Landers, Frank Michael

Landers was a political writter about Michigan politics. The Clarke Historical Library has several of his books.

Career civil servant from Michigan who worked in state government revenue and budgeting agencies, and in the federal government as a budget consultant to foreign governments.

Landers was born in Holyoke, Massachusetts in 1911. He attended the University of Michigan as an undergraduate, and also did graduate work in public administration at the University. After receiving his Masters degree in public administration in 1936, Landers began working as a researcher for the Michigan State Welfare and Relief Study Commission. The next year, he was appointed Chief of the County Finance Unit of the State Emergency Relief Agency.

In 1938, Landers took a job with the State Tax Commission, but left within a year to research and teach at the University of Michigan's Bureau of Government. He returned to the State Tax Commission in 1941, as the Secretary. In 1942-43, Landers left state government to work for the United States Bureau of the Budget. In 1943, he left the Bureau for military service in the Naval Reserve.

With the end of the war, Landers returned to work for the Michigan state government as the research director of the Department of Revenue. In 1949, he was appointed director of the budget in the Department of Administration, where he remained until 1961. During his tenure as the director of the budget, he twice served as a budget consultant for foreign governments: in the Philippines in 1954 and in Vietnam in 1956.

Frank M. Landers was a career civil servant who worked in the Michigan state government and in the federal government. Landers was born in Holyoke, Massachusetts in 1911. He attended the University of Michigan as an undergraduate, and also did graduate work in public administration at the University. After receiving his Masters degree in public administration in 1936, Landers began working as a researcher for the Michigan State Welfare and Relief Study Commission. The next year, he was appointed Chief of the County Finance Unit of the State Emergency Relief Agency. In 1938, Landers took a job with the State Tax Commission, but left within a year to research and teach at the University of Michigan's Bureau of Government. He returned to the State Tax Commission in 1941, as the Secretary. In 1942-43, Landers left state government to work for the United States Bureau of the Budget. In 1943, he left the Bureau for military service in the Naval Reserve. With the end of the war, Landers returned to work for the Michigan state government as the research director of the Department of Revenue. In 1949, he was appointed director of the budget in the Department of Administration, where he remained until 1961. During his tenure as the director of the budget, he twice served as a budget consultant for foreign governments: in the Philippines in 1954 and in Vietnam in 1956.

In 1961, Landers again left state government and began working for the United States Operations Mission (USOM), a U. S. State Department agency promoting Third World development. Landers worked for the agency in the Philippines in 1961-1962 and in Korea from 1962 to 1967. In 1968 he began working for the Agency for International Development (AID) in Vietnam, and then worked for AID in Pakistan from 1969 to 1974. He retired in 1975, but continued to write and research. In addition to his work for the government, Landers was involved in the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO), serving as president in 1954-55.