Sandy Pensler, attorney, businessman and candidate for the U.S. Senate, will speak at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, April 16, to the ERC Forum at The War Memorial, 32 Lake Shore Rd., Grosse Pointe Farms.
Pensler is campaigning for the GOP U.S. Senate nomination. Winner of the August 6 primary will compete in Nov. 5, General election balloting.
“Sandy Pensler is described as a ‘turnaround specialist’ and wants to contribute to the country's turnaround,” said club chairman Mike Vethacke in a statement in advance of the meeting.
"The American experiment is in big trouble. It's burning. I believe we can turn it around, but we need to apply basic morals, take responsibility, and fight like hell," said Pensler in a campaign announcement.
The Forum will provide an opportunity for audience questions and is open to the public at no charge.
Pensler was born and raised on Detroit’s west side of Detroit, but commuted to University Liggett High School where he was valedictorian.
Working his way through Yale in four years, Pensler earned a B.A. in chemical engineering, as well as bachelor’s and master’s degrees in economics. Following graduation, he founded a business importing sweaters, eventually selling it to help pay for his Harvard law degree.
Working as a financial advisor, Pensler developed and taught several courses as member of the Yale economics faculty. He also taught undergraduate economics courses while at Harvard.
After obtaining his law degree Pensler served as a clerk for U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Patrick Higginbotham.
Pensler later reentered the business world, becoming a private investor and financial advisor to some of the country’s largest corporations, including Chrysler, Sprint, Scholastic, Time Warner, TJX, General Electric and Navistar/International Harvester. In this role, he worked to restructure and grow companies, putting them on secure financial footing.
His classroom and practical experience led him to found Pensler Capital and start numerous businesses. Currently, Pensler owns and operates four manufacturing plants, including the Korex Corp. plant in Wixom, which employs more than 100. After acquiring his Chicago plant, which had been scheduled to close, the enterprise was saved and is now profitable, debt free and growing.
Pensler resides in Grosse Pointe Park with his wife Anita, son Jonathan and daughter Natasha.
The Eastside Republican Club Forum meets monthly from September through May at The War Memorial. Admission is free and the public is always welcome. Stay up to date and "follow" the ERC on Facebook and X (formerlyTwitter).