Richard Ball
DISTRICTState Rep. Richard Ball was elected to the Michigan House in November 2004. The Ball family has been active in Republican politics for more than half a century. His mother, Nell, was the Shiawassee County Chairperson for the Dwight Eisenhower presidential campaign in 1952. Ball has been an elected member of the Owosso Public School Board of Education from 1982-1991, serving the last six years as its president. He returned to the board of education in 1997 and continued as a member until his resignation on Jan. 10, 2005.
EDUCATIONDr. Ball graduated from Owosso High School and then attended the University of Michigan and Ohio State University where he graduated with a B.S. in Optometry. He served two years in the U.S. Army at the eye clinic in Fort Carson, Colorado. After his time in the army, he returned to Ohio State and earned a Master's in Physiological Optics. He attended Michigan State University and obtained a Ph.D. in Experimental Visual Psychology .
PROFESSIONALIn 1958, Dr. Ball went in with his father's private optometry practice in Owosso, which was started in 1916. In 1961, he became an associate professor in physiology and an adjunct associate professor in osteopathic medicine at Michigan State University. He has received numerous awards from the Michigan Optometric Association including the Key Man Award, Optometrist of the Year and Lifetime Achievement Award. He was the second person ever to receive the prestigious Carol C. Koch Award from the American Academy of Optometry and is one of only two optometrists in the state to be named a Distinguished Practitioner in the National Academy of Practice in Optometry. He is the author or co-author of 26 published articles.
PAST PUBLIC OFFICES AND AFFILIATIONSBall also serves on the Shiawassee County Health Board and as chair of the vision section for the Michigan Public Health Association.
PERSONALDr. Ball was widowed in 1996, and has two sons, Dave who is married to Angela and Mike who is married to Mary. He has two grandchildren, Anna Marie, 12, and Nickolas, 9. In 2000 he married Connie Munsell. She has one son Brian who is married to Vickie. Dr. Ball and Connie live on a 100-acre farm in Bennington Township just outside of Owosso. Dr. Ball is 74 years old.
Ball honored for working to improve health care
State Rep. Dick Ball has been honored by several statewide advocacy groups for his personal sacrifice and commitment to improve the quality of life for Michigan senior citizens.
M-21 renamed to honor local Marine
M-21 in Shiawassee County is now designated the "PFC. Harold R. Cooley-WWII Marine Corps League Memorial Highway" under legislation signed into law, state Rep. Dick Ball announced today.
Mid-Michigan lawmakers vote against new State Police headquarters
Mid-Michigan House Republican lawmakers today voted against allocating millions of taxpayer dollars to fund a controversial new Michigan State Police headquarters in downtown Lansing.
Ball attends check presentation in Lennon
State Rep. Dick Ball attended a special check presentation ceremony in Lennon today to announce a $66,680 grant to the village of Lennon to make sewer system upgrades needed to expand Alderman's Inc.
Governor signs bill to streamline government
Certified public accountants can now legally conduct annual county government audits after the governor signed legislation introduced by Rep. Dick Ball that improves state government efficiency and saves costs.
Ball donates portion of pay to local charities
State Rep. Dick Ball will donate six days of his legislative salary to Shiawassee County nonprofits in unity with the thousands of state employees who are being forced to take unpaid furlough days to help balance the state budget.
Health care companies will cover autism treatment under Ball bill
Michigan families affected by autism will have much greater access to needed health care under legislation approved Wednesday by the Michigan House that requires health care companies to cover treatment for autism spectrum disorders, state Rep. Dick Ball announced.
Rep. Ball honored by statewide school group
State Rep. Dick Ball has been selected to receive the Education Fellows Award from the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators for his work to improve the state's public school system.
Ball wants health care benefits reduced for state lawmakers
State Rep. Dick Ball has introduced legislation to reduce retirement health care benefits for state lawmakers, including himself.
House OKs Ball bill to streamline government
The Michigan House today unanimously approved legislation by Rep. Dick Ball that improves state government efficiency and saves costs by allowing certified public accountants to conduct annual county government audits.
