Roy S. Roberts - Detroit

The Detroit Public Schools Emergency Financial Manager May 2011 - current

Roy Roberts is the Emergency Financial Manager of the Detroit Public Schools. His first day was May 16, 2011. He was appointed by governor Rick Snyder with a one-year contract of $250,000. Robert Bobb, the first DPS EFM, is expected to assist Roberts in his transition until June 30, when his contract ends. Roberts starts as an EFM soon after wide powers for Managers were voted into law, including the ability to suspend contracts. Those powers will be effective on July 1 2011.

When joining the District, he said he would find a curriculum executive and a financial turnaround executive who would have wide discretionary powers. He planned on working on the Renaissance Plan 2012, which was designed by Bobb and aims to close schools or turn over their operations to charter companies. "We don't dare interfere with that plan. If we need to make changes and modifications, we will," Roberts told the Detroit News. In an interview with the Detroit News in mid-May, Roberts said he would keep 90% of Bobb's academic plan. "I refused to change the academic side because I'm convinced it needs to germinate," he said. "We need to let that work and continue to make it stronger."

Roberts was 72 in spring 2011. He started as a line worker at General Motors and retired in 2000 as vice president of North American vehicle sales, service and marketing. He was raised by his father in a single-parent home with no books.