Jerry T. Rupley

As a key player in nearly every publicly offered bond issue by a public university in Michigan for at least the last 15 years, Jerry Rupley brings vast experience to his role as bond counsel or underwriter’s counsel. He also has represented the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) on every State Trunk Line Fund and Comprehensive Transportation Fund bond and note issue since 1978 (except for one in 1992 on which he acted as underwriter’s counsel). 

With three decades of experience in the bond area, Jerry helped develop the General Revenue pledge concept now used by all public universities in Michigan. He also has been the lead practitioner in adapting financial tools such as advance re-fundings, variable rate demand bonds and interest rate swaps for use by Michigan’s universities.

Jerry has done a significant amount of work in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Wisconsin as underwriter’s counsel on bond issues for both public and private higher education institutions and has acted as bond counsel in bond issues for private colleges and universities in Michigan. In the health care area, he has been bond counsel for all of the bond issues for the University of Michigan Health System, and for private institutions such as Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo and Covenant Medical Center in Saginaw.

Jerry has drafted much of the bond financing laws for MDOT and testified before the Michigan Legislature on that legislation.  He also has guided MDOT through the development of a variety of new financing techniques and programs, such as the local government loan program, advance re-fundings, capital appreciation bonds and interest rate locks.