List of people from Grand Rapids, Michigan

The following is a list of notable people associated with Grand Rapids, Michigan . These people were born or lived in Grand Rapids.

Artists and artisans

• Mathias Alten — impressionist painter
• Jeffrey Brown — comic book creator
• Frederick Stuart Church — illustrator ^[1]
• Kreigh Collins — painter; cartoonist ^[2]
• Paul Collins — painter ^[3]
• Dirk Gringhuis — illustrator
• Daniel Vosovic — clothing designer ^[4]

Business, industry, academic and labor figures

• Clayton Allen — entrepreneur
• Steve Belkin — founder and chairman of Trans National Group
• Hattie Beverly — teacher
• Owen Bieber — president of United Auto Workers
• Anna Sutherland Bissell — chief executive officer of Bissell ^[5]
• Charles Sumner Burch — editor of Grand Rapids Evening Press
• Mary de Young — professor of sociology; author
• Dick DeVos — chief executive officer of Amway
• Richard DeVos — co-founder of Amway ^[6]
• Keith DeVries — archaeologist
• Anthony Diekema — former president of Calvin College ^[7]
• Gerald Rudolff Ford — businessman; chairman of Kent County Republican Committee; stepfather of Gerald Ford
• Arnold Gingrich — founder of Esquire magazine
• James Hackett — businessman; Steelcase, Ford Motor Company
• John A. Hannah — president of Michigan State College
• H. Wayne Huizenga — entrepreneur
• Loraine Immen — first president of the Grand Rapids City Federation of Women's Clubs
• Hugh Newell Jacobsen — Modernist architect
• Jack Loeks — movie theater entrepreneur ^[8]
• Kenneth Marin — professor of economics; member of White House Consumer Advisory Council
• Frank Edward McGurrin — inventor of touch typing
• M. Peter McPherson — president of Michigan State University; chairman of Dow Jones
• Doug Meijer — co-chairman of supermarket Meijer ^[9]
• Hank Meijer — co-chairman and CEO of supermarket Meijer ^[9]
• Agnes Nestor — labor leader
• John Pease — professor of sociology
• Marshall Purnell — president of American Institute of Architects
• John Herman Randall Jr. — professor of philosophy
• Charles Ryskamp — professor at Princeton and museum director
• Henry F. Schaefer, III — professor of chemistry
• L. William Seidman — economist and financial commentator
• Ossian Cole Simonds — landscape designer
• Carl J. Strikwerda — president of Elizabethtown College
• Mel Trotter — rescue mission director ^[10]
• Jay Van Andel — co-founder of Amway ^[11]
• Robert J. Vanderbei — Princeton University professor
• John Philip Wernette — president of the University of New Mexico
• Roger Wilkins — civil rights leader and professor

Criminals

• Gwendolyn Graham and Cathy Wood

Entertainment figures

• Gillian Anderson — television and film actress ^[12]
• Ford Beebe — film director
• Otto Brower — film director
• James T. Callahan — film and television actor
• Horace B. Carpenter — film actor and director
• Jim Cash — screenwriter
• Riley Chamberlin — silent film actor
• Rex Cherryman — stage and film actor
• Shawn Christian — television and film actor
• Wanda Cochran — soprano
• Steven Ford — television and film actor
• Stephen Goosson — film set designer
• Lorna Gray — film actress
• Stacey Haiduk — television actress
• Thom Hartmann — radio personality
• Paul Walter Hauser — television and film actor and comedian
• Adam Herz — screenwriter and producer
• Phillips Holmes — early film actor
• Jimmy Jacobs — professional wrestler
• Matt Keeslar — television and film actor
• Lisa Kelly — ice road trucker
• James Kirkwood Sr. — film actor and director
• Eric Allan Kramer — television, film and stage actor
• Taylor Lautner — television and film actor ^[13]
• Victor Lundberg — radio personality
• C. Cameron Macauley — filmmaker
• Violet MacMillan — vaudeville, stage and silent film actress
• Kevin Matthews — radio personality
• Ryan O'Reilly — professional wrestler
• Colleen O'Shaughnessey — voice actress
• Wally Phillips — radio personality
• Don Quinn — comedy writer and cartoonist
• Andy Richter — television and film actor ^[14]
• Leonard Schrader — screenwriter and director
• Paul Schrader — screenwriter and director
• Richard Shoberg — television actor
• Noah Sife — television actor
• Jackie Swanson — television and film actress
• Ray Teal — television and film actor
• Reed Timmer — storm chaser and meteorologist ^[15]
• Jess Walton — television actress
• Elizabeth Wilson — stage, television and film actress
• Dick York — television, stage, radio and film actor
• Ginger Zee — ABC News meteorologist
• Kim Zimmer — television and stage actress

Government officials, politicians and activists

• Russell A. Alger — Governor of Michigan; U.S. Secretary of War
• Justin Amash — U.S. Congressman
• John Ball — pioneer; member of the Michigan State Legislature
• Charles E. Belknap — Union Army Captain; U.S. Congressman
• Harvey Hollister Bundy — Special Assistant to the U.S. Secretary of War
• Edmund Burfoot — Member of Michigan House of Representatives
• Charles C. Comstock — U.S. Congressman from Michigan; mayor of Grand Rapids ^[16]
• Robert Danhof — jurist
• Vern Ehlers — U.S. Congressman from Michigan ^[17]
• William Montague Ferry Jr. — Michigan and Utah Politician
• Betty Ford — 37th First Lady of the United States ^[18]
• Gerald R. Ford — 38th President of the United States ^[18]
• Wilder D. Foster — U.S. Congressman from Michigan; mayor of Grand Rapids ^[16]
• George Heartwell — Mayor of Grand Rapids ^{[16] [19]}
• Paul B. Henry — U.S. Congressman ^[20]
• Julius Houseman — U.S. Congressman; mayor of Grand Rapids ^[16]
• Bartel J. Jonkman — U.S. Congressman from Michigan
• Frank Knox — U.S. Secretary of the Navy; vice presidential candidate in the 1936 U.S. Presidential election
• Terri Lynn Land — Michigan Secretary of State ^[21]
• Louise Little — Mother of Malcolm X
• John H. Logie — Mayor of Grand Rapids ^{[16] [22]}
• Brian Mast — U.S. representative for Florida ^[23]
• Peter Meijer — U.S. Congressman; son of Hank Meijer
• Frederick Henry Mueller — U.S. Secretary of Commerce ^[24]
• Agnes Nestor — women's suffrage and workers' rights activist ^[25]
• Lyman Parks — Mayor of Grand Rapids
• Helen Cary Russell — president, Grand Rapids Federation of Women's Clubs; president, Michigan State Federation of Women's Clubs
• Michael Sak — State Representative
• Harold S. Sawyer — U.S. Congressman
• Hillary Scholten — U.S. Congresswoman
• Peter F. Secchia — U.S. Ambassador to Italy
• William Alden Smith — U.S. Senator
• Glenn Steil Sr. — member of the Michigan Senate ^[26]
• K. William Stinson — U.S. Congressman from Washington
• Edwin F. Sweet — U.S. Congressman, mayor of Grand Rapids ^[16]
• Jerald terHorst — press secretary under President Gerald Ford
• Edwin F. Uhl — U.S. Assistant Secretary of State ; mayor of Grand Rapids ^[16]
• Arthur H. Vandenberg — 88th President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate ^[27]
• Guy Vander Jagt — U.S. Congressman from Michigan ^[28]
• Richard VanderVeen — U.S. Congressman ^[29]
• Martha Lee Walters — 43rd Chief Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court ^[30]

• Gretchen Whitmer — Governor of Michigan ^[31]

• Roger Wilkins — U.S. Assistant Attorney General. Attended Creston High School

Military figures

• Keith Clark — U.S. Army bugler who played "Taps" at the funeral of President John F. Kennedy
• Arthur B. Engel — U.S. Coast Guard rear admiral
• Benjamin F. Engel — U.S. Coast Guard vice admiral
• Eugene F. George — U.S. Navy sailor and Navy Cross recipient
• Scott S. Haraburda — U.S. Army Colonel and president of the Indiana Society of Professional Engineers ^[32]
• John C. Sjogren — U.S. Army staff sergeant and Medal of Honor recipient
• Stephen A. Turcotte — U.S. Navy rear admiral
• Dirk J. Vlug — U.S. Army private first class and Medal of Honor recipient

Musicians and bands

• Pennjamin Bannekar — independent music artist and songwriter
• Dave Bixby — folk musician
• Ralston Bowles — folk musician
• Mary Canberg — violinist
• The Cardboard Swords — pop-rock band
• Jeffrey Daniel — member of R&B group Shalamar
• Xavier Davis — jazz pianist
• DeBarge — R&B/soul group
• Dennis "Fergie" Frederiksen — vocalist (formerly of Toto)
• Al Green — R&B/soul singer ^[33]
• Bob Hay — member of the Squalls
• Adina Howard — R&B singer
• Charlie Huhn — frontman for Foghat
• Maynard James Keenan — lead singer of Tool
• Anthony Kiedis — lead singer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers
• La the Darkman — hip hop artist affiliated with Wu-Tang Clan
• La Dispute — post-hardcore group ^[34]

• Robert Longfield — composer
• Kevin Max — member of dc Talk
• Ken Medema — Christian musician
• Kellin Quinn — member of post-hardcore/alternative rock band Sleeping With Sirens
• John W. Peterson — Christian songwriter
• Mustard Plug — ska punk group
• Pop Evil — hard rock band
• Marvin Sapp — gospel singer, and member of the group Commissioned
• Del Shannon — rock & roll musician
• Sleeping with Sirens — alternative rock/post-hardcore band
• SoFaygo — rapper
• Leo Sowerby — composer and musician
• Still Remains — metalcore group
• Casey Stratton — pop/rock musician
• Sam Stryke — composer and pianist
• Helena Stone Torgerson — harpist and composer
• Whirlwind Heat — alternative rock group ^[35]
• Willie the Kid — rapper
• Jason Wood — lead singer of It Dies Today

Religious figures

• Rob Bell — founding pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church; author
• Martin H. Carmody — Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus
• M. R. DeHaan — Bible teacher, founder of the Radio Bible Class
• Michael Gallagher — Bishop of Grand Rapids
• Francis J. Haas — Bishop of Grand Rapids
• Edward D. Kelly — Bishop of Grand Rapids
• Isaac McCoy — Baptist missionary
• Joseph Crescent McKinney — Auxiliary Bishop of Grand Rapids
• Joseph G. Pinten — Bishop of Grand Rapids
• Charles Salatka — Archbishop of Oklahoma City
• Robert Sirico — co-founder of the Acton Institute
• Edmund Szoka — President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State

Science

• Roger Chaffee — NASA astronaut, U.S. Navy lieutenant commander ^[36]
• Jewell James Ebers — transistor-theory electrical engineer
• Christina Koch — NASA astronaut, engineer
• Jack R. Lousma — NASA astronaut, U.S. Marine Corps colonel
• Lynn Rogers — biologist

Sports figures

• Vince Agnew — NFL player
• George Andrie — NFL player
• Dan Archer — NFL player
• Paul Assenmacher — MLB player
• Jim Avery — NFL player
• John Barnum — PGA Tour golfer
• Terry Barr — NFL player
• Albrey Battle — gridiron football player ^[37]
• Johnny Benson — NASCAR driver
• Ray Bentley — NFL player
• Harry Berrios — baseball player
• Marcus Bingham Jr. (born 2000) — basketball player for Hapoel Haifa of the Israeli Basketball Premier League
• Israel Boatwright — soccer player ^[38]
• Devin Booker — NBA player
• Drayson Bowman — NHL player
• Jim Boylen — NBA assistant coach
• Cameron Bradfield — NFL player
• David Brandt — NFL player
• Andrew Bremer – cerebral palsy soccer player ^[39]
• Carlton Brewster — NFL player
• Kobe Bufkin — NBA player
• Kelly Butler — NFL player
• Geno Carlisle — basketball player
• Dženan Ćatić – soccer player ^[40]
• Bill Cutler — baseball executive
• Chuck DeShane — NFL player
• Al DeVormer — MLB player
• Mark Dewey — MLB player
• Brian Diemer — track and field athlete
• Mike Donald — PGA Tour golfer
• Allie Dragoo — professional cyclist ^[41]
• Jim Dreyer — ultramarathon athlete
• Mike Dumas — NFL player
• Katie Feenstra — Women's National Basketball Association player
• Julius Franks — All-American college football player
• Brent Gates — MLB player
• Julie Glass — roller derby and competitive speed skater
• Luke Glendening — NHL player
• Paul G. Goebel — NFL player; naval officer; mayor of Grand Rapids
• Paul Grasmanis — NFL player
• Ben Handlogten — NBA player
• David Harris — NFL player
• Jamahal Hill — mixed martial artist
• Gary Hogeboom — NFL player
• Marilyn Jenkins — All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player
• Josh Kalis — skateboarder
• Chris Kaman — NBA player
• Stanley Ketchel — middleweight boxer
• Mike Knuble — NHL player
• Lauren Kozal — National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) goalkeeper ^[42]
• Rick Kreuger — Major League Baseball player ^[43]
• Marion Ladewig — bowler
• Doc Lavan — MLB player
• Pete Lee — Olympic and world champion wrestler
• Bob Lurtsema — NFL player
• Mitch Lyons — NFL player ^[44]
• Buster Mathis Jr. — heavyweight boxer
• Jalen Mayfield — NFL player
• Floyd Mayweather Jr. — welterweight boxer ^[45]
• Floyd Mayweather Sr. — welterweight boxer
• Jeff Mayweather — super featherweight boxer
• Roger Mayweather — welterweight boxer
• Sparky McEwen — football player ^[46]
• Greg Meyer — distance runner
• Rick Miller — MLB player
• Monté Morris — NBA player
• Terna Nande — NFL player
• Drew Neitzel — professional basketball player
• Aidan O'Connor — Major League Soccer defender ^[47]
• Jim Pace — NFL player
• Wally Pipp — Major League Baseball player
• Kaleb Ort — MLB pitcher
• Peter Quillin — middleweight boxer
• John Rienstra — NFL player
• Rueben Riley — NFL player
• Dathan Ritzenhein — distance runner ^[48]
• Rocky Rosema — NFL player
• Dave Rozema — MLB player
• Doris Satterfield — All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player
• Steve Scheffler — NBA player ^[49]
• Betsy Snite — Olympic skiing silver medalist
• Joe Soboleski — NFL player
• Mickey Stanley — MLB player
• Matt Steigenga — NBA player
• Frank Steketee — All-American college football player
• Lou Stringer — MLB player
• Xavier Tillman — NBA player
• James Toney — heavyweight boxer
• Tony Tucker — heavyweight boxer
• John Vander Wal — MLB player
• Loy Vaught — NBA player
• Jared Veldheer — NFL player ^[50]
• Dave Walsh — professional gamer
• Casper Wells — MLB player ^[51]
• Jack Wisner — MLB player ^[52]

Writers, novelists, poets and journalists

• Max Apple — short story writer, novelist and screenwriter
• Anne W. Armstrong — novelist
• William Brashler — novelist and journalist ^[53]
• Andrew Britton — novelist
• Robert Forrest Burgess — outdoors writer and photographer
• Peter De Vries — editor and novelist
• Meindert DeJong — children's author
• Arnold Gingrich — founder of Esquire magazine
• LZ Granderson — sports writer ^[54]
• Lloyd Kropp — novelist, composer and educator
• Robie Macauley — novelist, literary critic and educator
• Harold Matson — literary agent
• Chris Molnar — writer, editor and publisher of Archway Editions
• Ander Monson — novelist and poet
• Bich Minh Nguyen — novelist and nonfiction writer
• Mary Jo Salter — poet
• Gary Schmidt — children's writer of nonfiction books and young adult novels
• Watson Spoelstra — sportswriter
• Michael Talbot — science writer
• Chris Van Allsburg — children's author and illustrator ^[55]
• Stewart Edward White — author

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