James J. Blanchard served as Governor of Michigan from 1983 to 1991, following eight years in the U.S. House of Representatives.
He later served as U.S. Ambassador to Canada from 1993 to 1996. As governor, Blanchard created the Michigan Education Trust, the nation’s first prepaid tuition program, and Michigan’s first Office of the Great Lakes. He is currently senior counsel at DLA Piper and remains active in U.S.-Canada relations and numerous diplomatic and nonprofit organizations.