List of people from Grand Rapids, Michigan

The following is a list of notable people associated with Grand Rapids, Michigan. These people were born or lived in Grand Rapids.

Artists and artisans

 * Mathias Alten — impressionist painter
 * Jeffrey Brown — comic book creator
 * Frederick Stuart Church — illustrator
 * Kreigh Collins — painter; cartoonist
 * Paul Collins — painter
 * Dirk Gringhuis — illustrator
 * Daniel Vosovic — clothing designer

Business, industry, academic and labor figures
• Clayton Allen — entrepreneur

• Steve Belkin — founder and chairman of Trans National Group

• Hattie Beverly — teacher

• Owen Bieber — president of United Auto Workers

• Anna Sutherland Bissell — chief executive officer of Bissell

• Charles Sumner Burch — editor of Grand Rapids Evening Press

• Mary de Young — professor of sociology; author

• Dick DeVos — chief executive officer of Amway

• Richard DeVos — co-founder of Amway

• Keith DeVries — archaeologist

• Anthony Diekema — former president of Calvin College

• Gerald Rudolff Ford — businessman; chairman of Kent County Republican Committee; stepfather of Gerald Ford

• Arnold Gingrich — founder of Esquire magazine

• James Hackett — businessman; Steelcase, Ford Motor Company

• John A. Hannah — president of Michigan State College

• H. Wayne Huizenga — entrepreneur

• Loraine Immen — first president of the Grand Rapids City Federation of Women's Clubs

• Hugh Newell Jacobsen — Modernist architect

• Jack Loeks — movie theater entrepreneur

• Kenneth Marin — professor of economics; member of White House Consumer Advisory Council

• Frank Edward McGurrin — inventor of touch typing

• M. Peter McPherson — president of Michigan State University; chairman of Dow Jones

• Doug Meijer — co-chairman of supermarket Meijer

• Hank Meijer — co-chairman and CEO of supermarket Meijer

• Agnes Nestor — labor leader

• John Pease — professor of sociology

• Marshall Purnell — president of American Institute of Architects

• John Herman Randall Jr. — professor of philosophy

• Charles Ryskamp — professor at Princeton and museum director

• Henry F. Schaefer, III — professor of chemistry

• L. William Seidman — economist and financial commentator

• Ossian Cole Simonds — landscape designer

• Carl J. Strikwerda — president of Elizabethtown College

• Mel Trotter — rescue mission director

• Jay Van Andel — co-founder of Amway

• Robert J. Vanderbei — Princeton University professor

• John Philip Wernette — president of the University of New Mexico

• Roger Wilkins — civil rights leader and professor

Criminals

 * Gwendolyn Graham and Cathy Wood

Entertainment figures

 * Gillian Anderson — television and film actress
 * Ford Beebe — film director
 * Otto Brower — film director
 * James T. Callahan — film and television actor
 * Horace B. Carpenter — film actor and director
 * Jim Cash — screenwriter
 * Riley Chamberlin — silent film actor
 * Rex Cherryman — stage and film actor
 * Shawn Christian — television and film actor
 * Wanda Cochran — soprano
 * Steven Ford — television and film actor
 * Stephen Goosson — film set designer
 * Lorna Gray — film actress
 * Stacey Haiduk — television actress
 * Thom Hartmann — radio personality
 * Paul Walter Hauser — television and film actor and comedian
 * Adam Herz — screenwriter and producer
 * Phillips Holmes — early film actor
 * Jimmy Jacobs — professional wrestler
 * Matt Keeslar — television and film actor
 * Lisa Kelly — ice road trucker
 * James Kirkwood Sr. — film actor and director
 * Eric Allan Kramer — television, film and stage actor
 * Taylor Lautner — television and film actor
 * Victor Lundberg — radio personality
 * C. Cameron Macauley — filmmaker
 * Violet MacMillan — vaudeville, stage and silent film actress
 * Kevin Matthews — radio personality
 * Ryan O'Reilly — professional wrestler
 * Wally Phillips — radio personality
 * Don Quinn — comedy writer and cartoonist
 * Andy Richter — television and film actor
 * Leonard Schrader — screenwriter and director
 * Paul Schrader — screenwriter and director
 * Richard Shoberg — television actor
 * Noah Sife — television actor
 * Jackie Swanson — television and film actress
 * Ray Teal — television and film actor
 * Reed Timmer — storm chaser and meteorologist
 * Jess Walton — television actress
 * Elizabeth Wilson — stage, television and film actress
 * Dick York — television, stage, radio and film actor
 * Ginger Zee — ABC News meteorologist
 * Kim Zimmer — television and stage actress

Government officials, politicians and activists
• Russell A. Alger — Governor of Michigan; U.S. Secretary of War

• Justin Amash — U.S. Congressman

• John Ball — pioneer; member of the Michigan State Legislature

• Charles E. Belknap — Union Army Captain; U.S. Congressman

• Harvey Hollister Bundy — Special Assistant to the U.S. Secretary of War

• Charles C. Comstock — U.S. Congressman from Michigan; mayor of Grand Rapids

• Robert Danhof — jurist

• Vern Ehlers — U.S. Congressman from Michigan

• William Montague Ferry Jr. — Michigan and Utah Politician

• Betty Ford — 37th First Lady of the United States

• Gerald R. Ford — 38th President of the United States

• Wilder D. Foster — U.S. Congressman from Michigan; mayor of Grand Rapids

• George Heartwell — Mayor of Grand Rapids

• Paul B. Henry — U.S. Congressman

• Julius Houseman — U.S. Congressman; mayor of Grand Rapids

• Bartel J. Jonkman — U.S. Congressman from Michigan

• Frank Knox — U.S. Secretary of the Navy; vice presidential candidate in the 1936 U.S. Presidential election

• Terri Lynn Land — Michigan Secretary of State

• Louise Little — Mother of Malcolm X

• John H. Logie — Mayor of Grand Rapids

• Peter Meijer — U.S. Congressman; son of Hank Meijer

• Frederick Henry Mueller — U.S. Secretary of Commerce

• Agnes Nestor — women's suffrage and workers' rights activist

• Lyman Parks — Mayor of Grand Rapids

• Helen Cary Russell — president, Grand Rapids Federation of Women's Clubs; president, Michigan State Federation of Women's Clubs

• Michael Sak — State Representative

• Harold S. Sawyer — U.S. Congressman

• Hillary Scholten — U.S. Congresswoman

• Peter F. Secchia — U.S. Ambassador to Italy

• William Alden Smith — U.S. Senator

• Glenn Steil Sr. — member of the Michigan Senate

• K. William Stinson — U.S. Congressman from Washington

• Edwin F. Sweet — U.S. Congressman, mayor of Grand Rapids

• Jerald terHorst — press secretary under President Gerald Ford

• Edwin F. Uhl — U.S. Assistant Secretary of State ; mayor of Grand Rapids

• Arthur H. Vandenberg — 88th President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate

• Guy Vander Jagt — U.S. Congressman from Michigan

• Richard VanderVeen — U.S. Congressman

• Martha Lee Walters — 98th Associate Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court
 * Gretchen Whitmer — Governor of Michigan


 * Roger Wilkins — U.S. Assistant Attorney General. Attended Creston High School

Military figures
• Keith Clark — U.S. Army bugler who played "Taps" at the funeral of President John F. Kennedy

• Arthur B. Engel — U.S. Coast Guard rear admiral

• Benjamin F. Engel — U.S. Coast Guard vice admiral

• Eugene F. George — U.S. Navy sailor and Navy Cross recipient

• Scott S. Haraburda — U.S. Army Colonel and president of the Indiana Society of Professional Engineers

• John C. Sjogren — U.S. Army staff sergeant and Medal of Honor recipient

• Stephen A. Turcotte — U.S. Navy rear admiral

• Dirk J. Vlug — U.S. Army private first class and Medal of Honor recipient

Musicians and bands

 * Pennjamin Bannekar — independent music artist and songwriter
 * Ralston Bowles — folk musician
 * Mary Canberg — violinist
 * The Cardboard Swords — pop-rock band
 * Jeffrey Daniel — member of R&B group Shalamar
 * Xavier Davis — jazz pianist
 * DeBarge — R&B/soul group
 * Dennis "Fergie" Frederiksen — vocalist (formerly of Toto)
 * Al Green — R&B/soul singer
 * Bob Hay — member of the Squalls
 * Adina Howard — R&B singer
 * Charlie Huhn — frontman for Foghat
 * Maynard James Keenan — lead singer of Tool
 * Anthony Kiedis — lead singer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers
 * La the Darkman — hip hop artist affiliated with Wu-Tang Clan
 * La Dispute — post-hardcore group


 * Robert Longfield — composer
 * Kevin Max — member of dc Talk
 * Ken Medema — Christian musician
 * Kellin Quinn — member of post-hardcore/alternative rock band Sleeping With Sirens
 * John W. Peterson — Christian songwriter
 * Mustard Plug — ska punk group
 * Pop Evil — hard rock band
 * Marvin Sapp — gospel singer, and member of the group Commissioned
 * Del Shannon — rock & roll musician
 * Sleeping with Sirens — alternative rock/post-hardcore band
 * SoFaygo — rapper
 * Leo Sowerby — composer and musician
 * Still Remains — metalcore group
 * Casey Stratton — pop/rock musician
 * Sam Stryke — composer and pianist
 * Helena Stone Torgerson — harpist and composer
 * Whirlwind Heat — alternative rock group
 * Willie the Kid — rapper
 * Jason Wood — lead singer of It Dies Today

Religious figures
• Rob Bell — founding pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church; author

• Martin H. Carmody — Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus

• M. R. DeHaan — Bible teacher, founder of the Radio Bible Class

• Michael Gallagher — Bishop of Grand Rapids

• Francis J. Haas — Bishop of Grand Rapids

• Edward D. Kelly — Bishop of Grand Rapids

• Isaac McCoy — Baptist missionary

• Joseph Crescent McKinney — Auxiliary Bishop of Grand Rapids

• Joseph G. Pinten — Bishop of Grand Rapids

• Charles Salatka — Archbishop of Oklahoma City

• Robert Sirico — co-founder of the Acton Institute

• Edmund Szoka — President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State

Science

 * Roger Chaffee — NASA astronaut, U.S. Navy lieutenant commander
 * Jewell James Ebers — transistor-theory electrical engineer
 * Christina Koch — NASA astronaut, engineer
 * Jack R. Lousma — NASA astronaut, U.S. Marine Corps colonel
 * Lynn Rogers — biologist

Sports figures
• Vince Agnew — NFL player

• George Andrie — NFL player

• Dan Archer — NFL player

• Paul Assenmacher — MLB player

• Jim Avery — NFL player

• John Barnum — PGA Tour golfer

• Terry Barr — NFL player

• Albrey Battle — gridiron football player

• Johnny Benson — NASCAR driver

• Ray Bentley — NFL player

• Harry Berrios — baseball player

• Marcus Bingham Jr. (born 2000) — basketball player for Hapoel Haifa of the Israeli Basketball Premier League

• Devin Booker — NBA player

• Drayson Bowman — NHL player

• Jim Boylen — NBA assistant coach

• Cameron Bradfield — NFL player

• David Brandt — NFL player

• Carlton Brewster — NFL player

• Kobe Bufkin — NBA player

• Kelly Butler — NFL player

• Geno Carlisle — basketball player

• Bill Cutler — baseball executive

• Chuck DeShane — NFL player

• Al DeVormer — MLB player

• Mark Dewey — MLB player

• Brian Diemer — track and field athlete

• Mike Donald — PGA Tour golfer

• Allie Dragoo — professional cyclist

• Jim Dreyer — ultramarathon athlete

• Mike Dumas — NFL player

• Katie Feenstra — Women's National Basketball Association player

• Julius Franks — All-American college football player

• Brent Gates — MLB player

• Luke Glendening — NHL player

• Paul G. Goebel — NFL player; naval officer; mayor of Grand Rapids

• Julie Glass — roller derby and competitive speed skater

• Paul Grasmanis — NFL player

• Ben Handlogten — NBA player

• David Harris — NFL player

• Jamahal Hill — mixed martial artist

• Gary Hogeboom — NFL player

• Marilyn Jenkins — All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player

• Josh Kalis — skateboarder

• Chris Kaman — NBA player

• Stanley Ketchel — middleweight boxer

• Mike Knuble — NHL player

• Lauren Kozal — National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) goalkeeper

• Rick Kreuger — Major League Baseball player

• Marion Ladewig — bowler

• Doc Lavan — MLB player

• Pete Lee — Olympic and world champion wrestler

• Bob Lurtsema — NFL player

• Mitch Lyons — NFL player

• Buster Mathis Jr. — heavyweight boxer

• Jalen Mayfield — NFL player

• Floyd Mayweather Jr. — welterweight boxer

• Floyd Mayweather Sr. — welterweight boxer

• Jeff Mayweather — super featherweight boxer

• Roger Mayweather — welterweight boxer

• Sparky McEwen — football player

• Greg Meyer — distance runner

• Rick Miller — MLB player

• Monté Morris — NBA player

• Terna Nande — NFL player

• Drew Neitzel — professional basketball player

• Aidan O'Connor —  Major League Soccer defender

• Jim Pace — NFL player

• Wally Pipp — Major League Baseball player

• Kaleb Ort — MLB pitcher

• Peter Quillin — middleweight boxer

• John Rienstra — NFL player

• Rueben Riley — NFL player

• Dathan Ritzenhein — distance runner

• Rocky Rosema — NFL player

• Dave Rozema — MLB player

• Doris Satterfield — All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player

• Steve Scheffler — NBA player

• Betsy Snite — Olympic skiing silver medalist

• Joe Soboleski — NFL player

• Mickey Stanley — MLB player

• Matt Steigenga — NBA player

• Frank Steketee — All-American college football player

• Lou Stringer — MLB player

• Xavier Tillman — NBA player

• James Toney — heavyweight boxer

• Tony Tucker — heavyweight boxer

• John Vander Wal — MLB player

• Loy Vaught — NBA player

• Jared Veldheer — NFL player

• Dave Walsh — professional gamer

• Casper Wells — MLB player

• Jack Wisner — MLB player

Writers, novelists, poets and journalists
• Max Apple — short story writer, novelist and screenwriter

• Anne W. Armstrong — novelist

• William Brashler — novelist and journalist

• Andrew Britton — novelist

• Robert Forrest Burgess — outdoors writer and photographer

• Peter De Vries — editor and novelist

• Meindert DeJong — children's author

• Arnold Gingrich — founder of Esquire magazine

• LZ Granderson — sports writer

• Lloyd Kropp — novelist, composer and educator

• Robie Macauley — novelist, literary critic and educator

• Harold Matson — literary agent

• Chris Molnar — writer, editor and publisher of Archway Editions

• Ander Monson — novelist and poet

• Bich Minh Nguyen — novelist and nonfiction writer

• Mary Jo Salter — poet

• Gary Schmidt — children's writer of nonfiction books and young adult novels

• Watson Spoelstra — sportswriter

• Michael Talbot — science writer

• Chris Van Allsburg — children's author and illustrator

• Stewart Edward White — author