Honorific-Prefix: | The Honorable |
Michael D. Prusi | |
State Senate: | Michigan |
District: | 38th |
Term Start: | January 1, 2003 |
Term End: | December 31, 2010 |
Predecessor: | Don Koivisto |
Successor: | Tom Casperson |
Office2: | Minority Leader of the Michigan Senate |
Term Start2: | January 1, 2009 |
Term End2: | December 31, 2010 |
Predecessor2: | Mark Schauer |
Successor2: | Gretchen Whitmer |
State House3: | Michigan |
District3: | 109th |
Term Start3: | May 1995 |
Term End3: | December 31, 2000 |
Predecessor3: | Dominic Jacobetti |
Successor3: | Stephen Adamini |
Birth Date: | 12 October 1949 |
Birth Place: | Ishpeming, Michigan, U.S. |
Party: | Democratic |
Spouse: | Sandi |
Alma Mater: | Northern Michigan University |
Profession: | Iron ore miner |
Michael Prusi (born October 12, 1949) is a former Democratic member of the Michigan Senate, representing the 38th district from 2003 to 2010. His district included Gogebic, Iron, Ontonagon, Delta, Dickinson, Keweenaw, Houghton, Baraga, Marquette, Alger, Luce, Schoolcraft, and Menominee counties in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Previously he was a member of the Michigan House of Representatives from 1995 through 2000.[1] [2] During his final term, he served as the Senate Minority Leader, following the election of the previous leader, Mark Schauer, to the U.S. House.
He attended Northern Michigan University and Lansing Community College. Before entering politics, he worked as an Iron Ore miner with the Cleveland Cliffs Mining Company http://www.cleveland-cliffs.com/|. He was elected to three terms as President of Local Union 4950 of the United Steelworkers of America. He was a member of the International Union’s Wage Policy Committee and Upper Peninsula Delegate for the union’s Committee on Political Education. Mike also served on the Executive Board of the Marquette County Labor Council.
Prior to joining the Senate, Prusi also served three terms in the Michigan House of Representatives, succeeding Dominic Jacobetti.
Prusi was a State Senator from Michigan's 38th District, which includes Alger, Baraga, Baraga, Dickinson, Gogebic, Houghton, Iron, Keweenaw, Luce, Marquette, Menominee, Ontonagon, and Schoolcraft Counties. Prusi was term limited in the 2010 election and was succeeded by Tom Casperson.
Prusi has been a member of the Senate since 2003. He is the Vice-Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and the Labor & Economic Growth and Joint Capital Outlay subcommittees. He also serves on the Higher Education and Corrections and Judiciary subcommittees.
On November 7, 2006, he was elected to his second term, and on November 12, 2008, he was elected by the Senate Democratic Caucus to serve as Minority Leader.
He resides in Ishpeming, Michigan. He is married to Sandi Prusi and has two children, Heather and Holly.