M. Peter McPherson

Peter McPherson is president of the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC) and President-Emeritus of Michigan State University. Since 2007, he has served as Chairman of the Board of Dow Jones & Company. He chairs the board of Abraham Lincoln Study Abroad Commission, is the founding co-chair of the Partnership to Cut Hunger and Poverty in Africa, and is chairman of the Board of the International Food and Agricultural Development. He retired as president of Michigan State University in December of 2004 after serving 11 years. From April to October 2003, he took leave from that position and served as the Director of Economic Policy in Iraq under the Coalition Provisional Authority.

Prior to being named president of Michigan State, Mr. McPherson held senior executive positions with the Bank of America from April 1989 to October 1993.

From 1969 to 1989, Mr. McPherson held several governmental and private sector positions. He served as deputy secretary of the U.S. Treasury, with special focus on trade, tax, and international issues, from August 1987 to March 1989. He was the administrator of the Agency for International Development from 1981 to 1987. He has also been the chairman of the board of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, a managing partner of a large Ohio law firm, and a special assistant to President Gerald Ford. In 1964-1965, Mr. McPherson was a Peace Corps volunteer in Peru.

Mr. McPherson earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Michigan State University, an M.B.A. from Western Michigan University and a J.D. degree from American University Law School. He holds honorary doctorates from Virginia State University, Mount St. Mary's College and Michigan State University.

Mr. McPherson has also been honored with the U.S. Presidential Certificate of Outstanding Achievement, the Secretary of State Distinguished Leadership Award, the Department of Treasury's Alexander Hamilton Award, the UNICEF award for "outstanding contribution to child survival" and the 1983 Humanitarian of the Year award from the American Lebanese League.

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