Jul 6, 2023 - Politics

Commission to retain young people so far includes one person under 40

Samuel Robinson

Former U.S. Ambassador John Rakolta Jr. is one of the co-chairs of the Growing Michigan Together Council. — Former U.S. Ambassador John Rakolta Jr. (standing at the podium in front of Gov. Whitmer) is one of the co-chairs of the Growing Michigan Together Council. Photo: Samuel Robinson/Axios

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is receiving criticism for failing to appoint more than one person younger than 40 to her committee tasked with retaining young people and growing the state's lagging population.

Driving the news: The youngest person on the Growing Michigan Together Council so far is Ollie Howie, a 27-year-old Harvard graduate who works at a Grand Rapids-based venture fund.

Zoom in: The governor has announced appointments for 16 of the 28 spots on the committee, a bipartisan group of business and education leaders.

Co-chairs John Rakolta, a Republican, and Shirley Stancato, a Democrat, are joined by Sandy Baruah (Detroit Regional Chamber CEO), Santa Ono (U of M president), Brian Calley (Small Business Association of Michigan president), Nikolai Vitti (DPSCD superintendent) and Anika Goss-Foster (CEO of Detroit Future City), among others.

What they're saying: "She's violating her own order and leaving young voices off the commission — as young Michiganders flee the state," House Minority Leader Matt Hall tweeted last week.

What’s next: Whitmer will announce the younger-than-25 appointee soon, a spokesperson for her office tells Axios.

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Commission to retain young people so far includes one person under 40

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