Paul Gieleghem was elected by Clinton Township voters in November of 2016, as Treasurer of the largest Township in Michigan, where he serves in the dual role as an administrator–safeguarding Township funds, maximizing investment gains, and meeting the statutory obligations of the office and as voting member of the Township Board of Trustees, providing oversight, planning and policy for all functions of Township government.
Paul Gieleghem completed the requirements of the Association of Public Treasurers of the United States and Canada to earn the designation as a Certified Public Funds Investment Manager (CPFIM) and a three-year education process earning a Michigan Certified Public Treasurer (MiCPT) designation from the Michigan Municipal Treasurer’s Association.
As a policy maker, Paul Gieleghem serves as Chairperson of Conservation, Property Disposition, and Refuse and Disposal; as Treasurer of the Police and Fire Pension Board and Economic Development Corporation; and as a member of the Budget Ways and Means, Ambulance, Parks and Recreation and the 41B District Court Management Council.
Prior to the 2016 election, Paul Gieleghem served as an administrator for Macomb County Treasurers Derek Miller and Ted Wahby, managing core functions of the office. Additionally, he served as a part-time Trustee on the Clinton Township Board from 2012 to 2016, learning the inner-workings of township government.
From 2005-10, he served on the Macomb County Board of Commissioners, where his colleagues elected him as Chairman of the Board from 2009-10. Paul Gieleghem, is credited with ably steering Macomb County through the worst economic crisis since the great depression, implemented reforms and cost cutting, created innovative partnerships to preserve services, ramped up the county’s economic development outreach and led by example; cutting the pay of commissioners before asking others for sacrifice.
Paul’s broad approach to leadership and focus on problem solving was formulated while serving the residents of Clinton Township, Mount Clemens and Fraser as their representative in the Michigan Legislature from 1999 to 2004. Prior, he served as a legislative aide to former state Senator Ken DeBeaussaert, and on the campaign staff of former Congressman David Bonior.
Paul has a bachelor’s degree in public relations from Wayne State University, an associate’s degree in Business from Macomb Community College and is a graduate of Clintondale High School.
In 2009, Paul Gieleghem made the Crain’s Detroit Business “40 under 40,” list of business and civic leaders in Metropolitan Detroit. In 2005 he was recognized by the Allergy and Asthma Foundation of Michigan for his legislation protecting severely allergic patients. Paul was named “Environmentalist of the Year 2004” by the Sierra Club of Michigan, and was presented with the “Presidential Recognition Award” by the Michigan Society for Clinical Laboratory Science. In 2002 he was named “Legislator of the Year” by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Superintendents.
Paul is a lifelong resident of Clinton Township. He and his wife Sara live in Clinton Township and together, they are raising two daughters.