Key
People-Gov. George Pataki (R-NY)
updated Dec. 5, 2006
21st CENTURY FREEDOM PAC
Member of the RNC. Chairman
of the New York Republican State Committee from March 8, 2001- Nov. 15,
2004. Served in Gov. Pataki’s administration as New York Secretary
of State for six years. Chairman of the Essex County Republican Committee
for nearly a decade. Reporter for Sports Illustrated, and
author of The World of Marathons. Graduated from the University
of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a bachelor's degree in journalism.
Note: Robert E. Davis served
as the initial chairman of the PAC. A small business owner in Western
New York, Davis is founder of The Partnership, Ltd, an advertising, marketing
and public relations firm that specializes in retail marketing. He
is also chairman of the Erie County Republican Committee.
Executive Director |
Rob Cole |
Started working for then-Assemblyman
Pataki as an intern in 1992. Graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Parkside
with a degree in political science. Native of New York.
Political Director |
Leonard B. Rodriguez |
One of six White House Associate
Political Directors through to 2003, when he left to do consulting.
In 1999 Rodriguez led the Bush for President Exploratory Committee's Hispanic
outreach effort for the Iowa Straw Poll and continued with the campaign
in Austin, serving as national director of Bush/Cheney 2000's Hispanic
Coalition.
Press Secretary |
Alicia Preston |
Joined Meridian Communications,
a New Hampshire-based consulting group co-founded by Jack Heath and Mike
Biundo, in January 2005. (Meridian was announced as a consultant
to the 21st Century Freedom PAC on Jan. 11, 2006). Served as press
secretary to New Hampshire Gov. Craig Benson. Worked six years at
WNDS TV in Derry as chief political reporter and then news director. Also
worked as reporter and news director at WKXL AM/FM in Concord and WPNH
FM in Plymouth and as a staff writer for the White Mountain Journal
in Lincoln. New Hampshire native.
Finance Chairman |
Walter Ganzi Jr. |
Chairman, CEO and Co-owner of
The Palm Restaurants and Palm Management Corporation (PMC), which operates
30 fine dining steakhouses. Served as President George H.W. Bush's
National Finance Co-Chairman for his 1988 presidential campaign and was
the finance chairman for the 1989 Presidential Inauguration. 1963
graduate of Paul Smith's College, and 1964 graduate of Denver University.
Resident of Naples, Florida.
National Finance Director |
Kara Ahern |
(announced Nov. 30, 2006)
Most recently Deputy Campaign Manager and Finance Director for Lt. Gov.
Kerry Healey’s 2006 gubernatorial campaign in Massachusetts. Political
Director for Vice President Dick Cheney. In 2004, Ahern was Northeast
Finance Director for Bush Cheney ’04 and a top aide to National Finance
Co-Chairman Jack Oliver. She also served as the campaign’s Deputy
Director of Vice Presidential Operations.
Executive Director of the
Finance Committee |
Diane Crookham-Johnson |
(initially Iowa executive director;
see below)
IOWA
Iowa Office of 21st Century
Freedom State PAC: Aurora Business Park, Building 13, Urbandale (Gov.
Pataki opened on Sept. 29, 2006)
Chairman |
State Senator Stew Iverson |
(announced June 14, 2006; part
of initial leadership team) Represents Senate District 5, which includes
the counties of Story, Hamilton, Wright and part of Webster. Iverson
was elected Senate Majority Leader in 1996 and served through April 2006;
he announced in June 2006 that he will not be seeking re-election.
Iverson is a farmer and resides in Clarion (Wright County). Elected
to the Iowa Senate in 1994; elected to the Iowa House of Representatives
in 1989. Served fifteen years on the Dows Community School Board.
Served in the United States Marine Corps as budget chief of the First Marine
Division. B.A. in accounting from Buena Vista College; attended Ellsworth
Junior College.
Co-Chair |
Former State Rep. Steve Sukup |
(announced Sept. 26, 2006)
Co-owner of Sukup Manufacturing Co., a family-owned agricultural business
in Sheffield started by Eugene Sukup in 1963. Candidate for the 2002
Republican gubernatorial nomination; gained 64,490 votes, finishing second
to Doug Gross in the June 2002 primary. Served in the Iowa House
starting in 1994 and finishing as speaker pro tem. From Daugherty
in North Central Iowa.
Executive
Director |
Craig Schoenfeld |
(announced
Sept. 26, 2006, resigned in Nov. 2006 following the mid-term elections)
Attorney and lobbyist at Wasker Dorr Wimmer & Marcouiller, P.C. in
West Des Moines. Managed Rep. Greg Ganske's 2002 campaign for Senate
through late 2001. Communications director for the Iowa Republican
Party. Political director of Iowa Victory 2000. Political director
of Iowa Victory 2000. Caucus planning director on Bush's 2000 Iowa
caucus campaign (starting Sept. 1999 worked in tandem with the campaign's
field operations, preparing county and precinct leaders and supporters
for the intricacies of the Iowa caucus process). Director of communications
for the Iowa House Republican Caucus 1999-2000. Analyst/legal counsel
to the House Republican Caucus from 1994-98. M.A. and J.D. from Drake
University, 1994. B.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point,
1991.
Operations Director |
Noreen F. Bush |
(announced Sept. 26, 2006)
Experience in government and with Iowa Victory '04. J.D. from Drake
University Law School, 2006. B.A. from Mount Mercy College, 2003.
Senior
Political Advisor |
Ed Failor, Jr. |
(announced
June 14, 2006; part of initial leadership team; departure reported Nov.
21, 2006) Executive Vice President of Iowans for Tax Relief.
During the 2004 presidential campaign Failor served as executive director
of Iowa Victory 2004, helping Bush to carry the battleground state.
(announced June 14, 2006 as
Executive Director; now Executive Director of the national PAC's finance
committee) Vice President for Administration of Musco Lighting Corp.
of Oskaloosa; finance roles on a number of Iowa campaigns. Appointed
chair of the Republican Party of Iowa's Victory Fund in June 2005.
Finance chair for the Republican Party of Iowa, 2002-05. Finance
chair for Doug Gross' gubernatorial campaign in 2002.
(announced
June 14, 2006; part of intial leadership team; departure reported Nov.
21, 2006) Chairman of the Benton County Republican Party and a member
of the State Central Committee of the Iowa Republican Party. Managed
Gary Bauer's Iowa caucus campaign in 1999-2000 and Pat Buchanan's Iowa
caucus campaign in 1995-96. He resides in Norway (Benton County)
and works as a computer consultant.
(announced June 14, 2006; part
of initial leadership team) Managed Mark Leonard's campaign for Secretary
of Agriculture in the June 2006 Republican primary. Regional chair
for Bush-Cheney '04. Member of the Polk County Republican Central
Committee and Executive Committee. Campaign co-chair for the Iowa
Federation of Republican Women.
Grassroots Advisory Team
On September 26, 2006 Gov.
Pataki
announced
a Grassroots Advisory Team comprising 14 county chairs "named to help the
Governor's get out the vote effort for Republicans."
Note: Gov. Pataki announced
the initial Iowa leadership team for his 21st Century Freedom PAC
on June 14, 2006, in advance of the Iowa Republican state convention:
State Sen. Stew Iverson (Chairman), Ed Failor, Jr. (Senior Political Advisor),
Diane Crookham-Johnson (Executive Director), Loras Schulte and JoEllen
Hill. As reported by the Hotline, Schulte subsequently sent out an
e-mail stating that his "involvement in the PAC is not an endorsement of
the Governor for President but it does reflect how seriously I take the
job of helping to fund our 2006 candidates for the State House..."
Schoenfield, Failor and Schulte left Pataki's team in November 2006 following
the mid-term elections.
Also note: The year end 2005
FEC report for Pataki's PAC showed payments totaling $6,000 to Erik Helland
of Des Moines for political consulting; first payment on Oct. 12, 2005.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
New Hampshire Office
of 21st Century Freedom State PAC: 20 Market Street, Manchester (Gov.
Pataki opened on Oct. 2, 2006)
New Hampshire Office |
Chris Larson |
(reported by Hotline On Call
on Sept. 7, 2006) Previously worked for the DCI Group. (DCI
Group on retainer to the PAC since 2003).
New Hampshire Leadership Team
On October 12, 2006 Gov.
Pataki announced
10 New Hampshirites as a Leadership Team to help "organize grassroots efforts
across New Hampshire during the final weeks of the 2006 election cycle."
also Alicia Preston
(see above)
21st Century Freedom PAC
is based in Virginia where, unlike in New York, it can accept unlimited
donations.
Copyright © 2006
Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action |
|