Robert J. Sullivan, Jr.

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Robert J. "Bob" Sullivan
Secretary of Energy
In office 2002 – 2003

Born	September 8, 1945 Decatur, Illinois, USA

Robert J. Sullivan, Jr. (born September 8, 1945 in Decatur, Illinois) is a politician from Oklahoma and a Republican candidate in the 2006 Oklahoma gubernatorial election.

He has a BA degree in Finance from the University of Notre Dame and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Michigan.

Sullivan was appointed Secretary of Energy by Governor Frank Keating in 2002. He continued in that position under Governor Brad Henry until October 2003.

He serves on the board of directors of Catholic Charities, has served 16 years on board of directors of St. John Medical Center, four years as chairman.

Sullivan and his wife of 36 years, Jeanne Sullivan, are both natives of Oklahoma. They have six children and seven grandchildren.

He runs the independent oil and gas exploration and production company, Sullivan & Company, where he and his father began working in 1976. It operates in three states, primarily in Oklahoma. In 1989, he started an energy-related company of his own, Lumen Energy Corporation, a natural gas gathering company that operated in two states.

He has also served as Chair of the Oklahoma Energy Resources Board, which focuses on education and environmental clean-up. Along with Michael Brunker, he received the 2002 Sigma Delta Chi national public service award.

[edit] Campaign for governor

Sullivan filed papers in his run for governor on June 6, 2006, and has positioned himself as the only "non-career politician" in the race. He ran ads featuring Gailard Sartain that attacked his opponents 'career politician' background. The Sartain ads were seen as over the top and may of hurt his chances.

He led an effort to place an initiative petition on the November, 2006 ballot that would have required 65 percent of money earmarked for education be spent in the classroom. He has suggested eliminating the state income tax. He has taken a strong pro-life/anti-abortion position.

He lost the July 25 primary to U.S. Congressman Ernest Istook. Sullivan received 56,347 votes or 30.94% to Istook's 99,650 votes or 54.71%. ^[1]