Mitt Romney-Organization, New Hampshire
updated December 27, 2007

ROMNEY FOR PRESIDENT, INC.
ROMNEY FOR PRESIDENT EXPLORATORY COMMITTEE, INC.  (formed Jan. 3, 2007)
THE COMMONWEALTH PAC (2006 election cycle)
Headquarters: 359 Elm Street, Manchester    ...Tagg Romney officially opened on March 24, 2007
Office: Parade Mall, 195 Hanover Street, Portsmouth  ...Ann Romney at grand opening on Oct. 10, 2007
Chairman Bruce Keough
(announced by the Commonwealth PAC on Sept. 26, 2006 as Chairman of NH Steering Committee)  Principal in Islington Woods LLC, a New Hampshire real estate development company.  New Hampshire Vice Chairman of President Bush’s 2004 re-election campaign.  Candidate for the 2002 Republican nomination for Governor; finished less than 5,000 votes behind winner Craig Benson in the September 10 primary.  Served on the Board of Trustees of the University System of New Hampshire; twice elected chairman.  Elected to the State Senate in 1994, defeating State Senator Beverly Hollingworth; served one term.  Appointed by Gov. Gregg to serve on the New Hampshire Business Finance Authority.  Degrees from Dartmouth College and Yale University.  Born and raised in Berlin, NH.
 
Co-Chairman Gordon McDonald
(announced March 1, 2007)  A Manchester attorney, MacDonald spent eight years on the staff of former U.S. Sen. Gordon J. Humphrey (R-NH) in Washington, D.C., serving as Humphrey's Chief of Staff and Legislative Director.  He has directed several statewide political campaigns in New Hampshire, and served as legal counsel to the New Hampshire Republican State Committee.
 
Co-Chairman Donna Sytek
(announced March 1, 2007) Sytek served as a State Representative from Salem for 23 years; she is a former Speaker of the New Hampshire House and chair of the New Hampshire Republican Party.  Sytek he has been a delegate to four Republican National Conventions and was chairwoman of the National Republican Legislators Association.
 
Co-Chairman Kathy Gregg
Wife of U.S. Senator Judd Gregg; they were married in 1973 in New Hampshire and presently live in Rye Beach.  She has been active in both the New Hampshire and Washington, DC communities.  Her interests include promoting the arts, historic preservation, environmental issues and protecting children from abuse.  She has a degree in elementary education and taught first grade in New Hampshire before raising their three children.
 
 
Director Jim Merrill
(reported by John DiStaso in "The Granite Status" on Jan. 11, 2007)  In the 2006 cycle Merrill served as Chairman of The Commonwealth PAC NH.  Member of the Devine Millimet Law firm and served as legal counsel to the New Hampshire Republican Party.  Prior to joining Devine Millimet, Merrill spent over two years on the staff of former New Hampshire Gov. Stephen E. Merrill.  New Hampshire Field Director for the successful 2000 general election campaign of George W. Bush and New Hampshire Grassroots Co-Chairman for President Bush’s re-election campaign in 2004.  J.D. from Franklin Pierce Law Center, 2001.  B.A. from Gettysburg College, 1994.
 
 
Political Director Jamie Burnett
(reported by John DiStaso in "The Granite Status" on Jan. 11, 2007)  Came to the campaign from position as legislative director for Sen. John Sununu.  In Fall 2004 he took leave to serve as the Southern Hillsborough Co./Nashua field rep. for the Republican campaign ("NH Victory").  Statewide field director for then Congressman Sununu's 2002 campaign for U.S. Senate.  Served on the legislative staff of Sen. Judd Gregg.  Attended undergraduate and graduate school at the University of New Hampshire.  Grew up on the Seacoast.
 
 
Field Director Kristy Stuart
Legislative aide at the New Hampshire Senate for nearly four years serving the Finance and Capital Budget Committees and assisting the Finance Chair.  Took leave of absence during the 2004 elections to work as a political consultant for Senators Bob Flanders, Bob Odell, Andy Peterson and Tom Eaton.  Office manager at the Republican State Committee, 2001-03.  Started in politics as an intern for the McCain for President campaign in South Carolina as a student at the University of South Carolina.

Field Representatives

Emily Cantin - Worked as a scheduler for Congressman Rob Simmons (R-CT); in 2006 she took a leave of absence from her position to work in the field on the Simmons re-election campaign.  Graduate of Saint Anselm College, 2005.

Mike Hamilton - Came to the Romney campaign from Public Opinion Strategies, the Republican polling firm based in Alexandria, VA, where he was a project director during the 2006 election cycle; started at POS as a research assistant in 2003.  Graduate of Dartmouth College, 2003.  Originally from the Boston area.

Thomas DeRosa - (started in June 2007) Prior to joining the Romney campaign, DeRosa served as the New Hampshire field director for George Pataki’s 21st Century Freedom PAC.  A field coordinator on Executive Councilor Ray Wieczorek's 2006 re-election and on  Frank Guinta’s successful campaign for Mayor of Manchester in 2005.   Chairman of the New Hampshire College Republicans in 2006-07 and a 2007 graduate of Saint Anselm College.

Matthew Suermann - (joined the campaign in June 2007) Graduate of The Catholic University of America, 2007.  Interned in the Washington, D.C., office of  Sen. John E. Sununu (R-NH) from Jan.-May 2007.  Interned in the Manchester, NH field office of Bush-Cheney '04 in Summer 2004.  Originally from Bedford, New Hampshire.

Greg Koepke - (started as a field representative for Sullivan and Cheshire Counties in June 2007)  Koepke joined the campaign in Jan. 2007; he worked in Operations in the national headquarters in Boston, where he was responsible for recruiting volunteers and securing police escorts for every city Gov. Romney visited.  Koepke moved to Boston from California.  In 2006, he worked for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s reelection effort in San Diego, Covina and Palm Desert.  He  worked on several local and state campaigns and was active with his local GOP.  Graduate of San Diego State University (SDSU).

Tyler Brown - (field representative for Hillsborough County)  Previously served as communications director for U.S. Representative Thelma Drake (VA-02).  Started with Rep. Drake in 2005 as a staff assistant, and worked his way up to become a legislative correspondent, then press secretary.  In 2006, he took a leave of absence from her office to serve as the political director for her re-election campaign.  B.A. in government and economics from the University of Virginia in 2003.  Originally from Charlottesville, Virginia.
 
 
 
Coalitions Director Will Wrobleski
Wrobleski most recently worked for Sen. Sununu as his director of projects, a position he held since May of 2003.  He started working for then-Congressman Sununu as a caseworker in April 1999 and continued as a special assistant.  Wrobleski also was a field staff on Congressman Sununu's 2000 re-election campaign.  Other experience includes aide to the NH Alternate Delegates at the RNC National Convention in September of 2004 and Sergeant of Arms at NH Republican State Committee annual meetings.  He has been a NH Republican State Committee voting member since Dec. 2004.  Wrobleski worked in Sen. Jim Jeffords' Burlington district office from August 1997 to March 1999.  Interned for Susan Sweetser's 1996 congressional campaign and for the National Governor's Association 1995 annual meeting held in Burlington, VT.  M.P.A. from the University of New Hampshire and a B.A. from the University of Vermont.
 
 
Information Director Jonathan Page
Page spent seven years working in the New Hampshire State Senate, three years for the Republican Leader and four for the Republican President of the Senate.  Managed the Gatsas for State Senate campaign, 2004.  Director of operations for the Keough for Governor campaign, 2002.  Originally from Bow.
 
 
Communications Director Craig Stevens
(started begining of June 2007)  Stevens came to the campaign from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), where he served as press secretary starting in mid-2005. Previously communications director for the U.S. Surgeon General and a spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).  Writer on the Bush-Cheney campaign in 2000 and lead writer and spokesman for the Bush-Cheney Inaugural Committee in 2001.  Press secretary to Dr. Dave Weldon (R-FL).  Communications and logistics coordinator for the National Gambling Impact Study Commission.  B.A. in political science from Houghton College and a M.A. in public policy from Regent University.  Native of Holland, NY.
 
 
Office Manager Kristen Van Horn
Joined the Romney campaign from the Manchester Sports Council, where she most recently served as its executive director.  Scheduler and volunteer coordinator for Manchester Mayor Frank Guinta.  Worked on the staff of Gov. Craig Benson specializing in constituent services.  Degrees from Keene State College and Southern New Hampshire University in sports medicine and communications.  Grew up in Derry.
 
 
College Coordinator Lauren Daigle
Senior at the University of New Hampshire, presently serves as chair of the UNH College Republicans and president of the UNH Students for Life.  Native of Stratham.
 
 
 
 
Senior Advisor Tom Rath
(announced Sept. 25, 2006)  Founder of Rath, Young and Pignatelli, P.C.; started in private practice in 1980 and has been involved in government relations since then.  Member of the Republican National Committee; delegate to every Republican National Convention since 1984.  Attorney General of New Hampshire, 1987-90.  Appointed by President George H.W. Bush to be a director of the Legal Services Corporation.  Chaired the campaigns of Sen. Warren Rudman and Sen. Judd Gregg.  Senior advisor to the presidential campaigns of Howard Baker, Robert Dole (1987-88), Lamar Alexander (1995-99) and George W. Bush (1999-2000).  J.D. from Georgetown University Law School, 1971.  B.A. from Dartmouth College, 1967.
 
 
Advisor Rich Killion
(announced Sept. 7, 2006)  Vice president of Elevare Communications, a political and strategic communications firm in Concord.  Director of the Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communication and director of the Polling Institute at Franklin Pierce.  Campaign manager for Bruce Keough's gubernatorial bid in the 2002 NH Republican primary.  Executive director of N.H.Citizens for a Sound Economy during the 1999-2000 NH primary campaign.  Worked at Franklin Pierce College doing fundraising and college relations and was also was an instructor in the Political Science division and help found the polling center, 1995-99.  B.A. from Stonehill College in No. Easton, MA; M.P.A. from George Mason University.
 

Major Endorsement
U.S. Sen. Judd Gregg - (announced Oct. 29, 2007)  Elected to the U.S. Senate in 1992 and currently serving his third term.  Previously served two terms as Governor of New Hampshire, 1989-93; four terms as U.S. Representative for New Hampshire's 2nd CD, 1981-89; and one term as Executive Councilor for New Hampshire's Council District 5, 1979-81.  Partner in the law firm of Sullivan, Gregg and Horton in Nashua.  A.B. from Columbia University, 1969; J.D. in 1972 from Boston University Law School in 1972 and L.L.M. in tax law in 1975.  New Hampshire native; resident of Rye Beach.
 

New Hampshire Leadership Team County Chairs:
(announced March 1, 2007)
Belknap County
Sheriff Dan Collis

Carroll County
Beverly Bruce
Tom Dewhurst
State Representative Betsey Patten

Cheshire County
County Attorney Peter Heed
Fred Parker

Coos County
Berlin City Councilor Tim Donovan
County Commissioner Bing Judd
Colebrook Selectman Benoit Lamontagne

Grafton County
John Boyle

 

Hillsborough County
Claira Monier
County Commissioner Toni Pappas

Merrimack County
Liz Feren
Franklin City Councilor Ken Merrifield

Rockingham County
Judy Galluzzo
Sheriff Dan Linehan
County Attorney Jim Reams
Christopher Wolfe

Strafford County
Barbara Russell
Paul Smith
Elaine Tinetti

Sullivan County
Ernie Bridge
State Representative Beverly Rodeschin

Romney Legislative Leadership Team (40 legislators; announced Dec. 27, 2007)

New Hampshire Attorneys Leadership Team Steering Committee (announced Sept. 10, 2007)

Small Business (as of Aug. 27, 2007)

New Hampshire Veterans Leadership Team (41 veterans representing all ten counties in the State; announced July 5, 2007)
Chair: Mike Moffett, Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps

New Hampshire Women's Leadership Team (109 women representing all ten counties in the State; announced July 2, 2007)
Co-Chairs: Nancy Dwight, Lyme; Carol Holden, Amherst; Jane Keough, Dublin; Betty Maiola, Newport; and Sharon Sykas, Stratham.
 

New Hampshire Students for Romney (11 campus chairs announced March 23, 2007)
Adam Bungert (University Of New Hampshire) switched to Huckabee; Ralph M. Crossen (New England College); Katie Dangel (Southern New Hampshire University);  Robyn Dangora (Saint Anselm College); Christopher DuPuy (Southern New Hampshire University); Garret Ean (New Hampshire Technical Institute); Anthony Estevez (Daniel Webster College); Taylor Frazao (Franklin Pierce College); Zachary Irish (Colby-Sawyer College); Emily O'Neil (University Of New Hampshire); Sean Smith (Dartmouth College).
 

New Hampshire Statewide Finance Committee (announced April 24, 2007)
Co-Chairs:
Jackie Eastwood (Durham) - Founder and CEO of TissueLink Medical Inc. in Dover, NH.  Now retired, she provided executive leadership for 30 years from the start up and led multi-national medical device companies.  She was the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2004 for New England and finalist for NH High Tech Council Entrepreneur of the Year 2006.

Gary Levy (Portsmouth) - Portsmouth businessman and Newmarket resident.  He has served on the Governor's Efficiency Committee and holds a seat on the Pease Development Authority Board.

Members:
Karl Norwood (Amherst) - President of NAI Norwood Group. He is the past chairman of the State Republican Finance Committee. He also serves on the Elliot Hospital Board of Trustees and is a Director of Amoskeag Industries.

Rob Prunier (Hollis) - A principal of a commercial construction business and has been politically involved in New Hampshire for many years.  He also serves as Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Nashua, on the Committee at St. Joseph Hospital and at Bishop Guertin High School.  He is a member of the Nashua Rotary West and lives in New Hampshire with his wife and four children.

Michael Kane (Newcastle) - A principal of The Kane Company, the seacoast region's leading commercial real estate brokerage services company founded in 1981. He began working on political campaigns when he helped with Ronald Reagan's primary bid.  Kane has worked on behalf of many campaigns including Steve Forbes and Senator John Sununu.

David Vicinanzo (Concord) - A partner with Nixon Peabody LLP, a national law firm with an office in Manchester.  A long-time federal prosecutor, he was formerly the first Assistant U.S. Attorney for New Hampshire.  Vicinanzo, his wife Mary and their children live in Concord.

Robert A. Cruess (Amherst) - President and CEO of TFMoran Inc., an engineering firm in Bedford, NH.  He serves on numerous boards and committees, including the NH Board of Professional Engineers, a director of Hampshire First Bank, and is a commissioner of New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission.  In 2006, The Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce named Cruess "Small Business Person of the Year."
 
 

also:
endorsement of former state Sen. Bob Flanders (reported by Granite Status, March 29, 2007)
From Antrim; Flanders represented District 7, but was defeated in Nov. 2006.

endorsement of former state Sen. Tom Eaton (announced April 3, 2007)
A resident of Keene, Eaton served in the State Senate from 1999 to 2006 and was State Senate President from 2002-05; defeated in Nov. 2006.

endorsement of Ovide Lamontagne (announced April 25, 2007)
Manchester attorney; shareholder with the regional law firm of Devine, Millimet and Branch.  Republican nominee for Governor in 1996.  Chairman of the New Hampshire State Board of Education, 1993-96.  Legal counsel to the New Hampshire State Senate in 1991.  J.D., University of Wyoming College of Law, 1985.  B.A., Catholic University of America, 1979.

endorsement of Sen. Bob Letourneau (announced May 17, 2007)
Elected to represent Derry in the State Senate in 2004.  Previously a four-term member of the NH House of Representatives, where he served as Assistant Majority Leader.  Letourneau is the Chairman of the Senate Transportation and Interstate Cooperation Committee.

endorsement of former state Sen. Chuck Morse (announced July 12, 2007)
President and owner of Freshwater Farms in Atkinson for the past 20 years.  Republican nominee for Executive Council – District 3 in 2006.  Served in the State Senate from 2002-06, as a State Representative for Salem and Windham from 1998 to 2002, and as a Town Selectman from 1996-98.  A Town Moderator since 2000.  Degree in business management from Plymouth State University.  Grew up in Salem and lives there with his wife Susan their daughter Emma.

endorsement of anti-tax advocate Tom Thomson (announced Oct. 4, 2007)
Tom Thomson and his family own and operate the 2,400 acre Thomson Family Tree Farm in Orford, New Hampshire.  Thomson served in the National Guard after high school.  Son of the late New Hampshire Governor Mel Thomson Jr.,

endorsement of House Minority Leader Michael Whalley (reported Dec. 21, 2007)
from Alton
 
 

former staff
Coalitions Director Scott Scheid
Most recently served as the regional field director (Sacramento region) for the California Victory '06 effort.  Earlier in 2006 he worked as the on-site campaign manager for Republican congressional candidate Eric Roach in California.



The Commonwealth PAC NH Steering Committee .
On Oct. 4, 2006 Romney announced creation of this group "consisting of prominent Republicans and business leaders in all ten New Hampshire counties, from Coos to the sea."  (58 people including Keough).
organized by county
Belknap
Dan Collis (Laconia) Sheriff, Belknap County; Chairman Law Enforcement for Bush 2004

Wayne Coull (Laconia)  Acting County Attorney, Belknap County

George Twigg, III (Gilmanton) Former state representative
 

Carroll
Eric Letendre (Tuftonboro) Principal, Shannon Investments

Shane McKinney (Conway)  Caroll County co-chairman, Bush 2004

Betsey Patten (Moultonborough)  State Representative; Former Carroll County GOP Chair

Marge Webster (Wolfeboro) County Commissioner, Carroll County
 

Cheshire
Peter Heed (Westmoreland) Former N.H. Attorney General

Bruce Keough (Dublin)  Steering Committee Chairman, Former State Senator & 2002 GOP gubernatorial candidate
 

Coos
Bing Judd (Pittsburg) County Commissioner, Coos County

Beno Lamontagne (Colebrook)   Chairman, Coos County Economic Development Corp.

Grafton
Nancy Dwight (Lyme) Former Executive Director, National Republican Congressional Committee

Don Dwight (Lyme)  Former Lt. Governor, Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Steve Panagoulis (Plymouth)  Former County Commissioner; Grafton County

Hillsborough
Tom Boucher (Bedford) Former Chairman, N.H. Lodging & Restaurant Association

Bryson Cook (Bedford) Branch Manager, Smith Barney

Craig Donais (Bedford) Former N.H. Assistant Attorney General

Scott Earnshaw (Bedford)  President, New Hampshire Traditional Marriage and Family Institute

Kevin Gage (Nashua)  Former Alderman, City of Nashua

Will Infantine (Manchester)  State Representative

Doug Kruse (Manchester)  School Board, City of Manchester

Jim Merrill (Manchester)  Chairman, The Commonwealth PAC-NH; Grassroots Co-chair, NH Bush-Cheney 2004

Claira Monier (Goffstown)  Executive Director; N.H. Housing Finance Authority

Kent Nolan (Goffstown) School Board member, Town of Goffstown

Karl Norwood (Bedford)  Principal, Norwood Realty Group

German Ortiz (Bedford) Member, Governor's Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs

Pam Price (Nashua)  State Representative; House Majority Whip

Siobhan Tautkus (Manchester) Former Staff Member, Office of Governor Steve Merrill & Alderman Candidate, Manchester

Jim Tollner (Nashua)  Alderman At-Large, City of Nashua
 

Merrimack
Liz Feren (Hooksett) Former Hooksett GOP Chair

Tony Guinta (Franklin)  Former Mayor, City of Franklin

Gordon MacDonald (Concord)  Former Campaign Director, Gordon Humphrey for Governor

Ken Merrifield (Franklin)  City Councilor, City of Franklin

Lt.Col. Mike Moffett (Concord) Lt. Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps Reserves; Professor, NH. Technical Institute

Jim Rivers (Concord)  Senior Aide to NH House Speaker; Former Press Secretary, Governor Stephen Merrill

David Vicinanzo (Concord) Former 1st Assistant U.S. Attorney, New Hampshire

Dick Wennerberg (Hopkinton)  Merrimack County co-chair, Bush-Cheney 2004

Judy Wennerberg (Hopkinton)  Merrimack County co-chair, Bush-Cheney 2004

Sherilyn Young (Concord)  Former legislative counsel, Governor Judd Gregg & former board member, USNH

Rockingham
Mary Griffin (Windham) State Representative, Deputy Majority Whip

George Kassas (Derry)  Founder & Exec. V.P., Cedar Point Communications

Tom Laporte (Chester)  Chair, Attorneys for Bush-Cheney 2004 & Member, Chester Budget Committee

Gary Levy (Portsmouth)  Commonwealth PAC-NH Finance Chairman; President, State Street Discount

Dan Linehan (Danville)  Sheriff, Rockingham County

Patricia Mahoney (Rye)  NH GOP Chair, Town of Rye

Paul Needham (Derry)  Former Chairman, Derry Town Council

Ray Pinard (Deerfield)  Principal, Monticello Group; Former Chairman, Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce; 2004 Bush-Cheney Small Business Chairman

Jim Reams (Hampton)  County Attorney, Rockingham County

John Sangenario (Hampton)  Town Chair, Bush-Cheney 2004

Jeanne Sangenario (Hampton)  Town Chair, Bush-Cheney 2004

Mark Sykas (Stratham)  Town Chair, Bush-Cheney 2004

Sharon Sykas (Stratham)  Past President, Seacoast Federation of Republican Women

Chris Wolfe (Derry)  Former NH GOP Chairman, Town of Derry

Strafford
George Lovejoy (Barrington) Former State Senator & Co-Founder, Granite State Taxpayers

Barbara Russell (Dover)  NH Bush-Cheney Campaign Co-Chair 2000; Former Vice Chair, NH Republican Party

Gene Savage (Barrington)  Former Vice Chancellor, Univ. System of New Hampshire (USNH)

Paul Smith (Farmington)  Former State Representative

Sullivan
Betty Maiola (Newport)  Select Board member, Town of Newport

 
Chairman of The Commonwealth PAC NH Jim Merrill
Member of the Devine Millimet Law firm and is currently serving as legal counsel to the New Hampshire Republican Party.  Prior to joining Devine Millimet, Merrill spent over two years on the staff of former New Hampshire Gov. Stephen E. Merrill.  New Hampshire Field Director for the successful 2000 general election campaign of George W. Bush and New Hampshire Grassroots Co-Chairman for President Bush’s re-election campaign in 2004.  J.D. from Franklin Pierce Law Center, 2001.  B.A. from Gettysburg College, 1994.
 

also note:
Political Director and Spokesperson (National) Julie Teer
(March 2006)  Teer served as Romney's press secretary in the Governor's office starting in April 2005.  Executive director for Bush-Cheney '04 in New Hampshire. Communications director for the New Hampshire Republican State Committee starting in March 2003.  Worked briefly for Sen. John Sununu (R-NH) in Washington, DC after serving as press secretary on Sununu's campaign during fall 2002.  Served as press secretary to Sen. Spencer Abraham (R-MI).  Native of East Lansing.
 
Copyright © 2006, 2007  Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action