Rick Baxter
Encyclopedia
Rick Baxter is a businessman and politician from the U.S. state
of Michigan
. He currently is the President of Driven Motors in Jackson, Michigan
.
Baxter's previous positions have been the chairman of the Jackson County
Republican
Party, the Business Development Director for his family's company Baxter Machine & Tool Co., Inc. in Jackson, Michigan
, District Director for Congressman Tim Walberg
(R-MI) (2007), Republican
State Representative in the Michigan House of Representatives (2005–2006), County Commissioner for Jackson County, Michigan
(2003–2004), and holding several positions, most recently as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), for Baxter Machine & Tool Co., Inc. (1997–2004).
Baxter also preaches his local church, teaches a Bible class, and has served as their Treasurer since 2005.
Rick Baxter is a graduate of Lenawee Christian schools in Adrian, Michigan
(1997) and received his Bachelor of Arts degree (BA) from Spring Arbor University
in Spring Arbor, Michigan (2003).
county commissioner in the primary and went on to win the seat, unopposed, in November.
In 2004, Baxter ran for an open seat for State Representative. He defeated two other Republicans in the primary. Baxter won a very tight general election, winning by 358 votes out of a total of 37,714.
As State Representative Baxter had 14 bills signed into law. In the summer of 2005 he published a controversial article in the Wall Street Journal titled "How to Skin a Wolverine." The article caught the ire of then Governor Jennifer Granholm who labeled his views "treasonous." During both years in the Michigan House he was rated by Inside Michigan Politics as "The Most Conservative Freshman" in the Michigan Legislature, rated second Most Conservative in the entire State in 2006.
For his next re-election, Baxter won the primary with over 65% of the vote but went on to lose his re-election bid in the general. Both parties combined spent almost 1.5 million dollars for their candidates in 2006.
In 2008 Baxter ran for the open seat of Jackson County Treasurer, but lost the election in November.
as the keynote speaker for the party's major fundraiser of the year, the Lincoln Day Dinner. Under Baxter's leadership the event raised over $20,000, well over double what any preceding Lincoln Day event had raised.
In 2008 he has started to organize the Party to work more closely with candidates, at all levels, to share costs, strategies, and resources. In 2008 Baxter also secured the Acting Administrator of the US Small Business Administration
, Jovita Carranza, as the county party's keynote speaker for their annual Lincoln Day fundraiser. In June 2008, Baxter resigned his position as chair to run for Jackson County Treasurer.
In 2008 Baxter was awarded the "Republican of the Year" by the Jackson County Republican Party.
In October 2007 he left his position as District Director for Congressman Tim Walberg
to rejoin the family business as their Business Development Director. In this position he handled Baxter Machine's business development, sales, and customer relations.
In November 2008 he founded Driven Motors, a used vehicle dealership based solely online. The business grew from there and added a physical presence in Jackson by the summer of 2010. In late 2010 Driven Motors added a vehicle repair facility for both its dealership and open to the public. By early 2011 the company doubled its capacity and doubled its staff. Driven Motors has an aggressive marketing campaign focused on the Jackson area that includes radio advertising, local sport sponsorships, and Jackson based event sponsorships. Their slogan "Driven to earn your trust" apparently has resonated with the local community. They boast an "all Jackson" staff with all staff members not only living in the Jackson area, but also having grown up in Jackson as well. Rick also co-hosts a radio show on WKHM-AM focusing on auto related issues. Starting in the summer in 2011 the company added In-House financing for vehicles.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. He currently is the President of Driven Motors in Jackson, Michigan
Jackson, Michigan
Jackson is a city located along Interstate 94 in the south central area of the U.S. state of Michigan, about west of Ann Arbor and south of Lansing. It is the county seat of Jackson County. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 33,534...
.
Baxter's previous positions have been the chairman of the Jackson County
Jackson County, Michigan
As of the census of 2000, there were 158,422 people, 58,168 households, and 40,833 families residing in the county. The population density was 224 people per square mile . There were 62,906 housing units at an average density of 89/sq mi...
Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Party, the Business Development Director for his family's company Baxter Machine & Tool Co., Inc. in Jackson, Michigan
Jackson, Michigan
Jackson is a city located along Interstate 94 in the south central area of the U.S. state of Michigan, about west of Ann Arbor and south of Lansing. It is the county seat of Jackson County. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 33,534...
, District Director for Congressman Tim Walberg
Tim Walberg
Timothy Lee "Tim" Walberg is the current U.S. Representative for , and was also the former Congressman for the district from 2007 to 2009.-Early life, education, and religious career:...
(R-MI) (2007), Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
State Representative in the Michigan House of Representatives (2005–2006), County Commissioner for Jackson County, Michigan
Jackson County, Michigan
As of the census of 2000, there were 158,422 people, 58,168 households, and 40,833 families residing in the county. The population density was 224 people per square mile . There were 62,906 housing units at an average density of 89/sq mi...
(2003–2004), and holding several positions, most recently as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), for Baxter Machine & Tool Co., Inc. (1997–2004).
Baxter also preaches his local church, teaches a Bible class, and has served as their Treasurer since 2005.
Rick Baxter is a graduate of Lenawee Christian schools in Adrian, Michigan
Adrian, Michigan
As of the 2010 census Adrian had a population of 21,133. The racial and ethnic makeup of the population was 84.1% white, 4.4% black or African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 5.9% from some other race and 4.0% from two or more races...
(1997) and received his Bachelor of Arts degree (BA) from Spring Arbor University
Spring Arbor University
Spring Arbor University is a Christian institution of higher education located in Spring Arbor, Michigan, in the United States. SAU is affiliated with the Free Methodist Church...
in Spring Arbor, Michigan (2003).
Elections & Public Service
Baxter's first campaign was in 2002 when he ran for the Jackson County (Michigan) Commission. He defeated the two-term incumbent RepublicanRepublican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
county commissioner in the primary and went on to win the seat, unopposed, in November.
In 2004, Baxter ran for an open seat for State Representative. He defeated two other Republicans in the primary. Baxter won a very tight general election, winning by 358 votes out of a total of 37,714.
As State Representative Baxter had 14 bills signed into law. In the summer of 2005 he published a controversial article in the Wall Street Journal titled "How to Skin a Wolverine." The article caught the ire of then Governor Jennifer Granholm who labeled his views "treasonous." During both years in the Michigan House he was rated by Inside Michigan Politics as "The Most Conservative Freshman" in the Michigan Legislature, rated second Most Conservative in the entire State in 2006.
For his next re-election, Baxter won the primary with over 65% of the vote but went on to lose his re-election bid in the general. Both parties combined spent almost 1.5 million dollars for their candidates in 2006.
In 2008 Baxter ran for the open seat of Jackson County Treasurer, but lost the election in November.
Party Chair
Baxter served as chair of the Jackson County Republican Party from 2007 to 2008. During that time he completely reorganized the local party by rewriting their by-laws and consolidating their committees to be more broad and effective. In his first major act as county chair he secured Karl RoveKarl Rove
Karl Christian Rove was Senior Advisor and Deputy Chief of Staff to former President George W. Bush until Rove's resignation on August 31, 2007. He has headed the Office of Political Affairs, the Office of Public Liaison, and the White House Office of Strategic Initiatives...
as the keynote speaker for the party's major fundraiser of the year, the Lincoln Day Dinner. Under Baxter's leadership the event raised over $20,000, well over double what any preceding Lincoln Day event had raised.
In 2008 he has started to organize the Party to work more closely with candidates, at all levels, to share costs, strategies, and resources. In 2008 Baxter also secured the Acting Administrator of the US Small Business Administration
Small Business Administration
The Small Business Administration is a United States government agency that provides support to entrepreneurs and small businesses. The mission of the Small Business Administration is "to maintain and strengthen the nation's economy by enabling the establishment and viability of small businesses...
, Jovita Carranza, as the county party's keynote speaker for their annual Lincoln Day fundraiser. In June 2008, Baxter resigned his position as chair to run for Jackson County Treasurer.
In 2008 Baxter was awarded the "Republican of the Year" by the Jackson County Republican Party.
Businessman
Baxter's business career started after he graduated in 1997 from Lenawee Christian schools in Adrian, Michigan. He began working in the summer of 1997 as a CAD Tech/Accounting Assistant and worked his way up to Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in 2003. He left the company at the end of 2004 to become State Representative.In October 2007 he left his position as District Director for Congressman Tim Walberg
Tim Walberg
Timothy Lee "Tim" Walberg is the current U.S. Representative for , and was also the former Congressman for the district from 2007 to 2009.-Early life, education, and religious career:...
to rejoin the family business as their Business Development Director. In this position he handled Baxter Machine's business development, sales, and customer relations.
In November 2008 he founded Driven Motors, a used vehicle dealership based solely online. The business grew from there and added a physical presence in Jackson by the summer of 2010. In late 2010 Driven Motors added a vehicle repair facility for both its dealership and open to the public. By early 2011 the company doubled its capacity and doubled its staff. Driven Motors has an aggressive marketing campaign focused on the Jackson area that includes radio advertising, local sport sponsorships, and Jackson based event sponsorships. Their slogan "Driven to earn your trust" apparently has resonated with the local community. They boast an "all Jackson" staff with all staff members not only living in the Jackson area, but also having grown up in Jackson as well. Rick also co-hosts a radio show on WKHM-AM focusing on auto related issues. Starting in the summer in 2011 the company added In-House financing for vehicles.
Electoral history
- 2008 Jackson County Treasurer General Election
- Rick Baxter (R), 44.9%
- Karen Coffman (D), 54.5%
- 2006 State House (64) General Election
- Rick Baxter (R), 47.4%
- Martin Griffin (D), 52.6%
- 2006 State House (64) Primary Election
- Rick Baxter (R), 65.3%
- Bob Ross (R), 34.7%
- 2004 State House (64) General Election
- Rick Baxter (R), 49.8%
- Martin Griffin (D), 48.8%
- Bob Ross Write-In, 1.3%
- 2004 State House (64) Primary Election
- Rick Baxter (R), 44.3%
- Bob Ross (R), 28.8%
- Jon Williams (R), 26.8%
- 2002 Jackson County Commission (05) Primary Election
- Rick Baxter (R), 40.2%
- Alan Miltich (R), 32.4%
- Judy Reynolds (R), 23.0%
- Trish O'Shea (R), 4.4%