Wendell E. Hulcher
Encyclopedia
Wendell Ellsworth Hulcher (November 3, 1922 – May 6, 1999) was a businessman, politician, and government bureaucrat. He served as mayor of Ann Arbor, Michigan
from 1965 to 1969.
during World War II
. During the early 1950s, he was employed as a consultant for McKinsey & Company
, before taking a job as a manager at Ford Motor Company
, which he held from 1954 to 1967.
Hulcher ran as a Republican
for mayor of Ann Arbor, Michigan
in 1965, defeating Democrat
Eunice L. Burns, who was attempting to become the city's first female mayor. Hulcher won reelection to the mayor's office in 1967, defeating Democrat
and anti-war activist
Edward C. Pierce
, who would go on to win a mayoral election in the mid-1980s. Hulcher decided not to run for a third term in 1969.
After his terms as mayor, Hulcher served in various agencies of the federal government through the 1970s. He was deputy director of the Office of Intergovernmental Relations from 1969 to 1971, and later a staff member for the American Revolution Bicentennial Commission (1975) and the Small Business Administration
. From 1979 until his retirement in 1993, Hulcher was a professor of business and economics at Florida Southern College
.
Hulcher died in 1999. His wife Violet Bell Hulcher died December 8, 2006. His personal papers are held at the Dwight D. Eisenhower Library, and papers from his time as Mayor of Ann Arbor are held at the Bentley Historical Library
at the University of Michigan
.
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
from 1965 to 1969.
Biography
Hulcher served as a pilot in the U.S. Air ForceUnited States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. During the early 1950s, he was employed as a consultant for McKinsey & Company
McKinsey & Company
McKinsey & Company, Inc. is a global management consulting firm that focuses on solving issues of concern to senior management. McKinsey serves as an adviser to many businesses, governments, and institutions...
, before taking a job as a manager at Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
, which he held from 1954 to 1967.
Hulcher ran as a 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...
for mayor of Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
in 1965, defeating Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Eunice L. Burns, who was attempting to become the city's first female mayor. Hulcher won reelection to the mayor's office in 1967, defeating Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
and anti-war activist
Opposition to the Vietnam War
The movement against US involvment in the in Vietnam War began in the United States with demonstrations in 1964 and grew in strength in later years. The US became polarized between those who advocated continued involvement in Vietnam, and those who wanted peace. Peace movements consisted largely of...
Edward C. Pierce
Edward C. Pierce
Edward Charles Pierce was a politician and physician from the U.S. state of Michigan.-Biography:Pierce was born in the town of Three Rivers, in St. Joseph County, Michigan. He moved with his family to Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1940 at the age of ten and, after serving in the U.S. Air Force, studied...
, who would go on to win a mayoral election in the mid-1980s. Hulcher decided not to run for a third term in 1969.
After his terms as mayor, Hulcher served in various agencies of the federal government through the 1970s. He was deputy director of the Office of Intergovernmental Relations from 1969 to 1971, and later a staff member for the American Revolution Bicentennial Commission (1975) and the 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...
. From 1979 until his retirement in 1993, Hulcher was a professor of business and economics at Florida Southern College
Florida Southern College
Florida Southern College is a private college located in Lakeland, Florida, United States. It was selected by U.S...
.
Hulcher died in 1999. His wife Violet Bell Hulcher died December 8, 2006. His personal papers are held at the Dwight D. Eisenhower Library, and papers from his time as Mayor of Ann Arbor are held at the Bentley Historical Library
Bentley Historical Library
The Bentley Historical Library is a historical library located on the University of Michigan's North Campus in Ann Arbor. It was established in 1935 by the regents of the University of Michigan...
at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
.
Further reading
- Mayors of Ann Arbor page at PoliticalGraveyard.com
- Wendell E. Hulcher, Arborwiki