Randy Thorsteinson

Randy Thorsteinson (born November 8, 1956) is a politician and businessman in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada.

Early years

Thorsteinson was born in Gimli, Manitoba spending his youth living in Winnipeg, Manitoba; Edmonton, Alberta; Calgary, Alberta and Grande Prairie, Alberta.

He graduated from St. Paul's High School in Winnipeg, Manitoba. [ [http://www.stpauls.mb.ca St Paul's High School : Welcome ] ]

Education

Thorsteinson attended Ricks College (now Brigham Young University Idaho campus) for two years followed by two years at Brigham Young University (Utah) majoring in business management; however, Thorsteinson never graduated. [cite web | url = http://www.cbc.ca/albertavotes2004/parties/thorsteinson_bio.html | title = Randy Thorsteinson | publisher = Alberta Votes 2004 | accessdate = 2008-05-10 ]

Business ventures

Thorsteinson spent three years as Retail Sales Manager for Travelaire Trailer Canada Ltd. in Red Deer, Alberta.

He was one of the founders of Carlson Tours and Incentive Travel Ltd. which subsequently changed its name to Cascadia Motivation Inc. The company is currently the largest Canadian-owned performance improvement company in Canada. Thorsteinson is currently the Chief Operating Officer of the company.

Early political career

Thorsteinson entered politics as president of the Red Deer riding association of the Reform Party of Canada in 1988 and served in this position for three years. During his tenure as President, the Red Deer Riding Association became the number one ranked riding association in the Reform Party of CanadaFact|date=February 2008.

In 1988 Thorsteinson also served as the campaign manager for Michael Roth, the Reform Party candidate in Red Deer riding. Roth finished a solid second to Doug Fee (PC) with just under 10,000 votes.

Thorsteinson joined the Alberta Social Credit Party in 1991, and became leader the following year.

Under Thorsteinson, Social Credit experienced the beginnings of a rebirth, and in the 1997 general election, the party nominated 70 candidates and collected 64,667 votes (almost seven per cent of the popular vote), but failed to win any seats in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.

By 1999, however, Thorsteinson, a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was at odds with his party after a movement within the party to limit the involvement of Latter-day Saints. Thorsteinson quit the party in April 1999 and was a founder of the Alberta First Party but was not active in the party.

Alberta Alliance

In 2002 Thorsteinson led a movement to form the Alberta Alliance Party, The party successfully met the registration requirements and he became the party's leader at the Party Founding Convention in February 2003.

Thorsteinson's new party gained momentum immediately following the 2004 federal election when Edmonton Norwood Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) Gary Masyk crossed the floor to join the Alberta Alliance, and bring Alberta Alliance representation into the legislature.

Later that year in the 2004 provincial election, Thorsteinson placed second in votes in his riding (electoral district) of Innisfail-Sylvan Lake, failing to become a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA). His party garnered 77,506 votes and won one seat in the election; Paul Hinman was elected MLA for the riding of Cardston-Taber-Warner.

On March 7, 2005, Thorsteinson announced his resignation as leader of the Alberta Alliance, saying he would not be able to devote the time and energy into the party that was required of a leader. Paul Hinman, the lone Alliance MLA in the legislature succeeded Thorsteinson as leader.

Randy supported and endorsed leadership candidate Ed Klop in the race to succeed him as leader in the 2005 leadership convention.

Randy was elected as President of the Alberta Alliance at the 2007 Annual General Meeting held on March 24, 2007 in Edmonton Alberta, he had been serving a short stint as interim president of the party after former president John Murdoch stepped down.

With the merger of the Alberta Alliance Party and the Wildrose Party of Alberta on January 19, 2008, Thorsteinsonhas ceased active involvement in Alberta politics.

Honors

Thorsteinson is under consideration as one of the 100 most influential Mormons of all time. [http://www.ldsfilm.com/100/lds100.html]

References

External links

* [http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:Czljg26r8iwJ:www.sltrib.com/opinion/ci_3079254+Mormon+work+ethic+symbolizes+heart+of+southern+Alberta&hl=en&lr=lang_en Mormon's work symbolizes the Heart of Southern Alberta Salt Lake Tribune: October 1, 2005]