Michael W. Frerichs, born on July 28, 1973, is an American politician serving his third term as the State Treasurer of Illinois. He took office on January 12, 2015, after being elected in November 2014. Prior to becoming treasurer, Frerichs was a Democratic member of the Illinois Senate, representing the 52nd District from 2007 to 2015.
| Name | Michael W. Frerichs |
| Born | July 28, 1973 (age 51) in Gifford, Illinois |
| Education | Yale University (BA) |
| Career | – Champaign County Board member (2000-2002) – Champaign County Auditor (2002-2006) – Illinois State Senator (2007-2015) – Illinois State Treasurer (2015-present) |
| Political Party | Democratic |
| Spouse | – Laura Appenzeller (m. 2003, div. 2013) – Erica Baker (m. 2022) |
| Children | 1 daughter (b. 2008), twins Max and Theo (b. 2023) |
| Height | 6’8″ (2.03 m) |
Early Life and Career
Frerichs was born and raised in Gifford, Illinois. He graduated from Yale University in 1995 with a Bachelor’s degree. After college, Frerichs spent two years in Taiwan, where he taught English and learned Mandarin Chinese.
Upon returning to Champaign County, Frerichs launched his own technology business and served as a volunteer firefighter. He was elected to the Champaign County Board in 2000 and re-elected in 2002. In 2002, Frerichs was appointed as the Champaign County Auditor and later elected to the position in 2004. As auditor, he became the only county auditor in Illinois to earn the Certified Public Finance Officer certification.
Illinois State Senator
In 2006, Frerichs was elected to the Illinois Senate, representing the 52nd District. He served as the Chairman of the Higher Education Committee, where he championed efforts to make college more affordable. Frerichs also chaired the Agriculture and Conservation Committee and the Enterprise Zone Extension Committee.
During his time in the Senate, Frerichs led efforts to eliminate the legislative scholarship program and advocated for the disclosure of chemicals used in fracking. He also moved to bar former Governor Rod Blagojevich from holding office in Illinois after Blagojevich’s removal due to corruption.
Treasurer of Illinois
Frerichs was elected Illinois State Treasurer in 2014, defeating Republican candidate Tom Cross in a close election decided by only 9,225 votes out of more than 3.5 million cast. He was re-elected in 2018 and 2022.
As treasurer, Frerichs has focused on several key initiatives:
- Modernizing the unclaimed property program, which has returned a record-breaking $2 billion in forgotten cash and stock to individuals, employers, and non-profits
- Improving the Bright Start college savings program, taking it from worst to among the nation’s best and earning the Gold rating from Morningstar for five consecutive years
- Leading a multi-state alliance that allows parents of children with blindness or a disability to save for their child without jeopardizing federal disability benefits
- Launching the Secure Choice retirement savings program in 2018, which has helped an estimated 1.2 million private-sector workers in Illinois save more than $100 million for retirement
Frerichs has been recognized for his achievements, including being unanimously elected president of the bipartisan National Association of State Auditors, Comptrollers, and Treasurers in 2022 and receiving the College Savings Plans Network’s Distinguished Service Award in 2022.
Personal Life
Frerichs is married to Erica Baker, and they have twins, Max and Theo, born in June 2023. He is known for his height, standing at 6’8″.
