Proos takes oath of office
Published 8:19 am Monday, December 27, 2010
State Sen.-elect John Proos, R-St. Joseph, takes his oath of office Monday afternoon at the Berrien County Courthouse in Niles. Proos, who has served in the House of Representatives since 2004, is pictured with his wife, Kristy, and children, Elena, Jack and Nora. (Argus photo/KATIE ROHMAN)
NILES — State Sen.-elect John Proos, R-St. Joseph, took his oath of office Monday afternoon at the Berrien County Courthouse in Niles.
Accompanied by his wife, Kristy, and children, Elena, Jack and Nora, Proos was sworn in by Judge Scott Schofield in front of a packed courtroom. His children also led the Pledge of Allegiance.
City of Niles Mayor Mike McCauslin introduced Proos, who he said led nearly 6,000 people by “cutting through bureaucratic red tape.”
“Jobs, growth and reform are the only ways Michigan will be delivered from the downward spiral,” McCauslin said, calling Proos the “champion of southwest Michigan.”
Proos thanked his family, colleagues and especially fellow St. Joseph resident U.S. Fred Upton for his mentorship.
“We all have an interest and a stake in the success of southwest Michigan,” he said of himself as a senator and his 300,000 constituents. “The challenge ahead is great.
“Hope does not spring eternal,” Proos said. “Everybody is looking toward the spring. … The hard part now is to remake Michigan with your assistance.”
Proos, who reached his term limit in the House of Representatives’ 79th District, was elected in November to the Senate’s 21st District, where he will be replacing Ron Jelinek, R-Three Oaks. Jelinek has also reached his term limit in the Senate.
The 21st District encompasses all of Berrien and Cass counties and all of Van Buren County except Paw Paw and Antwerp townships.
Proos was elected to the House of Representatives in 2004. He serves on the House Appropriations Committee for the 2009-10 legislative session. He is also minority vice chair of the Corrections subcommittee and member of the Human Services subcommittee, New Economy and Quality Biosciences subcommittee, Joint Capital Outlay Committee and House Energy and Technology Committee.
Prior to his legislative service, Proos worked on the staff of U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., as a deputy chief of staff and district director. He also worked as the vice president of Heritage Homes Inc.
Proos is a 1988 graduate of Lake Michigan Catholic High School and holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Marquette University and Michigan State University.
