Christine Jack Toretti

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Christine Jack Toretti is a businesswoman, philanthropist, and GOP National Committee member from Indiana, Pennsylvania.

Contents

[edit] S.W. Jack

Toretti is the chairman and CEO of S.W. Jack Drilling Co., which is the largest privately held land-based drilling company in the United States.[1] As of 2005, it is the nineteenth largest contract drilling company in terms of total footage drilled.[2] The company, founded in 1918 by Toretti's grandfather, is headquartered in Indiana, Pennsylvania and has regional offices in Buckhannon and Charleston, West Virginia.[3] [4] The S.W. Jack Company supports oil and gas exploration in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Virginia and New York.[4]

She assumed control of the company upon the unexpected death of her father, Samuel W. Jack Jr., in 1990.[5] [6] Prior to that, she served as CFO.[6] She is noted as a rare female CEO in the male-dominated energy industry.[7] The company had 92 employees and $5 million in annual revenue in 1990.[3] In 1995, Toretti expanded the company significantly when she led the purchase and merger with another drilling company. She relinquished day-to-day operations in 1997.[3] The company currently has 350 employees and $60 million in annual revenue.[3]

[edit] Personal Life

Toretti met University of Arizona basketball coach Lute Olson at an NCAA dinner.[8] They married in Las Vegas on April 14, 2003. [9] During their marriage, she and her sons, Joe, Max, and Matthew, split time between her home on a 200-acre farm in Indiana, Pennsylvania and Tuscon, Arizona.[8] Olson filed for divorce on December 6, 2007[9] The proceedings have become contentious, with Toretti alleging that Olson improperly moved funds from a joint account the day after filing for divorce.[10]

She serves on several corporate boards, including S&T Bank and the Lockhart Company.[11]She sits on the board of The Andy Warhol Museum, the National Council of Colonial Williamsburg, the Indiana Hospital, Chi Omega Foundation, the Indiana County Chamber of Commerce, and the Committee of 200.[11] She previously served as President of the Foundation of Indiana University of Pennsylvania[11]

[edit] Political Activities

Toretti founded the Anne Anstine Excellence in Public Service Series, a training program specifically designed to educate, empower and advance Republican women.[12]

Former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge appointed her to the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education in 1995, where she helped reorganize the organization's investments in higher education.[12] [11] Former Pennsylvania Governor Mark Schweiker appointed her to the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission. President George W. Bush appointed her to the Rural Telephone Bank, the National Petroleum Council and to the Advisory Board for the the U.S. Secretary of Energy[12]

She was elected RNC National Committeewoman from Pennsylvania on August 21, 1997[11] She served on the RNC Committee on Arrangements for the 2000 Republican National Convention. She was a key player in Bush's 2000 election, when she was one of the first Pennsylvania Republicans to endorse the then-Texas Governor.[13]

She chaired Lynn Swann's 2006 campaign for Governor of Pennsylvania.[1]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Levy, Barbara. "Lute and Christine Olson", Philanthropy Word. Retrieved on 2008-05-17. 
  2. ^ Rig Inventory. S.W. Jack Drilling Company. Retrieved on 2008-05-17.
  3. ^ a b c d "Christine Olson focusing on activism amid public divorce", Tuscon Citizen, 2008-05-12. Retrieved on 2008-05-17. 
  4. ^ a b Home. S.W. Jack Drilling Company. Retrieved on 2008-05-17.
  5. ^ McKay, Jim. "Founder's Daughter Builds Business at S.W. Jack Drilling in Indiana, Pa", 1997-05-12, pp. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved on 2008-05-17. 
  6. ^ a b Dickerson, Linda A.. "Teaching Dad's crew some new tricks", Pittsburgh Post Gazette, 2001-10-21. 
  7. ^ "Pittsburgh Business 2001: The Leaders, 31 - 40", Pittsburgh Post Gazette, 2001-03-25. Retrieved on 2008-05-17. 
  8. ^ a b Bodfield Bloom, Rhonda. "Lute Olson's wife can work the boards too", Lute Olson: Official Website, Arizona Daily Star, 2005-01-23. Retrieved on 2008-05-17. 
  9. ^ a b Horton, Renee Schafer. "Lute Olson's wife contesting divorce", Tuscon Citizen, 2008-01-09. Retrieved on 2008-05-17. 
  10. ^ Harris, Craig. "Lute Olson's divorce heats up over money issues", Arizona Republic, 2008-04-21. Retrieved on 2008-05-17. 
  11. ^ a b c d e PA State Party Leadership. Republican National Committee. Retrieved on 2008-05-17.
  12. ^ a b c Christine J. Olson Bio. Winning with Women in Pennsylvania.
  13. ^ Reeves, Frank. "Pa. GOP notables backing Bush in 2000", Pittsburgh Post Gazette, 1999-04-01. Retrieved on 2008-05-17. 

[edit] External links

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