Director of the Michigan Department of Management and Budget (DMB)
Governor Jennifer M. Granholm appointed Lisa Webb Sharpe to serve as director of the Michigan Department of Management and Budget (DMB), a position she has held since August 1, 2005. DMB and its 814 employees provide cost-effective business services to government. These services include financial, auditing, human resources, fleet, travel, state procurement, printing, and mailing services; as well as facility design and construction, and operation services. DMB issues and sell bonds and notes for acquisition and construction of facilities and equipment through its State Building Authority and administers retirement programs for state and public school employees, judges, and state police through its Office of Retirement Services.
Webb Sharpe actively leads the Governor’s Buy Michigan First initiative, a statewide program to stimulate the states economy by promoting to contract with Michigan-based businesses and lowering the price tag of government through increased competition. Since April 2006, she has traveled to communities across the state, providing nearly 5,000 Michigan businesses with program information.
Promoting Michigan businesses to do business with the State of Michigan is encouraged by Webb Sharpe and a once cumbersome procedure has become easier to navigate.
DMB’s goal is to find businesses that can provide state contracts for goods, services, information technology, real estate leasing, and design and construction
As DMB Director, Webb Sharpe is committed to providing savings and efficiencies to taxpayers. Since 2003, DMB has provided more than $2 billion in retirement, contract, lease, and bond refinancing savings and has enabled more than $1.1 million in energy savings and reduced duplicative administrative functions.
In 2007, DMB’s effort to control spending and cut costs saved more than $950 million – savings that will benefit Michigan’s citizens far into the future.
Under her leadership, DMB has also been recognized by the National Association of State Facility Administrators for its public/private real estate services; the U.S. Postal Service for its use of technology, innovation, and automation in its processing of more than 70 million pieces of outgoing mail each year; and the National Purchasing Institute for high ethical standards, innovation, and professionalism in its procurement practices.
Prior to her service in DMB, Webb Sharpe served as Governor Granholm’s cabinet secretary and policy director. In that position, she worked closely with all 19 state departments on operational and policy issues. She also led development of the Cabinet Action Plan, which tracks and measures department performance. The action plan was instrumental in governing magazines decision to rank Michigan as the third best-managed state in the nation in 2006.
Previously, Webb Sharpe served as the group executive for human services on Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer’s cabinet. She also served as the director of housing services for the Traverse Group, an environmental engineering firm.
Webb Sharpe holds a bachelor of business administration degree in personnel and industrial relations from Eastern Michigan University and a master of business administration degree in international business from Wayne State University. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Psi professional business fraternity and a recipient of its Daniel Vehar Leadership Award. She has been actively volunteering with Habitat for Humanity for over 15 years and her local Parent Teacher Organization.
Recently, Webb Sharpe was one of 8 women honored by the Michigan Business and Professional Association at an event to promote high professional standards, encourage leadership, provide education and assure equal advantages for women. She was honored in the “Government” category.
She and her husband, Felix Sharpe, are the proud parents of three gifted children, Felix II, Justen, and Alexandra.
