Hon. M. Peter McPherson

Hon. M. Peter McPherson

M. Peter McPherson was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  He received his B.A. in political science from Michigan State University, his M.B.A. from Western Michigan University, and his J.D. from American University Law School.  Mr. McPherson served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Peru and later held several governmental and private sector positions. 

Mr. McPherson served as Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and as Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Treasury.  In 1993, he became President of Michigan State University and served in that capacity until 2004. He took a leave from the position for several months in 2003 to serve as Director of Economic Policy for the Coalition Provisional Authority of Iraq. He also served as member of the board of Dow Jones & Company and became Chairman in 2007. He is currently President of the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU).

Mr. McPherson and his wife Joanne have four children.  He has received various honors and awards including the U.S. Presidential Certificate of Outstanding Achievement, the Secretary of State Distinguished Leadership Award, the Department of the Treasury’s Alexander Hamilton Award, the UNICEF award for “outstanding contribution to child survival,” the 1983 Humanitarian of the Year Award from the American Lebanese League, and the Jewish National Fund Tree of Life Award.  He also holds several honorary doctorates.