Suzanna Shkreli announced her resignation as Michigan Lottery Commissioner in order to run in the open Michigan Secretary of State election in 2026. Following the announcement, Governor Gretchen Whitmer named Joe Froehlich as acting commissioner.
Mr. Froehlich:
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- He previously served as chief operating officer of the Michigan Lottery, deputy commissioner of Legal Affairs and Charitable Gaming, and director of Compliance and Legal Affairs.
- Before joining the Lottery, he served for more than a decade in a variety of staff and management positions at the Michigan Department of Attorney General.
- Additionally, he worked in the legal division of a Fortune 500 property and casualty insurance company, an attorney at a Lansing-area law firm, and as a law clerk and court officer for the Ingham County Circuit Court.
- He is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University and Michigan State University College of Law.
Michigan Lottery:
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- Founded in 1972, the Michigan Lottery is an independent agency within the State of Michigan.
- The agency is self-funded and operates as a business enterprise.
- The Lottery Commissioner reports directly to the governor.
- For every $1 spent on Lottery during FY25, 63 cents went to prizes, 25 cents went to the School Aid Fund, 9 cents went to retailer and vendor commissions, and 3 cents funded Lottery operations.
- In FY25, more than $1 billion was contributed to the School Aid Fund, which provides funding for Michigan’s K-12 public schools.
