JIM NICHOLSON (U.S. POLITICIAN)

'Robert James "Jim" Nicholson' (born February 4, 1938^[1]) is an attorney, real estate developer, and a former Republican Party chairman. He has been the United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs since January 26, 2005. On July 17 2007, he announced that he was stepping down as Secretary, effective October 1 2007.[1]

Contents

Political career

Legal and business career

Military service

Personal life

Trivia

References

External links

Political career

Nicholson has never held elected office, but has long been active in the Republican Party. In January 1986, he was elected committeeman from Colorado for the Republican National Committee (RNC). In 1993, he was elected Vice-Chairman of the RNC, and was the "surprise pick"^[2] for GOP national chairman in January 1997. He served in that role through the 2000 presidential election.
Between 2001 and his appointment as Secretary of Veterans Affairs, he served as United States Ambassador to the Holy See (the Vatican).

Legal and business career

Before becoming active in civilian government service, he practiced law in Denver, Colorado, specializing in real estate, municipal finance and zoning law. In 1978 he founded Nicholson Enterprises, Inc., a developer of planned residential communities, and in 1987 he bought Renaissance Homes, a custom-house builder.

Military service

He is a 1961 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York and served eight years in active duty. He was a paratrooper and Ranger-qualified Army officer. He fought in the Vietnam War, where he earned the Bronze Star Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, the Meritorious Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry and two Air Medals.
After thirty years of military service he retired in 1991 with the rank of Colonel.

Personal life

Nicholson was born on a farm near Struble, Iowa. Nicholson has characterized his childhood as "growing up dirt poor in a tenant house without plumbing and sometimes without food".^[3]
Nicholson has a Master's degree in Public Policy from Columbia University. He received a law degree from the University of Denver in 1972.^[4]
Nicholson is married to the former Suzanne Marie Ferrell of Highland Falls, New York, who is an accomplished artist. They are the parents of three children who are grown and live on their own.^[5]

Trivia

★ Nicholson is credited with leading the development that turned Parker, Colorado into a fast-growing suburb of Denver.^[6].

★ Nicholson was a designated survivor during the 2006 State of the Union address.^[7]

★ Nicholoson was the commencement speaker for the Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law, on May 25, 2007.

References

1. U.S. Envoy Thanks Pope for Prayers and Closeness, a post-9/11 press release from the Zenit News Agency
2. Coloradan Nicholson to lead Veterans Affairs, a December 2004 ''Denver Post'' article
3. Official transcript of Nicholson's nomination, whitehouse.gov; Accessed March 13, 2007.
4. College of Law History Alumni Image Collection from the University of Denver
5. Official biography - whitehouse.gov.
6. The Party Line, a January 1998 column from ''Westword''
7. Situation Room transcript. CNN.com.

External links

★ Official biography from the Department of Veterans Affairs website