Issues” page on his website has 5 lines of buzzwords.)

With total state appropriations of $47.05 billion for the 2010-11 fiscal year, we need to expect more from our legislators than my opponent could take to Lansing!

The Other Major Difference: I know how to get things done.

We need experienced, knowledgeable people in the legislature to meet our challenges. With term limits, we don’t have the luxury of electing someone who is going to have to learn on the job. I have worked with a legislature for three years, and served as an attorney in the Washington State Governor's Office for a year. And, with a lifetime of financial, legal, both public and private business management and leadership experience,
I can hit the ground running.

Have they heard us yet?

Are you one of the many people frustrated with the bank bailouts, huge budget deficits and government takeovers in Washington AND the budget gridlock and lack of leadership in Lansing? Are you tired of the partisan political games? Are you tired of getting canned responses to your letters, e-mails and phone calls to your elected officials?
I will give us a voice!

I need your help to be able to represent you and be your voice.

Get to know me.

Visit my blog, Sharing Ideas for a Better Michigan.

Please sign up for mail from my campaign, volunteer with our team, or donate online. Prefer paper? We can do that too: download our printable contribution form.

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Thanks so much for visiting. Please share you ideas and concerns with me as we travel this campaign trail and beyond. olson48176@comcast.net