# Dick Posthumus > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Dick_Posthumus > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Dick_Posthumus.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Posthumus > Source revision: 1344186555 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **Richard Posthumus** (/ˈpɑːstjuːməs/; born July 19, 1950) is an American businessman, and politician. He was the 61st [lieutenant governor of Michigan](/source/Lieutenant_governor_of_Michigan) and [majority leader](/source/Majority_leader) of the [Michigan Senate](/source/Michigan_Senate). In [2002](/source/2002_Michigan_gubernatorial_election), he was the unsuccessful [Republican](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States)) nominee for [Governor of Michigan](/source/Governor_of_Michigan). ## Biography Posthumus grew up on a dairy farm in [Alto, Michigan](/source/Alto,_Michigan), outside of Grand Rapids. He graduated from [Michigan State University](/source/Michigan_State_University), during which he served as chairman of the [College Republicans](/source/College_Republicans) and as a vice chairman of the [Michigan Republican Party](/source/Michigan_Republican_Party). In 1971, he managed the successful [Michigan House of Representatives](/source/Michigan_House_of_Representatives) campaign of fellow student and future Michigan governor [John Engler](/source/John_Engler). Posthumus was elected to the Senate in 1982 and became majority leader in 1990, when Engler was elected governor. His 1982 campaign was managed by [Saul Anuzis](/source/Saul_Anuzis). Posthumus was the longest serving majority leader in the history of the Senate. Posthumus joined Engler on as his running mate and candidate for lieutenant governor in 1998[3] and went on to serve in that post for four years. He was the Republican nominee for governor in [2002](/source/Michigan_gubernatorial_election,_2002), having defeated [Joe Schwarz](/source/Joe_Schwarz) in the Republican primary, but lost to [Democrat](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States)) [Jennifer Granholm](/source/Jennifer_Granholm) in the general election. He joined Compatico in 2005 and became the chief executive officer in 2006. On November 8, 2010, Governor-elect [Rick Snyder](/source/Rick_Snyder) named Posthumus to be his senior adviser and legislative [lobbyist](/source/Lobbyist).[4][5] ## Personal life Posthumus married Pamela "Pam" (née Bartz) in 1972. They had four children together, and seven grandchildren. Pam died of cancer on August 18, 2010.[6] Posthumus married Beth Ann (née Mihlethaler) Fogg on September 24, 2011.[7] Dick's son, [Bryan](/source/Bryan_Posthumus), is a Michigan state representative, and advocate for Alcoholic's Anonymous and Dick's daughter, [Lisa](/source/Lisa_Posthumus_Lyons), is a Republican member of the [Michigan House of Representatives](/source/Michigan_House_of_Representatives).[8] ## Electoral history - **[2002 election for Governor](/source/Michigan_gubernatorial_election,_2002)** - [Jennifer Granholm](/source/Jennifer_Granholm) (D), 51% - Dick Posthumus (R), 47% - **2002 election for Governor – Republican Primary** - Dick Posthumus (R), 81% - [Joe Schwarz](/source/Joe_Schwarz) (R), 19% ## See also - [List of Michigan state legislatures](/source/List_of_Michigan_state_legislatures) ## References 1. ["Pam Posthumus Obituary"](https://obits.mlive.com/us/obituaries/grandrapids/name/pam-posthumus-obituary?id=12128079). *obits.mlive.com* 1. ["Happy Birthday To my best friend and husband, Dick posthumus!! Thank you for our wonderful life!!"](https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1157384844288568&set=a.157937574233305). *facebook.com* 1. Bell, Dawson (July 22, 1998). ["RICHARD 'DICK' POSTHUMUS"](https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/99630681/). *Detroit Free Press*. p. 65. Retrieved August 7, 2017. 1. ["Snyder recruits Dillon, Posthumus for top posts"](http://www.freep.com/article/20101108/NEWS15/101108026/1318/Snyder-recruits-Dillon-Posthumus-for-top-posts). Detroit Free Press. November 8, 2010. 1. Lawler, Emily (February 9, 2017). ["Gov. Rick Snyder selects Dick Posthumus as new chief of staff"](http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2017/02/gov_rick_snyder_selects_dick_p.html). *[MLive Media Group](/source/MLive_Media_Group)*. Retrieved 7 August 2017. 1. Veselenak, David (August 19, 2010). ["Pam Posthumus dies of cancer at age 59, remembered for how she 'took care of everybody'"](http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2010/08/pam_posthumus_dies_of_cancer_a.html). *The Grand Rapids Press*. [MLive Media Group](/source/MLive_Media_Group). Retrieved 7 August 2017. 1. ["Best weekend ever!! 🙂"](https://www.facebook.com/bethann.posthumus/posts/pfbid02gCQpewpcxRtDJNCnxqLGgV9nqesF8e3T3WmGFyiqeLZFzqYD6wY6xYcSbxek81tl). *facebook.com* 1. ["GOP lawmaker from western Michigan gets 15 days in jail for drunken driving"](https://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/2021/07/23/bryan-posthumus-michigan-jail-drunk-driving/8070246002/). Detroit Free Press. July 23, 2021. |- |- --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Dick Posthumus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Posthumus) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Posthumus?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.