Commissioner Joe Barone was appointed to the Wayne County Commission on April 16, 2015.
He grew up in Flint as the youngest of four children. He is a founding member of a "Main Street" law practice in Plymouth.Commissioner Barone earned his bachelor of arts degree in materials and logistics management from Michigan State University (Eli Broad School of Business) in 1993, his juris doctorate from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 1996 and his master of laws degree in taxation from Wayne State University Law School in 2004.
He is the proud supporter of more than 35 local community groups and organizations, including Focus: HOPE, Relay for Life and the Canton and Plymouth Community Foundations.
Commissioner Barone is a former board member of the Plymouth Township Downtown Development Authority, the Plymouth Township Brownfield Redevelopment Authority and the Wayne 11th Congressional District Republican Committee. He also is a precinct delegate for the 12th Precinct in Plymouth Township. He is active in the Plymouth and Canton Chambers of Commerce, and is a former member of the Canton Chamber of Commerce board of directors. He also served as a Canton Chamber of Commerce ambassador. He was the 2013 Canton Chamber of Commerce Business Person of the Year. He is a graduate of Leadership Plymouth, a multi-month leadership program offered by the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce to cultivate engagement among existing and emerging local leaders. He also was a member of the Team Canton leadership team.
Commissioner Barone is a member of the Catholic Lawyers Society, the Italian American Bar Association, the Incorporated Society of Irish American Lawyers, the Federalist Society and the Knights of Columbus. He also is licensed to practice law in Illinois. Commissioner Barone has been a frequent guest speaker for the Canton Homeowners' Advisory Council and 35th District Court. In 18 years of practice, he has extensive courtroom trial experience in civil litigation, criminal law and probate matters. His success rate in jury trials is more than 95 percent.
He also has served as interim prosecuting attorney for Northville Township and as a volunteer trial attorney for the Schoolcraft College Police Academy.
He lives in Plymouth Township with his daughters, Olivia and Isabelle. He attends Resurrection Catholic Church in Canton Township, and enjoys downhill skiing, golfing, boating and running.
