Ken Mehlman | |
---|---|
Chair of the Republican National Committee | |
In office January 19, 2005 – January 19, 2007 |
|
Preceded by | Ed Gillespie |
Succeeded by |
Mike Duncan (National Chair) Mel Martínez (General Chair) |
Director of the Office of Political Affairs | |
In office January 20, 2001 – May 23, 2003 |
|
President | George W. Bush |
Preceded by | Position established |
Succeeded by | Matt Schlapp |
Personal details | |
Born |
Kenneth Brian Mehlman August 21, 1966 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
Political party | Republican |
Education |
Franklin and Marshall College (BA) Harvard University (JD) |
Kenneth Brian "Ken" Mehlman (born August 21, 1966) is an American businessman, attorney, and political figure. He serves as a Member and Global Head of Public Affairs at global investment firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, and oversees the firm’s responsible investment efforts, leading the firm’s Environmental Social Governance programs.
Prior to joining KKR, Mehlman spent a year as an attorney and partner at law firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld.
Mehlman held several national posts in the Republican Party and the George W. Bush Administration. In 2000 he was appointed Director of the White House Office of Political Affairs. Mehlman managed Bush's 2004 re-election campaign, and was 62nd Chairman of the Republican National Committee from 2005–07. In 2007, Bush appointed Mehlman to a five-year term on the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council.
In January 2017 Mehlman announced that he would act as Chairman of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Policy Advisory Board.
In 2010, Mehlman came out as gay in an interview with journalist Marc Ambinder, making him one of the few prominent openly gay figures in the Republican Party. After coming out, Mehlman advocated for the recognition of same-sex marriage.
Mehlman was born in Baltimore, Maryland. He is one of two sons born to Judith and Arthur Mehlman. His father was director of MuniMae and a former partner at KPMG, for which he was the head of the firm's auditing department in the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. Mehlman's brother, Bruce, works as a lobbyist at Mehlman Vogel Castagnetti.