George A. McManus, Jr. retired from the Michigan Senate in 2002. He was state senator for 12 years and is a fourth-generation Grand Traverse County cherry farmer. Before being elected to serve the citizens of the northern Lower Peninsula, he was a county Extension director for Michigan State University for 25 years. He was a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and contributed to the health of agriculture in Michigan through his leadership of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on agriculture and natural resources. He also served as a member of the higher education, retirement and capital outlay subcommittees. He also served on the Michigan Agricultural Commission for six years. McManus served as president of the Traverse City Chamber of Commerce and as president Cherry Growers Inc., a fruit processing company. He has served as president of the Rotary Club of Traverse City and as board secretary of the Rotary Charities of Traverse City. He is a member of the National Federation of Independent Businesses, the Elks Club, the Munson Hospital Centurions, the Knights of Columbus and the Farm Bureau of Northwest Michigan. He also spent 20 years as a trustee of Northwestern Michigan College and a director of the Northwestern Michigan College Foundation.