EXPERIENCE:

Tonya Schuitmaker was first elected to the Michigan House in November 2004 and re-elected in 2006 and 2008 by an overwhelming majority, where she serves the residents of Van Buren County, the city of Otsego, and the townships of Otsego and Watson in Allegan County. 

 

Representative Schuitmaker has made issues such as job growth and retention, agriculture and tourism, child protection, and the justice system some of her top legislative priorities.   While in the legislature, Tonya has been appointed to serve in the following positions:

 

2009 – Present

Assistant Minority Floor Leader

Minority Vice Chair, House Judiciary Committee

Member, House Appropriations Committee

Member, Energy & Technology Committee

Minority Vice Chair, Energy & Technology on Consumer Protection Subcommittee

Member, Michigan Law Revision Commission

Michigan Chair, American Legislative Exchange Council

 

2007 – 2008

Assistant Minority Floor Leader

Minority Vice Chair, House Judiciary Committee

Member, House Education Committee

Member, Michigan Tourism Task Force

Member, Product Safety Task Force

 

2005 – 2006

Vice Chair, House Judiciary Committee

Member, House Energy & Technology Committee

Member, House Commerce Committee

Member, House Local Government & Urban Policy Committee

 

Tonya has worked and continues to work with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) on several job creating measures throughout Southwest Michigan.  She assisted MPI Research and was part of the collaborative effort that allowed them to create the largest single company job expansion in the life sciences area in Michigan's history.  6,600 jobs will be created as a result of the collaboration and partnerships among MPI, Pfizer, city of Kalamazoo, village of Mattawan, and state and local entities. During the past three years, Rep. Schuitmaker has teamed up with other leaders to host a Southwest Michigan Expo for Seniors and Veterans. 

 

Prior to serving in the legislature, Tonya was a practicing attorney and partner of the law firm of Schuitmaker, Cooper and Schuitmaker.  Tonya started practicing law in 1993 where she concentrated in family, estate, business, and municipal law.  She was admitted to the State Bar of Illinois (1996), Florida (1994), Michigan (1993), and the American Bar Association (1993).  From 1997 to 1998 Tonya was President of the Van Buren County Bar Association.  She is also a member of the Representative Assembly of the Michigan Bar. 

 

 

COMMUNITY SERVICE:

 

A community activist, Tonya Schuitmaker has been or is currently involved in the following civic organizations:

  • Member, 2009 Boy Scouts of America Regional Committee
  • Member, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts
  • Member, Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy
  • Past member, State Board of Medicine
  • Past member, Intercare Community Health Network
  • Van Buren County Community Mental Health Board of Directors
  •  Van Buren County Community Corrections Advisory Board
  • Past Vice Chair, State Board of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons
  • Paw Paw Rotary, Paul Harris Fellow Program
  • Paw Paw Optimist Club
  • Mattawan Alumni Association
  • South Haven Maritime Museum
  • South Haven Association of University Women
  • South Haven Historical Association
  • Daughters of the American Revolution
  • Friends of the Library
  • Farm Bureau
  • Fraternal Order of Police
  •  Michigan Flywheelers
  • Volunteer, Van Buren County Historical Museum
  • Volunteer, Habitat for Humanity

 

PERSONAL:

  

Tonya Schuitmaker graduated in 1986 from Mattawan Consolidated High School.  She holds a B.A. in business from Michigan State University and in 1993 Tonya graduated Cum Laude from the Detroit College Law. 

 

Tonya and her husband, Steve, have two children:  Jordan and Savina.  They reside in Lawton of Antwerp Township. 

 

 
 
 
Paid for by Tonya Schuitmaker for State Senate | PO Box 1116 | Portage, MI 49081