Richard Dale "Rick" Snyder (born August 19, 1958) is an American politician, business executive, venture capitalist, and accountant. He is the 48th and current Governor of Michigan. A member of the Republican Party, he assumed office as governor on January 1, 2011. From 2005 to 2007, Snyder served as the chairman of the board of Gateway, Inc., based in Irvine, California.