Snyder Taps Roy Roberts to Head Detroit Schools

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Gov. Rick Snyder appointed a former General Motors Corp. executive on Wednesday to take over the daunting job of emergency manager for Detroit Public Schools, tasking him with turning around a district that has battled financial problems and declining enrollment for more than a decade.

Roy Roberts, 72, will take over for Robert Bobb, who was named the school district's emergency financial manager by former Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm in 2009. Bobb's contract expired in March, but Snyder extended it through June.

Click on the second video in the player to watch a profile of Roberts that was shown at the Urban League's 32nd annual Salute to Distinguished Warriors Dinner.

"The number one priority is providing the children of the Detroit Public Schools with a quality education, and for that to happen the school district must be financially sound," Snyder said. "Roy Roberts' problem solving skills, expertise and strong management and leadership skills will be of tremendous benefit to the students, teachers, administrators and families of the Detroit Public Schools."

Roberts will have broader powers granted through a recent state law, including the ability to toss out union contracts as part of cost-cutting efforts. His contract is for one year and pays him $250,000.

"This is a mission for me. This is something I want to do," Roberts said after being introduced Wednesday at a news conference.

Bobb has closed dozens of schools, reworked vendor contracts and instituted other cost-cutting measures but has been unable to erase a massive budget deficit that now stands at more than $300 million. Detroit has lost about 100,000 students since 1997, when enrollment stood at 175,168.

In a statement, Bobb said Roberts is a strong choice for the job.

"His position as an icon in the African American community and in the City of Detroit will be of huge benefit to DPS and also a role model for DPS students," Bobb said.

Roberts currently is managing director and co-founding member of the private equity investment firm Reliant Equity Investors. He retired from GM in 2000.

Earlier Wednesday, the Detroit Institute of Arts announced that it is naming a gallery of contemporary African-American art after Roberts and his wife Maureen, who made a large donation to the museum. They are longtime philanthropists in the areas of the arts, culture and education.

Roberts' track record in the city also factored into his selection, Snyder said.

"Robert Bobb did a lot of good things," the governor said. "I wanted to find someone with strong Detroit connections."

Roberts said he would be calling on community members and leaders, including church pastors, "to get behind this."

"I think this community is tired of all the negative things going on," Roberts said. "They're tired of their kids failing."

Detroit students have scored poorly in recent years on standardized state and national tests. The district's graduation rate is increasing but still is considered among the poorest in the country at 62 percent.

Working with people is one of Roberts' strengths, said Bill Pelfrey, a former GM executive who wrote speeches for Roberts.

"He certainly has the political skills in the sense he can get along with people," Pelfrey said Wednesday.

Pelfrey said the two have known each other since early in Roberts' career when he was promoted to plant manager.

"Management recognized this was a guy with very different skills, especially his people skills," Pelfrey said.

Roberts said his first official day on the new job will be May 15.

During the transition period, he will meet with Bobb but has no plans to halt the current wave of school closures and wants to look at the district's finances before seeking contract concessions from teachers and other employees.

Concern over layoffs "is always there until it's brought to closure," Detroit Federation of Teachers president Keith Johnson said following Snyder's announcement. "As I have done for the past two years with Robert Bobb, we don't just say 'no' to something that we find to be unacceptable. We develop alternatives."

Roberts said he will seek out the best academic person and financial person to work with him.

"We're losing kids every day and we're losing money every day," he said. "Whatever we have to do, we're not going to do it slow."

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Associated Press writer Tim Martin in Lansing, Mich., contributed to this report.