Patrick Colbeck — engineer, entrepreneur, author and former state senator — will speak to the Eastside Republican Club at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 16, at The War Memorial, 32 Lakeshore, Grosse Pointe Farms.
“The forum is open to the public at no charge, so we invite anyone interested in sound government to take part in the discussion with Mr. Colbeck following his remarks,” said Eastside Republican Board member Mike Vethacke in advance of the meeting.
Colbeck is a former candidate for Michigan governor and served two terms in the Michigan Senate, where he was term limited representing the state’s seventh Senate district, serving Canton, Livonia, Northville, Plymouth and Wayne.
He currently serves as chief operating officer of Lindell Management, which offers business consulting services.
Following elective office, he founded Let’s Fix Stuff, the mission of which is to share real news, data and solutions despite being increasingly scrubbed from the public square by big tech and big government.
Colbeck provided management consulting services more than 11 years, including six as a self-employed, independent consultant in fields as varied as healthcare, telecommunications and defense. He has been certified as a Microsoft small business specialist and has authored two other books, “Wrestling Gators: An Outsiders Guide to Draining the Swamp” and “IT Roadmap for Professional Service Firms.”
The former senator’s public service is highlighted by receipt of the Sen. Paul Fannin Statesman of the Year Award. He also has received legislator of the year awards from police, construction and senior citizen organizations.
As chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittees for State Police and Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, Colbeck oversaw expenditures exceeding $500 million. Under his leadership, both departments were converted to performance-based budgets resulting in dramatic improvement in services. For example, Michigan’s veteran services improved from last to No. 2 in the nation.
He has served active members of the armed forces by co-founding Michigan Freedom Centers at Detroit Metro Airport terminals and at Regional Military Entrance Processing Stations.
He is a University of Michigan graduate with Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in aerospace engineering and the life sciences department at the International Space University in Strasbourg, France.
Colbeck’s engineering design work includes key elements of the life support system for the International Space Station. He also served as an instructor at Space Camp in Huntsville, Ala.
He now lives in Canton with Angie, his wife of more than 20 years. They are members of Northridge Church in Plymouth.
The Eastside Republican Club Forum meets the third Tuesday each month, September through May, at The War Memorial. Admission is free and the public is welcome.
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