Mark Murray (administrator)


Mark Andrew Murray is president of the Meijer chain of stores, based in Michigan. He was the third president of Michigan's Grand Valley State University, serving from 2001 to 2006.

Education

He received his master's degree in Labor and Industrial Relations and his bachelor's degree in Economics from Michigan State University.

Career

Prior to his tenure at Grand Valley, he served in Michigan state government. His positions were: treasurer, budget director, director of the Department of Management and Budget, acting director of the Family Independence Agency, and Special Policy Advisor to the Governor in K-12 education, directed the Merit Scholarship Award program.
He was also Vice President of Finance and Administration at Michigan State University and member of the Board of Education in the City of Detroit. During his time as president at GVSU, a number of students believed that he had a strong resemblance with Sam the Eagle, one of Jim Henson's Muppets. His name had been floated as a potential candidate for Governor of Michigan in 2010, but his spokesman denied Murray was interested. In 2013, Murray joined the advisory board of Blackford Capital's Michigan Prosperity Fund.