M. Peter McPherson

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M. Peter McPherson (born October 27, 1940) was a special assistant to President Gerald Ford, head of USAID under President Ronald Reagan, president of Michigan State University from 1993 to 2004 and Chairman of Dow Jones beginning in 2007.

Contents

[edit] Early Life and Education

McPherson was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan.[1] McPherson received his undergraduate degree from Michigan State University in 1963.[2] While a student, he was a member of the prominent conservative Young Americans for Freedom student organization.[citation needed]

Returning from the Peace Corps, McPherson earned a master's in business administration from Western Michigan University in 1967 and a law degree from American University in Washington in 1969.[2]

[edit] Peace Corps Service

His public service career began as a Peace Corps volunteer in Peru, where he spent 18 months in a Peruvian slum running a food distribution program and setting up credit unions.[3] He called the experience a defining moment and said his experience in the Peace Corps helped him learn how to adapt.[3] "When I was a Peace Corps volunteer, it was just a different culture," McPherson said.[3] "I found I couldn't be a gringo and be effective. It's just a matter of asking people what they want to get done, finding out what the formal and informal rules are and figuring out ways to do things differently, while doing practical work in that environment. But that process was a challenge."[3]

[edit] Service in Ford and Reagan Administrations

After law school, he worked for the Internal Revenue Service, where his specialty was international taxation. He joined the administration of fellow Michigander Gerald Ford in 1975 as special assistant to the President. As special assistant he got Dick Cheney his first White House job. [4]]

After his government service in the Ford administration, he worked in private law practice as managing partner of the Washington office of Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease, an Ohio law firm.[5]

In November, 1980 he was named general counsel to the Reagan-Bush transition.

McPherson held several high-level positions in President Ronald Reagan's administration including head of USAID from 1981 to 1987 where he led the U.S. response to the famine in Africa.[citation needed] "At AID, you learn the process of deciding as a group large issues," McPherson said[3]

McPherson's interest in world humanitarian and agricultural issues has made a difference for millions of people. While administrator of USAID he was also chair of the board of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation.[6]

McPherson served as Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Treasury Department from 1987 to 1989.

After his service in the Reagan administration, McPherson worked for Bank of America from 1989 to 1993 managing $600 million as the bank's executive vice president.

[edit] President of Michigan State University

In 1993 he was selected to become President of Michigan State University from 171 publicly identified candidates. He was a surprise choice after a yearlong search for a new leader of the state's largest university, because he lacked the one thing most university presidents have -- a PhD.[7]

During his tenure as President of MSU, the school's international undergraduate study program became the nation's largest. McPherson also gets credit as the only president of a major university to keep tuition at the rate of inflation and for spearheading a $1 billion capital fund-raising campaign and for bringing a private law school to the 45,000-student campus. McPherson retired from MSU in 2004. [1]

McPherson took a leave of absence as President of MSU in 2003 to serve as the Director of Economic Policy for the Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance in Iraq, where he helped establish a central bank and develop a new currency. [2] In August, 2004, McPherson, who spent four months in Iraq, was among five recipients presented with the Distinguished Service Award by U.S. Treasury Secretary John Snow for his service in Iraq. [3]

[edit] Chairman of Dow Jones

In February, 2007 Dow Jones & Co. named McPherson chairman of the company during its annual shareholding meeting on April 18. McPherson replaced Peter Kann who previously announced his retirement. McPherson had served as an independent director of Dow Jones since 1998. [4]

As Chairman of Dow Jones & Co., McPherson has been deeply involved in the negotiations with Rupert Murdoch over Murdoch's plan to purchase the Wall Street Journal. [5]

The Financial Times reported on December 13, 2007 that McPherson led the final annual meeting of Dow Jones where stockholders voted to approve the $5 billion sale of the 125-year-old company including the Wall Street Journal to Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. "I know I speak for so many today when I say that this has been a difficult - and for many - a sad set of discussions," said McPherson, offering "great expectations and hopes" for the future.[8]

[edit] Other Activities

Aside from his duties as Chairman of Dow Jones, McPherson is a Founding Co-Chair and serves as a Director of the Partnership to Cut Hunger and Poverty in Africa. [6] He also serves as the president of the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC). [7]

[edit] President of NASULGC

As President of the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC), McPherson has been a prime mover behind “College Portrait," a template for information that public, four-year institutions will provide online in an easily comparable way.[9] College Portrait has three parts: student and family information, student experiences and perceptions, and student learning outcomes.[9] "If we can’t figure out how to measure ourselves, someone else will figure out how to measure us," McPherson said.[9] “It’s inevitable."[9] McPherson says that universities need to focus on the big picture and support the new system or the federal government will come in and define how assessment will take place.[9] "If we wait for the perfect test, we’d be waiting 10 years from now," says McPherson.[9] “You need to take a step like this to force the pace," McPherson added.[9]

[edit] Citations

  1. ^ New York Times. "Man in the News: US AID Director in Lebanon" by Peter Khiss. June 20, 1982.
  2. ^ a b Michigan State University. "Peter McPherson Long Bio."
  3. ^ a b c d e The State News. "McPherson reflects on pre-university experience, growth" by Jaclyn Roeschke. December 9, 2004
  4. ^ Financial Times. "Mysterious hope for Argentine deal" by John Dizard. March 13, 2005.
  5. ^ Detroit News. "MSU chief takes job in Iraq" by Charlie Cain, Margarita Bauzá, and Lisa Zagaroli. April 18, 2003. The original story is a dead link. An archival copy is available here.
  6. ^ Prime Newswire. "Dow Jones to Name M. Peter McPherson Chairman of the Board and Announces John Brock and Paul Sagan Will Be Nominated to the Board of Directors" February 21, 2007.
  7. ^ Detroit Free News. "Peace Corps service shaped his careers" by Mary Own. May 8, 2004. The original story is a dead link. an archival copy is available here.
  8. ^ Financial Times. "Dow Jones investors approve $5bn sale" by Joshua Chaffin. December 13, 2007.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g Inside Higher Education. "Accountability System Launched" by Scott Jaschik. November 12, 2007.

[edit] External links

Preceded by
Gordon Guyer		 President of Michigan State University
1993 – 2004		 Succeeded by
Lou Anna Simon
v • d • e
Presidents of Michigan State University
Williams • Fiske • Abbot • Willits • Clute • Gorton • Snyder • Kedzie • Friday • Butterfield • Shaw • Hannah • Adams • Wharton • Harden • Mackey • DiBiaggio • Guyer • McPherson • Simon


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