Key
People-Former Gov. Tommy Thompson (R-WI)
updated June 29, 2007
TOMMY THOMPSON FOR PRESIDENT
THOMPSON
PRESIDENTIAL EXPLORATORY COMMITTEE - 2008 filed to establish
exploratory committee on Dec. 13, 2006
IOWA
| Campaign Manager |
Chad Olsen |
(announced by the exploratory
committee on Jan. 17, 2007) Most recently has been running a small
business in Panora with his wife. Managed the Sukup for Governor
primary campaign in 2002. Political director on the Forbes 2000 Iowa
caucus campaign. Legislative liaison for State Auditor Dick Johnson.
Field staffer on Jim Ross Lightfoot's gubernatorial primary campaign in
1998. Field staffer on Jim Ross Lightfoot's 1996 challenge to Sen.
Tom Harkin. Field staffer on Sen. Phil Gramm's 1996 Iowa caucus campaign.
Started on campaigns working on Pres. George H.W. Bush's 1992 re-election
effort in Washington, DC. B.A. in economics and political science
from Boston University.
See Iowa
page >>
NEW HAMPSHIRE
(announced March 15, 2007)
Manchester, NH based firm co-founded by Michael Biundo and Jack Heath.
See New
Hampshire page >>
former
Treasurer of Thompson's Forward
America PAC (formed Oct. 2006). President of the Luminis
Group, Ltd., a Madison-based consulting firm. Vice president
of corporate affairs at Third Wave Technologies, a publicly-traded biotechnology
company. Conducted survey research and provided communications counsel
for corporate clients Executive director of the Republican Party of Wisconsin,
Feb. 1998 to Dec. 2000. Deputy press secretary and deputy communications
director for Gov. Thompson from Feb. 1996-98. Aide to Department
of Administration head Jim Klauser, 1994-96. Worked on Gov. Thompson's
1994 re-election campaign.
| Political Director |
Darrin Schmitz |
(announced by the exploratory
committee on Jan. 24, 2007) President of Persuasion
Partners, Inc. (PPI), a national political consulting and direct mail
firm based in Madison, WI. Executive director of the Republican Party
of Wisconsin in the 2004 cycle. Managed Gov. Scott McCallum's unsuccessful
campaign in 2002. Executive director of the Bush-Cheney campaign
in Wisconsin in 2000. Press secretary to Gov. Thompson; deputy campaign
manager and turnout director for Thompson's successful 1998 re-election
campaign; speechwriter for Thompson. From Wascott, WI.
| Communications Director |
Tony Jewell |
A managing director on the Strategy
Team at Burson-Marsteller (announced June 2006). Director of national
public relations, for the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions. Deputy
Assistant Secretary of Public Affairs for Policy and Strategy at the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), coordinating public affairs
activities and strategies. Press secretary for Gov. Thompson in Wisconsin.
Writer/editor for the Associated Press. Studied journalism and history
at Indiana University.
| Finance |
Gateway Ventures, Inc. |
Philip Prange, president of
the Madison, WI firm, Dan Morris and Mary Heigi.
WISCONSIN
(announced Jan. 28, 2007)
Chairman of the Bush-Cheney 2004 Wisconsin campaign; co-chairman of George
W. Bush for President–Wisconsin 2000. General chairman, Thompson
for Governor Committee, 1986-2000. Senior Vice President of Wisconsin
Energy Corporation starting in 1998 and a senior partner at the law firm
DeWitt Ross & Stevens in Madison. Secretary of the Wisconsin
Department of Administration, 1986-96. Attorney and partner with
DeWitt, Sundby, Huggett, Schumacher and Morgan, S.C. in Madison, 1980-86.
Klauser has earned three degrees from the University of Wisconsin, Madison,
obtaining his B.S. in 1961, J.D. in 1964, and M.A. in political science
in 1968.
Copyright © 2006, 2007
Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action |
|