Milliken, William G., 1922-

Republican governor of Michigan, 1969-1982.

From the description of William G. Milliken papers, 1961-1982. (University of Michigan). WorldCat record id: 34421257

William Grawn Milliken was governor of Michigan from 1969-1982, the longest term in state history. A Yale-educated businesman and politician, he was elected Lieutenant Governor in 1964 and 1966, after serving four years in the State Senate, the last two as majority floor leader. He assumed the governorship on January 22, 1969, when George Romney resigned to become secretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development in Richard Nixon's cabinet. Michigan voters returned Milliken to office in the 1970, 1974, and 1978 elections. His first gubernatorial victory was narrow, with just a 44,000 vote margin. But citizen favor for him grew, and by 1978, his last test at the polls, Milliken won by nearly 400,000 votes. Many of his supporters were ticket-splitters or former Democrats.

Although chief executive during the deepest economic crisis experienced in Michigan since the Depression, Governor Milliken was generally popular among both the people of the state and his political peers. A well-regarded politician, he chaired the National Governor's Association during 1977-1978 and the Midwest Governor's Association in 1974. He was the principal leader of the state GOP and a national force in the moderate wing of the Republican Party. Conservative elements within the party were often critical of the bipartisan, alliance-building style that led him to court labor, occassionally appoint Democrats to state jobs, and supported pro-choice legislation on abortion.

Milliken led the state during a conflict-ridden era that frequently tested his ability as a crisis manager--for example, the General Motors strike of 1970, two Arab oil embargoes, contamination of the food chain with the toxic chemical PBB, and a controversy surrounding the state mental health system. He was admired for a firmness of conviction on issues that mattered greatly to him, such as the responsibility of government to cities, the arts, the environment, and the poor. The state revenue sharing program that helped Detroit during troubled economic times was adopted largely through Milliken's efforts. His administration was noted for its commitment to conservation and the passage of the Environmental Protection Act of 1970, which serve a model legislation throughout the nation; the budget stabilization fund and efforts at economic development; and, in the last days of his term, worker and unemployment compensation reforms and enactment of a transportation package. Milliken announced his decision not to seek reelection on December 22, 1981. After retiring from public office, he joined Chrysler Corporation's board of directors and chaired the Center for the Great Lakes, a private economic and environmental research center devoted to protecting regional lake resources.

William Milliken was born in Traverse City on March 16, 1922, to James Thacker Milliken and Hildegarde Grawn. A waist-gunner on a World War II B-24 bomber, he received military honors, including the Purple Heart, for participation in 50 combat missions. From 1947-1955, he served on the Michigan Waterways Commission. The U.S. State Department selected him in 1953 to spend 75 days in West Germany in an intercultural exchange program and in 1971 to tour the Soviet Union and Romania. Governor Milliken is a past president of J.W. Milliken, Inc., a Michigan department store chain headquartered in Traverse City, with outlets in Manistee and Cadillac. His wife is the former Helen Wallbank of Denver, Colorado; they have two children, William, Jr. and Elaine.

From the guide to the William G. Milliken papers, 1961-1982, (Bentley Historical Library University of Michigan)