Michael Retzer
| Michael Lynn Retzer, Sr. | |
|---|---|
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| Born | 1946 Bethesda, Maryland, USA |
| Residence | Greenville, Mississippi |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Years active | 1978–present |
| Political party | Republican |
| Children |
Michael Lynn Retzer, Jr. |
Michael Lynn Retzer, Jr.
Michael Lynn Retzer, Sr. (born 1946), is an American Republican politician from Mississippi, who was United States Ambassador to Tanzania from 2005 to 2007.
Retzer was born in Bethesda, Maryland, to Karl and Betty Retzer; he has two brothers, Bill Retzer and Jere Retzer. He graduated in 1968 with a bachelor's degree in finance and marketing from the University of Oregon's Honors College in Eugene, Oregon. He then followed his father's lead and joined the United States Air Force.
Retzer served as a captain in the U.S. Air Force, in which he was decorated with the Meritorious Service Award and Commendation medal. With his son, he has developed a restaurant chain that has grown to 54 McDonald's locations in Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana and employs more than 3,200 persons. He serves on the board of directors and the executive committee of the Planters Bank of Mississippi.
Since 1978, when he succeeded Charles W. Pickering, Retzer has been elected multiple times as state chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party. In 2004, he was elected Treasurer of the Republican National Convention, which met in New York City to re-nominate the Bush-Cheney ticket. In 2001, he was elected Republican National Committeeman for Mississippi; Jim Herring, a lawyer from Canton, then became chairman for a seven-year stint. In 2002, Retzer was named treasurer of the national Republican Party.
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