Jim Nicholson (Secretary of Veterans Affairs)

Jim Nicholson

5th United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs
In office January 26, 2005 – October 1, 2007
President	George W. Bush
Preceded by	Anthony J. Principi
Succeeded by	James Peake
United States Ambassador to the Holy See
In office 2001–2005
President	George W. Bush
Preceded by	Lindy Boggs
Succeeded by	Francis Rooney
58th Chairman of the Republican National Committee
In office 1997–2001
Preceded by	Haley Barbour
Succeeded by	Jim Gilmore
Personal details
Born	February 4, 1938 (1938-02-04) (age 74) Struble, Iowa
Political party	Republican
Alma mater	United States Military Academy, Columbia University
Profession	attorney
Religion	Roman Catholic
Military service
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1961–1991
Rank	Colonel
Battles/wars	Vietnam War
Awards	Bronze Star Combat Infantryman Badge Meritorious Service Medal Vietnam Gallantry Cross Air Medal (2)

Robert James "Jim" Nicholson (born February 4, 1938^[1]) is an attorney, real estate developer, and a former Republican Party chairman. He was the United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs from January 26, 2005 until October 1, 2007.^[2]

1 Personal life
2 Military service
3 Legal and business career
4 Political career
5 References
6 External links

Personal life

Nicholson was born on a farm near Struble, Iowa. Nicholson has characterized his childhood as "growing up dirt poor in a tenant house without plumbing and sometimes without food".^[3] He is the brother of John W. Nicholson.

Nicholson has a Master's degree in Public Policy from Columbia University. He received a law degree from the University of Denver College of Law in 1972.^[4] In May 2005, he was recognized with the Distinguished Graduate of the U.S. Military Academy Award.

Nicholson is married to the former Suzanne Marie Ferrell of Highland Falls, New York, who is an accomplished artist. They are the parents of three adult children.^[5]

Military service

He is a 1961 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York and served eight years in active duty. He was a paratrooper and Ranger-qualified Army officer. He fought in the Vietnam War, where he earned the Bronze Star, Combat Infantryman Badge, the Meritorious Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry and two Air Medals.

After thirty years of military service he retired in 1991 with the rank of Colonel.

Legal and business career

Before becoming active in civilian government service, he practiced law in Denver, Colorado, specializing in real estate, municipal finance and zoning law. In 1978 he founded Nicholson Enterprises, Inc., a developer of planned residential communities, and in 1987 he bought Renaissance Homes, a custom-house builder. He now works in the Washington, D.C. office of Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP.

Political career

Nicholson has never held elected office, but has long been active in the Republican Party. In January 1986, he was elected committeeman from Colorado for the Republican National Committee (RNC). In 1993, he was elected Vice-Chairman of the RNC, and was the "surprise pick"^[6] for GOP national chairman in January 1997. He served in that role through the 2000 presidential election.

Between 2001 and his appointment as Secretary of Veterans Affairs, he served as United States Ambassador to the Holy See (the Vatican).

References

^ U.S. Envoy Thanks Pope for Prayers and Closeness, a post-9/11 press release from the Zenit News Agency
^ http://www1.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=1360
^ Official transcript of Nicholson's nomination, whitehouse.gov; Accessed March 13, 2007.
^ College of Law History Alumni Image Collection from the University of Denver
^ Official biography – whitehouse.gov.
^ Coloradan Nicholson to lead Veterans Affairs, a December 2004 Denver Post article

External links

Official biography from the Department of Veterans Affairs website

Party political offices
Preceded by Haley Barbour	Chairman of the Republican National Committee 1997–2001	Succeeded by Jim Gilmore
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Corinne Claiborne Boggs	U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See 2001–2005	Succeeded by Francis Rooney
Government offices
Preceded by Anthony Principi	United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs Served under: George W. Bush 2005–2007	Succeeded by James Peake

United States Secretaries of Veterans Affairs

Derwinski • Brown • West • Gober (acting) • Principi • Nicholson • Peake • Shinseki

Republican Party

Chairpersons
of the RNC

Presidential tickets

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and territory

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Territory	District of Columbia Guam Northern Mariana Islands Puerto Rico Virgin Islands

Conventions
(List)

Affiliated
organizations

Conservatism Portal

Cabinet of President George W. Bush (2001–2009)

Cabinet

Secretary of State	Colin Powell (2001–2005) • Condoleezza Rice (2005–2009)

Secretary of the Treasury	Paul O'Neill (2001–2002) • John W. Snow (2003–2006) • Henry Paulson (2006–2009)

Secretary of Defense	Donald Rumsfeld (2001–2006) • Robert Gates (2006–2009)

Attorney General	John Ashcroft (2001–2005) • Alberto Gonzales (2005–2007) • Michael Mukasey (2007–2009)

Secretary of the Interior	Gale Norton (2001–2006) • Dirk Kempthorne (2006–2009)

Secretary of Agriculture	Ann Veneman (2001–2005) • Mike Johanns (2005–2007) • Ed Schafer (2008–2009)

Secretary of Commerce	Donald Evans (2001–2005) • Carlos Gutierrez (2005–2009)

Secretary of Labor	Elaine Chao (2001–2009)

Secretary of Health and Human Services	Tommy Thompson (2001–2005) • Mike Leavitt (2005–2009)

Secretary of Education	Rod Paige (2001–2005) • Margaret Spellings (2005–2009)

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development	Mel Martinez (2001–2003) • Alphonso Jackson (2003–2008) • Steve Preston (2008–2009)

Secretary of Transportation	Norman Mineta (2001–2006) • Mary Peters (2006–2009)

Secretary of Energy	Spencer Abraham (2001–2005) • Samuel Bodman (2005–2009)

Secretary of Veterans Affairs	Anthony Principi (2001–2005) • Jim Nicholson (2005–2007) • James Peake (2007–2009)

Secretary of Homeland Security	Tom Ridge (2003–2005) • Michael Chertoff (2005–2009)

Cabinet-level

Vice President	Dick Cheney (2001–2009)

White House Chief of Staff	Andrew Card (2001–2006) • Joshua Bolten (2006–2009)

Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency	Christine Todd Whitman (2001–2003) • Mike Leavitt (2003–2005) • Stephen L. Johnson (2005–2009)

Director of the Office of Management and Budget	Mitch Daniels (2001–2003) • Joshua Bolten (2003–2006) • Rob Portman (2006–2007) • Jim Nussle (2007–2009)

Director of National Drug Control Policy	John P. Walters (2001–2009)

Trade Representative	Robert Zoellick (2001–2005) • Rob Portman (2005–2006) • Susan Schwab (2006–2009)

United States Ambassadors to the Holy See

William A. Wilson 1984–1986 · Frank Shakespeare 1986–1989 · Thomas Patrick Melady 1989–1993 · Raymond Flynn 1993–1997 · Lindy Boggs 1997–2001 · Jim Nicholson 2001–2005 · Francis Rooney 2005–2008 · Mary Ann Glendon 2008–2009 · Miguel H. Díaz 2009–

Persondata
Name	Nicholson, Jim
Alternative names	Nicholson, Robert James "Jim"
Short description	5th United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Date of birth	February 4, 1938
Place of birth	Struble, Iowa, United States
Date of death
Place of death