Roy Romer

Infobox Governor
name=Roy R. Romer


caption = Roy Romer.
nationality=American
order=39^th
office=Governor of Colorado
party=Democrat
term_start=January 1987
term_end=January 1999
preceded=Richard Douglas Lamm
succeeded=William F. Owens
office2=Superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District
term_start2=2001
term_end2=2006
preceded2=Ramon Cortines
succeeded2=David Brewer
party=Democrat
term_start=January 1987
term_end=January 1999
preceded=Richard Douglas Lamm
succeeded=William F. Owens
birth_date=birth date and age|1928|10|31
birth_place=Garden City, Kansas
death_date=
death_place=
spouse=Beatrice Romer

Roy R. Romer (born October 31, 1928 in Garden City, Kansas, United States) was the 39th Governor of Colorado and served as the superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District from 2001 to 2006.

Family & Education

Romer grew up in the southeastern Colorado town of Holly. Romer received a bachelor's degree in agricultural economics from Colorado State University in 1950, where he served for one year as President of the Associated Students of Colorado State University. He later received a law degree from the University of Colorado School of Law in 1952. He also studied ethics at Yale University, and was a legal officer in the U.S. Air Force. He and his wife, Bea, have seven children and 18 grandchildren. His son Paul Romer is an economist, and his son Chris Romer, was elected to a Colorado State Senate seat from Denver in November 2006.

Early professional activities

In the 1950s and 1960s, Romer was an attorney in Denver. He was also active in the management of his family's agricultural operations throughout Colorado. Romer has continued and is also the owner, with one of his sons, of a chain of John Deere equipment stores in Colorado, Virginia and Florida. He helped develop Colorado's Centennial Airport, ran a flying school and owned and operated a ski area.

Political career

Colorado state government

Romer served in the Colorado House of Representatives from 1958–1962 and in the Colorado Senate from 1962-1966. Romer was Colorado State Treasurer from 1977-1987, and a member of the governor's cabinet. Romer was first elected as governor in 1986, and re-elected in 1990 and 1994; he was the last Colorado governor to serve three terms [The Colorado constitution now limits governors to two consecutive terms and 8 years in office (http://www.state.co.us/gov_dir/leg_dir/lcsstaff/research/termlim.htm).] .

National political positions

Romer chaired the Democratic Governors Association in 1991. In 1992, he was co-chairman of the Democratic National Platform Committee. Romer served as national vice chair of the Democratic Leadership Council, and was a national co-chairman of the Clinton-Gore '96 campaign. In January 1997, Romer was elected to serve as general chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

From 1992-1993, Romer served as chair of the National Governors Association. In 1994-1995 he chaired the Education Commission of the States, and in 1995, was part of a bipartisan effort by the nation's governors to reform Medicaid.

"Romer v. Evans"

In law, his name is associated with the anti-discrimination suit "Romer v. Evans" that was brought to the Supreme Court during his tenure as Governor of Colorado. Though he was opposed to the amendment to the Constitution of Colorado in question, he was forced to defend it in his position as Governor.

Recent professional activities

On July 1, 2001, he became Superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, where he served for six years. On October 12, 2006, the Los Angeles Board of Education unanimously named David L. Brewer III as his successor.

A May 8, 2006 "Los Angeles Times" article suggested naming a school after Romer. [ [http://www.latimes.com/news/education/la-me-schoolme8may08,1,1744438.column?coll=la-news-learning Generally Speaking, It's Right to Honor Romer - Los Angeles Times ] ] LAUSD announced that Roy Romer Middle School would open in 2008 in the eastern San Fernando Valley. [ [http://www.laschools.org/project-status/one-project?project_number=55.98007 Project Details ] ]

On April 25, 2007, Roy Romer began his service as the chairman and lead spokesman for Strong American Schools, a nonprofit project responsible for running Ed in 08, an information and initiative campaign funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Eli and Edythe Broad foundation, aimed at encouraging 2008 presidential contenders to include education in their campaign policies. [ [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30913FB3F5A0C768EDDAD0894DF404482 NYTimes: Billionaires Start $60 Million Schools Effort] ]

In March of 1998, Romer admitted to a longtime extramarital affair with Betty Jane Thornberry, once his confidential assistant at the DNC. For years Romer had denied the affair. [ [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1571/is_n7_v14/ai_20301290/pg_1 Governor captured live | Insight on the News | Find Articles at BNET ] ]

Notes and references

* [http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/offic/sttrs.html Colorado State Archives]
* [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30913FB3F5A0C768EDDAD0894DF404482 NYTimes: Billionaires Start $60 Million Schools Effort]
* [http://www.nga.org National Governor's Association]
* [http://politicalgraveyard.com/ The Political Graveyard]

External links

* [http://www.latimes.com/news/education/la-me-schoolme8may08,1,1744438.column?coll=la-news-learning "Generally Speaking, It's Right to Honor Romer] , "Los Angeles Times"
* [http://edin08.com/ Strong American Schools/ED in 08]
* [http://www.edin08.com/blog.aspx Roy Romer's Blog]