Ronald Weiser

Ron Weiser
Ron Weiser
Member of the University of Michigan Board of Regents
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; January 1, 2017
Preceded by	Laurence Deitch
Chair of the Michigan Republican Party
	In office; February 11, 2017 – February 23, 2019
Preceded by	Ronna Romney McDaniel
Succeeded by	Laura Cox
	In office; February 2009 – January 2011
Preceded by	Saul Anuzis
Succeeded by	Bobby Schostak
United States Ambassador to Slovakia
	In office; December 5, 2001 – December 19, 2004
President	George W. Bush
Preceded by	Carl Spielvogel
Succeeded by	Skip Vallee
Personal details
Born	July 7, 1945; South Bend, Indiana, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Eileen Weiser
Children	3
Education	University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (BA)

Ron Weiser is an American businessman, and former U.S. ambassador to Slovakia who served as chairman of the Michigan Republican Party from February 2009 through January 2011 and from February 2017 through February 2019.[1]

Early life, education and career

He was born in South Bend, Indiana on July 7, 1945. He graduated in 1966 from the Ross School of Business at University of Michigan.

In 1968, Weiser founded the real estate company McKinley Associates Inc., which is based in Ann Arbor.[2] He has been its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer until 2001, and again upon his return from Slovakia to the present. In 2016, McKinley reportedly had $500 million in annual revenue, and had a real estate portfolio valued at $4.6 billion.[3]

Weiser is on the Atlantic Council's Board of Directors.[4]

He was Ambassador to Slovakia under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2005.[5]

University of Michigan

In 2014, Weiser unsuccessfully ran for a seat on the Board of Regents of the University of Michigan.[6][7][8] He was elected to the Board of Regents in 2016.[9][10] His term expires on January 1, 2025.[11]

By June 2020, Weiser and his wife had donated more than $100 million to the University of Michigan.[12] In 2015, Ambassador Weiser announced that his family would donate over $50,000,000 to the University of Michigan.[13][14] In 2018, he donated $10 million.[12] In February 2020, he donated $10 million.[12] In June 2020, Weiser donated $30 million to the University of Michigan.[12]

The relationship between Weiser's ownership of an Ann Arbor real-estate company, and his roles on the Board of Regents and as a major donor, became controversial during arguments over whether to re-open the University of Michigan during the COVID-19 pandemic.[15][16]

Republican Party

Weiser at the 2010 Michigan Republican State Convention

He was the Michigan Finance Chair of Bush for President in 1999 and 2000 and as a member of the National Executive Committee of Victory 2000. He served during 2005-06 as the Michigan Republican State Finance Chair and was a National Co-Chair for Senator John McCain in 2007-2008. In February, 2009, he was elected as Chairman of the Michigan Republican Party.

In February, 2011 he was appointed as Co-Chair of the RNC's National Finance Transition Committee, and from April, 2011 to February, 2013 served as the RNC's National Finance Chair.

Weiser, along with philanthropist and former Amway president Dick DeVos, was one of the primary architects of the "Right-to-work law" legislation enacted by the Michigan legislature in December 2012.

Weiser was selected in 2016 to lead the Republican National Committee's fundraising efforts for Donald Trump.[17]

Weiser donated $50,000 to The MRP Legal Expense Trust Fund, which is covering Vice President Mike Pence's legal bills generated during the Mueller investigation.[18]

Personal life

He and Eileen were married in 1983 and live in Ann Arbor with their son, Daniel, born October 1, 2000. The Weisers also have two married children, Elizabeth and Marc, and five grandchildren.

References

"Ann Arbor businessman Ron Weiser elected state GOP party chairman". Mlive.com. 21 February 2009. Retrieved 14 January 2012.
"GOP operative Ron Weiser of Ann Arbor in hot water over remarks about Detroit voters". AnnArbor.com. Retrieved 2020-08-30.
"From real estate to Republican politics: Now among GOP's elite fundraisers, 'relentless' Ron Weiser puts the party first". Crain's Detroit Business. 2016-07-17. Retrieved 2020-08-30.
"Board of Directors". Atlantic Council. Retrieved 2020-02-12.
"Ronald Weiser". Council of American Ambassadors. Archived from the original on 25 October 2011. Retrieved 14 January 2012.
"Ron Weiser (@RonaldWeiser) - Twitter". twitter.com. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
"Former U.S. ambassador announces candidacy for regent". Michigandaily.com. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
"- The Michigan Daily". Michigandaily.com. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
"Weiser unseats Deitch on Board of Regents, Ilitch retains position".
"Our Campaigns - U of Michigan Board of Regents Race - Nov 08, 2016".
"Ron Weiser".
"University of Michigan regent, wife give $30-million gift toward diabetes therapies". mlive. 2020-06-15. Retrieved 2020-08-30.
"Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-03-27. Retrieved 2016-03-17.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
"McKinley founder Ron Weiser donates $50 million to University of Michigan". Mlive.com. 19 December 2014. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
"Op-Ed: The University's summer of lies". The Michigan Daily. August 27, 2020. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
Burke, Lilah (September 4, 2020). "Consultation Theater". Inside Higher Ed. Mark Belles. Retrieved September 15, 2020.
"Michigan Republican Ron Weiser to assist with Trump fundraising efforts". Mlive.com. 25 May 2016. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
Lee, Michelle Ye Hee (June 30, 2020). "A dozen donors paid nearly $480,000 in legal fees for Pence in Mueller inquiry, new filing shows". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on July 2, 2020. Among other donors were Ron Weiser, a longtime GOP donor, former ambassador to Slovakia and former chair of the Michigan GOP ($50,000), and Marty Obst, senior political adviser to Pence ($20,000).

Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Carl Spielvogel	United States Ambassador to Slovakia 2001–2004	Succeeded by Skip Vallee
Party political offices
Preceded by Saul Anuzis	Chair of the Michigan Republican Party 2009–2011	Succeeded by Bobby Schostak
Preceded by Ronna Romney McDaniel	Chair of the Michigan Republican Party 2017–2019	Succeeded by Laura Cox

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[1] "Ann Arbor businessman Ron Weiser elected state GOP party chairman". Mlive.com. 21 February 2009. Retrieved 14 January 2012.

[2] "GOP operative Ron Weiser of Ann Arbor in hot water over remarks about Detroit voters". AnnArbor.com. Retrieved 2020-08-30.

[3] "From real estate to Republican politics: Now among GOP's elite fundraisers, 'relentless' Ron Weiser puts the party first". Crain's Detroit Business. 2016-07-17. Retrieved 2020-08-30.

[4] "Board of Directors". Atlantic Council. Retrieved 2020-02-12.

[5] "Ronald Weiser". Council of American Ambassadors. Archived from the original on 25 October 2011. Retrieved 14 January 2012.

[6] "Ron Weiser (@RonaldWeiser) - Twitter". twitter.com. Retrieved 6 January 2018.

[7] "Former U.S. ambassador announces candidacy for regent". Michigandaily.com. Retrieved 6 January 2018.

[8] "- The Michigan Daily". Michigandaily.com. Retrieved 6 January 2018.

[9] "Weiser unseats Deitch on Board of Regents, Ilitch retains position".

[10] "Our Campaigns - U of Michigan Board of Regents Race - Nov 08, 2016".

[11] "Ron Weiser".

[:0-12] "University of Michigan regent, wife give $30-million gift toward diabetes therapies". mlive. 2020-06-15. Retrieved 2020-08-30.

[13] "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-03-27. Retrieved 2016-03-17.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

[14] "McKinley founder Ron Weiser donates $50 million to University of Michigan". Mlive.com. 19 December 2014. Retrieved 6 January 2018.

[15] "Op-Ed: The University's summer of lies". The Michigan Daily. August 27, 2020. Retrieved August 30, 2020.

[16] Burke, Lilah (September 4, 2020). "Consultation Theater". Inside Higher Ed. Mark Belles. Retrieved September 15, 2020.

[17] "Michigan Republican Ron Weiser to assist with Trump fundraising efforts". Mlive.com. 25 May 2016. Retrieved 6 January 2018.

[18] Lee, Michelle Ye Hee (June 30, 2020). "A dozen donors paid nearly $480,000 in legal fees for Pence in Mueller inquiry, new filing shows". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on July 2, 2020. Among other donors were Ron Weiser, a longtime GOP donor, former ambassador to Slovakia and former chair of the Michigan GOP ($50,000), and Marty Obst, senior political adviser to Pence ($20,000).