Marty McGuire

Marty McGuire rode his position as Director of Public Services for the City of Midland all the way to Dow Gardens where he now serves as Director. McGuire has been a staple of city politics for over twenty years. He is also nationally known in the softball community and resides in the “valley of power” on Valley Drive.

The Honorable Scott I. Haines

One needs only to look at how he was appointed County Clerk to see evidence of Scott Haines' influence in Midland. The decision to appoint Haines as Midland County Clerk still has people talking and remains highly controversial. A mainstay in county Republican politics, Haines served as campaign manager for Congressman Dave Camp for over ten years and later as the Midland County Register of Deeds.

John Telfer

Jack Telfer is the editor of the Midland Daily News, the primary source of news in the city. Their monopoly-like enterprise allows them to freely make mistakes, like the recent questionable online business model and web site design that received the scorn of the community. Telfer’s position gives him large influence over local residents that falls just short of his subordinate, Ralph Wirtz.

Mayor Bruce Johnson

Bruce Johnson succeeded R. Drummond Black as mayor of Midland in 2005 and has the top spot on the ‘MIDLAND 30’ of the five city councilmen. Midland has a weak mayoral system, so his influence is strongly curtailed, however Johnson, and the council itself make news frequently with their decisions – for good or for ill.

Jenee Velasquez

Jenee Velasquez is the first executive director of the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation and in that capacity she controls over half a billion dollars in funds that the foundation doles out to other Midland and Michigan charities.

Ralph Wirtz

Managing Editor of the Midland Daily News, Midland’s sole newspaper, Ralph Wirtz is charged with the bureaucratic duties of running the paper as well as providing quirky social and political commentary in an occasional column. While the specific internal duties of the Midland Daily News are not known, Managing Editors are typically responsible for hiring/firing employees, business expenditures, and number-crunching.

Michael D. Hayes

Mr. Baseball. Michael D. Hayes is a former State Representative and a vice president at Dow Chemical. He is also the vice president of the Michigan Baseball Foundation, the non-profit that owns the Great Lakes Loons. During the implementation of professional baseball in Midland, Hayes served as a principal architect of the plan. Hayes was recently made chairman of the executive committee of the Midland Area Chamber of Commerce.

Margaret Ann Reicker

Margaret Ann Reicker is president of the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation, a behemoth non-profit based in Midland and dwarfed only by the Gerstacker Foundation in funds. Reicker controls around $18 million worth of cash that’s distributed in grants to other Michigan non-profits. The foundation’s total worth is over $500 million. With such a hefty tool, Reicker weilds enormous influence in Mid-Michigan.

Stephanie Burns, Ph.D.

Stephanie Burns is the CEO of Dow Corning. As the county’s second-largest employer, Burns has enormous influence in Midland. The company’s 2007 sales surpassed $4 billion. Burns has been named on the Forbes.com Most Powerful Women list. On top of all of her business experience, she holds a Ph.D. in organic chemistry. Very impressive.

Geoffery Merszei

Dow Chemical’s number two man, Geoffery Merszei replaced Pedro Reinhard as chief financial officer after Reinhard’s controversial firing. Corporate politics are always unpredictable, and Dow Chemical CEO Andrew Liveris is still young, however Merszei is definitely on the CEO’s office radar. Merszei’s father, Zoltan, is a former chairman, president, and CEO of Dow Chemical as well. The 'Merszei Mansion' is very prominent on Valley Drive near the residences of Frank Popoff and Marty McGuire.