Chas Anderson was appointed Minnesota’s Assistant Education Commissioner in January 2003 and was promoted to Deputy Education Commissioner in October 2003 by Governor Tim Pawlenty. In that role she is responsible for general oversight of state and federal education expenditures in excess of $13 billion over the two-year biennial budget period as well as oversight for general operations of the agency. She also regularly provides testimony to the state legislature and gives presentations to various groups on a variety of education finance issues, including alternative teacher compensation.

Chas recently led efforts to raise expectations for student achievement that includes improving teacher quality and instruction, and improving teacher recruitment and retention. Specifically, she led efforts focused on bringing systemic reforms to public education through an alternative teacher compensation program called Quality Compensation for Teachers, or Q Comp. The Q Comp program, proposed by Governor Tim Pawlenty, passed the Legislature in 2005. Currently there is over $100 million of state and local revenues available in FY 2006-07 for school districts and charter schools to begin implementation.

Prior to employment at the Minnesota Department of Education, Chas was employed by the Minnesota House of Representatives from January 1999 until January 2003 as the committee administrator for the House Ways and Means Committee under the direction of Chairman David Bishop (R-Rochester). The House Ways and Means Committee is the full budget committee responsible for ensuring and certifying budget bills that provide funding for the entire state budget, which was approximately $40 billion for all funds in FY 2002-03.

While employed with the House, in September 2001, Chas received an award from the Minnesota Supreme Court for working on improving access to justice in the judicial branch of government. Prior to her employment with the Minnesota House of Representatives, Chas worked as an aide to Governor Arne H. Carlson during his second term in office, working in the citizen outreach office and in the legislative relations office.

Chas holds a Bachelor of Arts degree, magna cum laude, from St. Cloud State University. She was a policy fellow at the Hubert H. Humphrey Policy Institute at the University of Minnesota in 2004-05. She resides in St. Paul, Minnesota.

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Jim Frogue

Jim Frogue serves as the Center for Health Transformation’s chief liaison to state policy projects. His primary areas of focus are Medicaid and Health Savings Accounts. Prior to joining the Center, Jim was for three years Director of the Health and Human Services Task Force at the American Legislative Exchange Council. There, he coordinated the development and dissemination of market-oriented health policies among state legislator representatives from 45 states. He also has served three Members of Congress, most recently as Legislative Director for Congresswoman Kay Granger of Texas. He also spent two years as the health care policy analyst at the Heritage Foundation.

Jim has testified to state legislatures in Missouri, Florida, Texas, Ohio, Kansas, Colorado, and Alaska, as well as to the Medicaid Commission, the Western Governors’ Association and to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Importation Task Force. He also was appointed by Speaker William J. Howell to the Virginia Council on Human Resources and will serve until 2008.

Jim’s op-eds have appeared in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Chicago Sun Times, the Washington Times, Modern Healthcare, and Health Care News where he is a contributing editor. He has also appeared on CNBC’s Bullseye and Power Lunch, NPR’s The Diane Rehm show, All Things Considered, On Point, and the Kaiser Network’s “Ask the Experts” webcast.

He holds a Master of Philosophy degree from Cambridge University and a Bachelor of Arts with honors from the University of Southern California. He lives in Arlington, Virginia.
 

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Chris Gerlach

Chris Gerlach is a member of the Minnesota State Senate representing much of Dakota County. He currently sits on the Capital Investment, Finance, and Jobs, Energy, and Community Development committees. 

Chris was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 1998 and subsequently re-elected each year. He was elected to the Senate in a special election in 2002 and was re-elected in 2004. He is recognized as a leader of the conservative members in the legislature and considers tax relief, less government spending, education reform, and public safety to be among his special legislative concerns.

Chris is a graduate of the University of St. Thomas and holds an MBA from the University of South Dakota. He works as a real estate agent and lives with his wife Shelly and two children in Apple Valley, Minnesota.

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Dennis LaComb

Dennis LaComb is a communications specialist from the Chicago area with extensive experience in the corporate and political arenas.

He is publisher of Illinois Review, one of the most widely read political blogs in Illinois. He is also executive director of the United Republican Fund of Illinois, one of Illinois' oldest conservative political action committees.

Dennis is also a principal of Lodestar Strategic Partners, Inc., a private sector consulting firm providing strategic marketing, communications, and public relations counsel to a variety of public and private-sector clients, including numerous Fortune 500 businesses.

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Jeff Larson

Jeff Larson has an extensive background in tele-fundraising and creating and implementing voter contact programs. He has been a leader in the political tele-fundraising area for past 13 years and has helped pioneer many of the ways conservative candidates have successfully leveraged telephones in communicating with their base.

Prior to his start in the tele-fundraising area, Jeff worked as a Regional Political Director for the George Bush Presidential campaign and prior to that was a Regional Political Director for the Republican National Committee, working in 13 western states.

In 2000 Jeff worked with the Bush for President Campaign and the RNC to coordinate and manage voter contact programs in the targeted Bush states. Prior to his work with the Bush campaign and the RNC Jeff served as an Executive Director for a State Party, was the Campaign Manager for an incumbent Governor and served as a Finance Director for a U.S. Senate campaign.

Jeff continues to serve as a senior advisor to numerous elected officials, Republican Party leaders, and challenger candidates alike. He and his wife reside in Hudson, Wisconsin.

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Lee McGrath is the Executive Director of the Institute for Justice Minnesota Chapter. He joined the Institute in December 2004 and litigates cutting-edge constitutional cases protecting economic liberty, school choice, private property, freedom of speech, and other individual liberties in both federal and state courts in Minnesota and nationally. Minnesota Lawyer recently recognized Lee as one of 2006’s Up-and-Coming Attorneys.

Under Lee’s leadership, the Institute for Justice Minnesota has launched a successful campaign to restore economic liberty as a basic civil right under both the Minnesota State and U.S. Constitutions. IJ-MN successfully freed African hairbraiders from the State of Minnesota's onerous cosmetology licensing regime and successfully stopped the government from enforcing a blanket ban on advertising, soliciting, or using the Internet to conduct lawful, direct sales of wine.

During the summer of 2002, Lee clerked at IJ's Washington, D.C. headquarters where he contributed analysis of Oklahoma's regulations used in litigation against the state's prohibition of direct casket sales to consumers, provided research used in IJ's amicus brief advocating a remedy of "extension of liberty" in Swedenburg v. Kelly, involving interstate shipping of wine to consumers, and helped formulate an incidental use defense in a misappropriation of identity claim against IJ's client, the Mackinac Center for Public Policy.

Lee received his law degree from William Mitchell College of Law in Saint Paul where he was the president of the local Federalist Society chapter. Before that, he worked for more than 20 years in corporate finance at General Motors and other corporations. His last position was Vice President and Treasurer of Jostens, the yearbook and ring company headquartered in Bloomington, Minnesota.

In addition to his law degree, Lee holds an MBA in finance from the University of Chicago and a bachelor's degree in business administration from Georgetown University. He was also a Policy Fellow at the Humphrey Institute, University of Minnesota.

Lee has served on numerous boards of not-for-profit organizations. He and his wife Bonnie have four children and live in Edina, Minnesota.

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Annette Meeks
 

From July 2004 until April 2006, Annette Meeks served as president and Chief Executive Officer of Center of the American Experiment, a nonpartisan, tax-exempt, public policy and education al institution. She joined American Experiment in January 1997 as Director of Government Affairs and Public Programs.

Prior to joining American Experiment, Annette worked in Washington, D.C. where she was appointed by Congressman Newt Gingrich to serve as his Deputy Chief of Staff upon his swearing in as the 50^th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. In this capacity she oversaw the personnel and administration of the Speaker’s Office. In addition, she was in charge of appointments to boards and commissions, all foreign travel for Members of Congress, as well as many special events hosted by Congress.

Prior to working in the Speaker’s office, Annette served as Congressman Gingrich’s Administrative Assistant in Washington, D.C. She assumed this position in November of 1992. In this capacity, she was responsible for managing all aspects of his official congressional offices in Washington, D.C. and Marietta, Georgia.

In 1992, Gingrich tapped Annette to lead his re-election effort in Georgia. This multi-million dollar campaign was one of the most closely watched and hard-fought battles in that election year. Gingrich’s victory in November 1992 marked his largest electoral victory to date.

From 1989 until 1992, Annette served in the Whip’s Office as a Special Assistant to the Republican Whip. In this position she was responsible for tracking Member’s votes as well as publishing The Whipping Post, a partisan publication that outlined the daily legislative program for the U.S. House of Representatives.

She began working for Newt during his successful campaign for House leadership in 1989 when he was elected by his colleagues to serve as the Republican Whip of the U.S. House of Representatives, the second highest-ranking Republican leadership position in the House of Representatives.

Her previous experience was in Minnesota politics, including serving as a district representative for Congressman Vin Weber (R-MN) in Marshall, Minnesota.

In 2002 Annette was appointed by then Governor-elect Tim Pawlenty to serve on his transition advisory committee. In 2004 she served on the Governor’s Stadium Screening Committee, a 21-member advisory board that provided recommendations to the governor and the legislature regarding professional sports facilities.

On March 3, 2003, Governor Pawlenty appointed Annette to serve a four-year term as the Seventh District representative to the Metropolitan Council. The Minnesota Senate confirmed her appointment to this position on May 16^th, 2004.  Meeks is a member of the Transportation Committee and is Vice Chair of the Community Development Committee. In addition, she served on the Hiawatha light rail management committee, the Central Corridor Coordinating Committee, and chair of the Metro GIS evaluation committee.

Annette is also involved in various non-profit organizations, including serving on the Board of Directors of Citizens Against Gambling Expansion (CAGE), the Governor’s Commission to End Long-Term Homelessness, and in 2005, she joined the Minnesota Citizens Commission for the Preservation of an Impartial Judiciary. In addition, she is a member of the Minneapolis/St. Paul Alumnae Association of Alpha Omicron Pi and a volunteer at Exodus House.

She frequently provides political commentary on local television and radio shows, including co-hosting “The Poli-chicks”, a current affairs radio show on AM-1500, KSTP, as well as participating in a weekly political discussion on A Balanced Breakfast with Ian and Margery, a morning radio show heard locally on FM-107. She is also a regular commentator on At Issue, a weekly public affairs television show produced by KSTP-TV as well as providing weekly political commentary on Channel 5’s Eyewitness News.

Annette is married to Jack Meeks, CEO of The Walker Group, Inc. They live in downtown Minneapolis and attend Wooddale church.

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Mike Milligan

For the past 24 years Michael Milligan has been active in raising funds for a variety of political organizations, political candidates, and non-profit organizations. During this time he has raised over 100 million dollars through direct mail, telemarketing, special events, major donor programs, affinity cards, and merchandise sales.

Mike has been with Direct Mail Systems since 1994. DMS is located in Clearwater, Florida and specializes in Republican state party and candidate fundraising as well as absentee ballot and voter contact mail. Mike works closely with clients to develop overall message, theme and mail plans. He is also responsible for coordinating all work with in-house staff for copy, creative design and production. Clients include various state parties, candidates for Presidential, Gubernatorial, Congressional and statewide races.

Mike’s previous experience includes serving as the Major Donor Director of the National Republican Congressional Committee; Deputy Executive Director and Finance Director of the Republican Party of Texas; National Representative of the Republican National Committee’s prestigious Eagle’s program; and PAC Director at the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

In addition to his direct mail expertise, Mike has a vast background in major donor, special event, and telemarketing. He has coordinated over 50 Presidential and Vice Presidential events. In addition, he has coordinated many other highly visible fundraising events, including events at the White House, three Republican National Conventions, Presidential Inaugurals, and even the Superbowl. He also has organized numerous meetings in Washington, D.C., and across the nation.

For the past several years Mike has served as a faculty member of the Republican National Committee and has been a speaker for a variety of groups including the Republican National Committee, Campaigns and Elections Seminars, Florida Non-Profit Association meetings, and numerous Republican state party organizations.

Mike received his BA in English from the University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee.  He also attended Oxford University in Oxford, England with an Oxford Studies Scholarship and graduated from the RNC Campaign Management School. Currently, Mike lives in Clearwater, Florida.

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Corey Miltimore

Corey Miltimore is Chairman of Minnesota Academy for Conservative Leadership and has served as leader in the conservative movement in numerous capacities. In 2005 he completed four years as Executive Director of the Republican Party of Minnesota. In that position, he was responsible for the implementation of all Party programs and oversight of all senior Party staff. In addition to working with statewide elected officials and state House and Senate Republican caucuses, he was responsible for coordinating with all statewide campaigns and interfacing with the White House, Bush-Cheney ’04 campaign, Republican National Committee, and other national committees as well as the media. Corey served as Executive Director beginning in 2001, helping develop and implement the RPM’s historic 2002 electoral success.

Corey has served as a political and fundraising consultant to numerous national and state political campaigns, including Phil Gramm for President and the Vin Weber Congressional Committee, as well as a variety of non-profit organizations such as the Minnesota Leadership Foundation. As vice president of the Walker Group, Corey worked for numerous Republican campaigns including those representing congressmen Newt Gingrich, Dick Armey, and Tom DeLay and senators Spence Abraham, John Ashcroft, Jon Kyl, and Rick Santorum as well as the Republican National Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee.

Corey is a graduate of Northwestern College. He was also a participant in the Berlin-based Multiplikatoran Program and served as a Policy Fellow with the University of Minnesota’s Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs. He lives in Woodbury, Minnesota.

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Rick Morgan

A veteran trial lawyer, Rick Morgan has taken more than 40 cases to verdict. He has experience in a wide variety of litigation matters including products liability, construction defect, chemical exposure, and commercial disputes. He is also well versed in election law and campaign finance issues.

In addition to his civil litigation experience, Rick has a substantial background in criminal law. Prior to joining the firm, Rick served as an Assistant United States Attorney in Minneapolis and as a prosecutor in the United States Army’s Judge Advocate General’s Corps, where he handled prosecutions in the areas of drug trafficking, fraud, and violent crimes.

Among Rick’s clients while in private practice have been Ecolab Inc., H.B. Fuller Company, Honeywell Inc., Apple Computer Inc., the Minnesota Republican Party, Senator Norm Coleman’s 1998 Campaign for Governor, Republican State Representatives Arlon Lindner and Jim Abeler, ABC Bus Companies, Morrissey Hospitality, the Minneapolis Chapter of the American Red Cross, Starkey Laboratories, and Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty.

Rick serves as national trial counsel for Ecolab Inc. In this capacity, Rick handles Ecolab’s litigation in the areas of product liability, commercial property disputes, and personal injury cases involving motor vehicles. H.B. Fuller and Honeywell retain Rick to represent their interests in construction litigation involving their products. He is national counsel to H.B. Fuller Company.

Rick has been active in community affairs, serving on the Dean’s Advisory Board for the Humphrey Institute and on the board of Mission: Moving Mountains, an organization that sends missionaries to the world’s poorest nations. From 2001-2004, Rick co-hosted the local public affairs television program Face to Face. Rick and his wife Stacy live in Eden Prairie, and have three children.

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Tom Prichard

Tom Prichard serves as the President of the Minnesota Family Council, a pro-family, pro-life organization seeking to promote policies which strengthen and protect families. The MFC works in the media, legal, and legislative arenas, addressing issues such as marriage and family policies, religious liberties, parental rights, school choice, and more.

Tom has appeared on the NBC Evening News with Tom Brokaw and the NBC Today Show discussing these issues, and has also been quoted in the Los Angeles Times, Washington Times, Star Tribune, USA Today, and the St. Paul Pioneer Press. He has also appeared on the major Twin Cities television station news broadcasts.

Prior to leading the Minnesota Family Council, Tom received is B.A. from Augustana College, his J.D. from University of Iowa College of Law ,and his M.P.P. from the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor. He is a member of the Minnesota State Bar.

Tom is married and has three daughters and one son.

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Don Racheter

Donald Racheter, Ph.D. has achieved distinction as a political scientist, mock trial coach, military officer, political activist, think tank founder, public speaker, Boy Scout, author, and leader of numerous volunteer groups. He is listed in over thirty biographical reference works such as Who’s Who in America.

His professional experience includes serving as Professor of Political Science for Central College in Pella, Iowa for 29 years. He also served in the U.S. Army and U.S. Army Reserve for 26 years until his retirement as a Lt. Colonel in 1996 and where he received 15 Awards and decorations from the U.S. Army including the Meritorious Service Medal. He received the Vigil Honor in the Order of the Arrow.

Don was the first recipient of the Iowa Conference of Political Scientists’ Professor Vernon Van Dyke Award for “outstanding service to the Political Science community in Iowa and beyond,” the American Mock Trial Associations’ Congressman Neal Smith Award for “outstanding contributions in promoting public understanding of the legal process,” and its Chief Justice W.W. Reynoldson Award for outstanding Coaching.

Don helped found and currently serves as President of Public Interest Institute located in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. PII is a free-market, limited-government, and traditional-family-values think tank. In his role as public policy expert, Don has written or edited many books and articles, the most notable being Iowa Government and Politics and Limiting Leviathan.

Don’s leadership has been recognized throughout his life by his election as President of the Iowa Conference of Political Scientists; Secretary-Treasurer of the American Political Science Association’s Organized Section on Experiential/Undergraduate Education; President of the American Mock Trial Association; Director of Iowans for Tax Relief and the National Taxpayers Union Foundation; Chairman of Iowans for Right-to-Work; President of the Midwest Association of Pre-Law Advisors; Chairman of numerous Central College Committees; President of the University of Iowa Graduate Student Senate and then Iowa Student Body President; Vice President of the University of Michigan Residence Halls Council; and President of his high school Student Council and National Honor Society. Don and his wife reside in Iowa City, Iowa.

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Erik Rudeen
 

Erik Rudeen is a project specialist in Mn/DOT’s Office of Government Affairs. Previously, he was administrator of the Minnesota House of Representatives Transportation Finance Committee, and prior to that was research director for the Minnesota Policy Blueprint project at Minneapolis-based Center of the American Experiment. 

Erik's experience also includes working for U.S. Senator Rod Grams and for the National Center for Policy Analysis in Washington, D.C. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in political science, and recently completed a Humphrey Institute policy fellowship at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.

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Ron Schutz

Ron Schutz is a partner in the law firm of Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi, where he chairs the firm’s Intellectual Property Litigation Department and is a member of the firm’s Executive Board. As a nationally recognized leader in intellectual property issues, he has successfully represented clients in some of the nation’s highest profile cases.

A recent publication noted, “Ron Schutz’s trial experience has earned him a reputation as ‘one of the most successful IP lawyers in the country.’ Schutz…has won a series of huge victories running to hundreds of millions of dollars.” He has been quoted on NBC Nightly News and CBS Evening News as well as in publications such as the New York Times, Detroit Free Press, National Law Journal, American Lawyer, Minneapolis Star Tribune, St. Paul Pioneer Press, City Business, and Twin Cities Business Monthly.

Ron is currently admitted to the bar in Minnesota; Minnesota Supreme Court; U.S. Supreme Court; U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit, U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit; U.S. District Court, Minnesota; U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin; U.S. Court of Military Appeals; U.S. Army Court of Military Review; and U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Ron holds undergraduate and advance degrees from the University of Minnesota Law School and Marquette University. He completed ROTC military obligation by serving four years in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps as both a defense lawyer and a prosecutor where he tried approximately twenty felony jury trials, including trials for murder, rape, kidnapping, and embezzlement.

He is active in numerous community organizations. He and his wife Janet live with their children in Medina, Minnesota.

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Jon Seaton

Jon Seaton currently serves President Bush as Associate Director for Political Affairs. In this capacity he works to improve communication and cooperation between the President, his Senior Staff, and state and local elected officials and grassroots activists. Jon is responsible for 11 states in the northwest and northern plain states, and is the primary White House liaison to Republican campaigns and party organizations in those states. Jon joined the Bush administration in 2005 as the White House Liaison to the Department of Veterans Affairs. He has been with the Office of Political Affairs since January of 2006.

Jon’s background is in grassroots politics, having worked for various campaigns and trade associations over the last six years. Most recently, Jon headed up President Bush’s re-election efforts in Washington State. He spearheaded a massive staff and volunteer effort and managed a 39-county field operation. Other campaign experience includes managing a Congressional campaign in western Iowa, and representing 10 southeastern states for the National Republican Congressional Committee.

Jon’s association experience goes back to his work for Associated Builders and Contractors as a field representative covering 13 western states. In addition to the Builders, Jon was a field representative for the National Federation of Independent Business and the National Association of REALTORS^®. During his tenure at all three associations, Jon took a leading role in raising PAC contributions, encouraging grassroots activity among the membership, and conducting political training seminars to help volunteer members increase their grassroots skills.

Jon is a 1997 graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder. Born and raised in Berkeley, California, he now lives in Alexandria, Virginia.

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David Strom

David Strom is the President of the Taxpayers League of Minnesota. He is a graduate of Carleton College, and holds a Masters Degree in Political Science from Duke University. He has taught political philosophy at Duke University, North Carolina State University, Carleton College, and the University of St. Thomas.

David’s work at the Taxpayers League began in 1997 when the organization was formed and of which he became president in January of 2004. The Taxpayers League is one of the largest and most successful state-based advocacy organizations in the country, with a budget approaching $1 million a year collected entirely through donations.

The League’s mission is to fight for lower taxes, smaller and less intrusive government, and to educate citizens regarding free market principles. The Taxpayers League Foundation is a 501(c)3 charitable organization that does research, publishes pamphlets and papers, and holds forums educating citizens regarding the importance of free market principles to liberty and prosperity.

David hosts a radio show from 9-11 on Saturdays on AM 1280 “The Patriot” in Eagan, Minnesota. He and his wife Margaret live in Minneapolis.

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Tony Sutton has been a conservative leader in Minnesota politics for over two decades. Currently serving as Minnesota’s Deputy State Auditor, he has helped transform the Auditor’s office into a true advocate and watchdog for taxpayers throughout the state.

Tony first became involved in politics in 1984 when he organized literature drops in Hibbing, Minnesota for the successful re-election campaigns of Rudy Boschwitz and Ronald Reagan. He has since attended every precinct caucus and has served in numerous volunteer, staff, and elected roles in the Republican Party of Minnesota including Field Director, Finance Director, Executive Director, and General Consultant. In addition to serving as Minnesota State Director of Bush/Quayle 1992, his work on numerous Republican campaigns has made Tony one of the most sought-after leaders in the state GOP.

In June 2005, the Republican Party of Minnesota’s State Central Committee recognized Tony’s lifelong contributions to the GOP by unanimously electing him as the state party’s Secretary/Treasurer, a position he currently holds.

Tony and his wife Bridget live with their children in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, from where they also manage their successful privately owned business.

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Cynthia Thomas

Cynthia Thomas is president of TriDimension Strategies LLC, headquartered in Dallas, Texas.  Founded in 1986, the firm specializing in political consulting and international trade. Cynthia holds an M.A. in Public Affairs and a B.S., summa cum laude, in Governmental Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

She has 30 years of political experience in federal, state, and local government issues, including four years as a policy analyst and research director for Minnesota Senate Republican Caucus. Her work regularly requires her to give expert testimony and speeches on her findings before elected bodies.

Cynthia is a member of the National Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management. She has been a member of the Executive Committee of the North Dallas Chamber of Commerce, and is a member of the board of directors for the Volunteer Center of Dallas County.

Her work has been positively reported on in national and international publications such as the Wall Street Journal, The Economist, and 60 Minutes. Cynthia now lives in the Dallas, Texas area.

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Chris Tiedeman

Chris Tiedeman is a licensed attorney who has been a leader in organizing youth within the conservative movement in Minnesota and nationally. In addition, he has been a leader in Republican circles working as both a volunteer and professional operative in Minnesota and nationally.

He recently served as Director of Government Affairs at the Center of the American Experiment and directed MinnesotaVotes.org, a comprehensive, user-friendly state legislative vote tracking website.

Chris holds degrees from St. Olaf College and the University of Minnesota. He currently resides in Eagan, Minnesota.

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Joe Weber

Joe Weber brings strong government relations and issues management experience to the organizations and individuals with whom he works in his capacity as a principal in Weber Johnson Public Affairs LLC. As a respected general and strategic consultant with coast-to-coast experience, he has been responsible for the planning and implementation of dozens of public affairs campaigns and lobbying efforts.

Joe’s experience provides him with an extensive working knowledge of lobbying, interest groups, coalition development grassroots lobbying, and ballot measure campaigns. His eclectic background brings a unique ability to work with Fortune 500 CEO’s and government relations professionals on diverse issues.

In addition to hands on political campaign experience in North Carolina, Ohio, California, and Minnesota, Joe is most experienced in the workings of government. On Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. he served as Legislative and Communications Director to two Members of Congress before returning to Minnesota serving as Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Arne Carlson.

After working with Joe on his successful campaign, Congressman John Kline observed, “Joe has provided me creative solutions to complicated political problems since my first campaign in 1998. He has been relentless in pursuit of political objectives on my behalf. I trust his instincts and value his friendship.”

Joe and his wife divide their time between Minnesota and California.

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Vin Weber

Vin Weber is managing partner of Clark & Weinstock’s Washington office. He provides strategic advice to institutions with matters before the legislative and executive branches of the Federal government.

Vin is Chairman of the National Endowment for Democracy, a private, nonprofit organization designed to strengthen democratic institutions around the world through nongovernmental efforts. He is a senior fellow at the Humphrey Institute at the University of Minnesota, where he is co-director of the Policy Forum (formerly the Mondale Forum). He also serves as a board member of several private sector and non-profit organizations, including ITT Educational Services, Department 56, and the Aspen Institute. He serves on the Board of the Council on Foreign Relations and co-chaired a major independent task force on U.S. Policy Toward Reform in the Arab World with former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. In addition, he is a member of the U.S. Secretary of Energy’s Advisory Board.

Vin is one of the most prominent and successful strategists in the Republican Party and served as the Bush-Cheney ‘04 Plains States Regional Chairman. He has been featured in numerous national publications, including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, the Associated Press, National Journal, and the New Republic. He is a sought-after political and policy analyst, appearing frequently on major television outlets, including NBC’s Nightly News, The News Hour with Jim Lehrer on PBS, ABC’s This Week, the CBS Early Show, Fox News Channel, CNN, and MSNBC.

Prior to opening Clark & Weinstock’s Washington office in 1994, Vin was president – and co-director with Jack Kemp, Jeane Kirkpatrick and Bill Bennett – of Empower America, a public policy advocacy group.

He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1981 to 1993, representing Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District. He was a member of the Appropriations Committee and an elected member of the House Republican Leadership. Prior to his Congressional service, he served as campaign manager and chief Minnesota aide to Sen. Rudy Boschwitz (1978-1980), and as the co-publisher of the Murray County Herald (1976-1978).

Vin continues to enjoy strong bipartisan relationships across the legislative and executive branches of government. He and his wife Cheryl have two daughters. The Webers maintain homes in Alexandria, Virginia and Walker, Minnesota. 

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Mike Wigley

Mike Wigley is often recognized as a leader in both Minnesota’s business community as well as conservative movement. His unusual success in promoting the conservative agenda has drawn the praise of conservatives and the ire of liberals.

Putting into action his commitment to bettering his community, Mike serves as chairman and board member to numerous nonprofit and business organizations. He is active in World Presidents Organization as well as the Republican Party of Minnesota, for which he served as its statewide Candidate Search Committee chairman from 1997-1999.

Currently, Mike serves as Chairman, President, and CEO of Great Plains Companies, Inc., a nationwide firm with extensive operations in the building and construction industry. He holds undergraduate and advanced degrees from the University of Minnesota, Stanford University, and Harvard University. He and his wife Barbara live in Long Lake, Minnesota with their three daughters.

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Jon Wood has extensive experience in the creation and implementation of campaign technology. Jon has over ten years of private sector experience in software system, mobile applications and electronic device design and development. He has served as a technology advisor to political campaigns and organizations throughout the country and remains passionately involved in bringing innovation to the political process.

In 2003, Jon engaged with Warren Mitofsky of Mitofsky International, founder of the Voters News Service and National Election Pool. Mr. Mitofsky collaborated with Jon to develop a ground-breaking pilot project for the exit polling industry. The project successfully combined PDA data collection with cellular data delivery, thus enabling real-time exit polling results from the field. In 2004, Jon’s expertise was utilized by the Republican National Committee in the addition of mobile data collection to Voter Vault. The technology generated strategic advantage for the RNC’s GOTV and Poll Watching efforts in the 2004 election.

Currently, Jon serves as President of Moxie Campaign Solutions LLC. Moxie provides campaign software solutions for the management and geographic reference of enhanced voter files, election results, and demographic data. Jon received his BA in Political Science from the Saint John’s University, Collegeville, Minnesota. He and his wife reside in Shoreview, Minnesota with their two children.

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