John H. Hager
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| John Henry Hager | |
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| In office January 14, 1998 – January 14, 2002 |
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| Governor | Jim Gilmore |
| Preceded by | Don Beyer |
| Succeeded by | Tim Kaine |
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| Born | August 28, 1936 Durham, North Carolina |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Maggie Hager |
| Profession | Politician, Entrepreneur |
John Henry Hager (born 28 August 1936 in Durham, North Carolina) is an American politician who served as the chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia from July 2007 until May 2008. He also served as Lieutenant Governor of Virginia from 1998 to 2002, and as an assistant secretary within the United States Department of Education from 2004 to 2007.[1]
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[edit] Personal
Growing up in Durham, Hager started a neighborhood newspaper at age 9.[2]
While an undergraduate at Purdue University he ran a vending machine business, was an active member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and was a member of ROTC. One term, his course load was 25 credit hours - about two thirds more than normal. He was graduated with a BSME (mechanical engineering) in 1958. Both his parents, Virgil and Ruth Hager, were 1928 Purdue alumni.[3]
Hager earned his MBA at Harvard in 1960, and subsequently served in the Army, rising to the rank of Captain.[4]
He married Margaret Dickinson "Maggie" Chase 27 February 1971; they have two sons, John Virgil "Jack" Hager (born 1973) and Henry Chase Hager. Henry married President Bush's daughter, Jenna, on May 10, 2008 at her parents' Prairie Chapel Ranch in Crawford, Texas.[5]
Hager contracted polio when his son was vaccinated for the disease with live virus vaccine in 1973.[3] As a result, he uses a nonmotorized wheelchair for daily ambulation - and competes in wheelchair races.[6]
[edit] Career
After his active duty military service, Hager began work for the Duke family at the American Tobacco Company in Richmond, Virginia. The company retired him after his bout with polio, but he returned - beginning at the bottom again. At American Tobacco, he served as a government affairs representative. Hager was forcibly retired from the American Tobacco Company after the company's sale in 1994.[2]
In 1975, he volunteered for Lieutenant Governor John N. Dalton, and in 1984 he was a delegate to the Republican National Convention. In 1994, he co-chaired the Senatorial campaign for Oliver North.[3] He ran for state party chairman in 1992,[7] and was treasurer of the state Republican Party in 1994.[8]
Hager has served as the director of Virginia's homeland security under Governors Jim Gilmore and Mark Warner. Hager was elected Lieutenant Governor of Virginia in 1997, defeating Democrat Lewis F. Payne, Jr.. Hager is believed to be the first disabled individual to serve in an elected statewide office in Virginia.
In 2001, Hager ran for Governor of Virginia, but lost the Republican nomination to Virginia's then Attorney General, Mark Earley.
Hager is the former Assistant Secretary of the Department of Education's Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services. He was appointed to this position by President George W. Bush on May 24, 2004, confirmed by the Senate on November 21, 2004[4] and resigned effective August 1, 2007.
In July 2007, Hager was elected to serve as chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia.[6][1] He was defeated for reelection by Delegate Jeff Frederick in May of 2008.[9]
[edit] Memberships
- American Legion[6]
- Chairman, Disability Commnission
- co-chmn. com. on Ednl. Infrastructure
- chmn. Faith Based Cmty. Svcs. Task Force
- vice-chmn. Gov.'s Commn. on Transp. Policy
- bd. dir., vice-chair Aerospace State Assn.
- trustee, v.p. Jamestown Yorktown Found.
- Honorary Chairman, Greater Richmond Convention Center
- Director, President, Sorensen Institute of Political Leadership
- dir. Ctr. for Politics, Port Jamestown 2001
- past dir. Partnership for Urban Va.
- past dir. Va. State C of C
- trustee, exec. com.
- Finance Committee, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
- 1st v.p., dir. Va. Pub. Safety Found., Inc.
- past pres., trustee, exec. com. Children's Hosp.
- Met. Richmond Conv. and Vis. Bur. (past chmn., dir., founding dir.)
- Va. Health Care Found. (past chmn., dir., exec. com.)
- 7th Dist. Rep. Party (past vice chmn. 3rd district, exec. com. mem. past precinct, ward and campaign chmn.)
- Rep. Party of Va. and del./alt. to 4 natl. convs. (past treas., past exec. com. mem., state ctrl. com. mem.)
- ruling elder, 1st Presbyterian Church, Richmond
- mem. drug task force Va. State Crime Commn. [1]
- Hager has also been a long time member of the Bohemian Grove club.[citation needed]
[edit] Honors and awards
- Honorary degree from Mary Washington College
- Honorary degree from Averett College
- Honorary degree from University of Northern Virginia[10]
- Distinguished Engineering Alumnus, Purdue School of Engineering, 2007.[3]
- Outstanding Young Men of America, 1976
- Man of the Year, Tobacco International Magazine, 1990
- Alumni Citizenship award, Purdue University, 1987
- Service award, Richmond Republican Committee, 1992
- Distinguished Alumni award, Durham Academy, 1992
- Good Government award, Richmond First Club, 1996
- Tourism Leadership award, Metropolitan Richmond Convention and Visitors Bureau, 1997
- Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans award, Westminster-Canterbury, 1997
- Citizenship award Virginia Council of Indians, 1998
- Heritage award, Radford University, 2000,
- Volunteer Fundraiser of the Year award, ARC, 2004
- Humanitarian award, National Conference of Community and Justice, 2002[1]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d Marquis Who's Who TM. Marquis Who's Who Reproduced in Biography Resource Center (2008). John Henry Hager (Fee), Farmington Hills, Michigan: Gale. Retrieved on 2008-04-17. “Document Number: K2014485169”
- ^ a b HEYSER, HOLLY A.. "HAGER IS SEEN AS TOLERANT, WITH A MIND OF HIS OWN", The Virginian-Pilot, 1997-09-22, p. A1. Retrieved on 2008-04-18.
- ^ a b c d Our People - Purdue Engineering. Purdue U - School of Mechanical Engineering (2007-03-05). Retrieved on 2008-04-17.
- ^ a b Archived: John H. Hager, Assistant Secretary, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services—Biography. U.S. Department of Education (2007-08-14). Retrieved on 2008-04-17. “He served in the U.S. Army and the Army Reserves, rising to the rank of captain. He is a member of the American Legion. A lifelong athlete, he has also competed in many wheelchair races.”
- ^ Jenna Bush gets engaged. CNN.com/politics (2007-08-16). Retrieved on 2008-04-17.
- ^ a b c Meet the RPV Chairman - Republican Party of Virginia. Republican Party of Virginia. Retrieved on 2008-04-17.
- ^ WEINTRAUB, KAREN. "LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR HOPEFUL TAKES NEW TACK ON LAKE GASTON...", The Virginian-Pilot, Landmark Communications, Inc., 1997-10-13, p. A1. Retrieved on 2008-04-18. Archived from [ the original] on Unknown. "John H. Hager ... in 1992 ... ran for state party chairman ..."
- ^ EDDS, MARGARET. "NORTH'S STAR DIMS IN DEFEAT", The Virginian-Pilot, Landmark Communications, Inc., 1994-11-09, p. A1. Retrieved on 2008-04-18. Archived from [? the original] on Unknown.
- ^ "Frederick unseats Hager", Richmond Times Dispatch. Retrieved on 2008-05-31.
- ^ Archived: John H. Hager Assumes Duties as Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. U.S. Department of Education (2004-12-06). Retrieved on 2008-04-18. “Hager ... holds honorary degrees from Averett College in Danville, Va., Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg, Va., and the University of Northern Virginia in Manassas.”
| Preceded by Don Beyer |
Lieutenant Governor of Virginia January 14, 1998 – January 14, 2002 |
Succeeded by Tim Kaine |
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