Dick Celeste

Richard Frank "Dick" Celeste (born November 11, 1937, in Cleveland, Ohio) is an American politician from Ohio, and a member of the Democratic Party. He served as the Governor of Ohio from 1983 to 1991.

Early life and career

In 1959, Celeste was graduated magna cum laude from Yale University (New Haven, Connecticut). He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Celeste then received a Rhodes Scholarship to attend Oxford University (Oxford, England). There he met Dagmar Ingrid Braun, whom he married in Austria in 1962. After returning to the United States, Celeste served as staff liaison office in the Peace Corps and as special assistant to John Kenneth Galbraith, then U.S. ambassador to India.

Celeste was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives in 1970, and was subsequently elected lieutenant governor in 1974 (defeating Republican John W. Brown, serving under the Republican James A. Rhodes—at the time, Ohio's lieutenant governor was elected separately from the governor, so the victors could be of different parties). In 1978, Celeste ran for governor, but lost to incumbent Rhodes. President Carter appointed Celeste Director of the Peace Corps from 1979 to 1981, where he was responsible for programs in 53 countries.

Governor of Ohio

In 1982 Celeste defeated Republican nominee Clarence J. "Bud" Brown Jr. and became governor of Ohio. Rhodes could not run in 1982 since Ohio law barred him from seeking a third consecutive term. In 1986, Rhodes returned to contest the governorship, but this time Celeste, now the incumbent, won. Celeste served as governor of Ohio from 1983 to 1991.

Despite his popularity and personal charisma, his tenure in office was not without criticism. The Ohio Bureau of Worker's Compensation became highly disorganized and the ability to compensate workers became problematic. Celeste's wife, Dagmar, ruffled many operatives in Ohio upsetting many Democratic lawyers who wanted to be appointed judge by creating an informal litmus test that all judicial appointees had to be pro-choice. Investigations of several Celeste executive appointees resulted in criminal charges levied. Celeste came close to indictment as well.

Celeste remained a controversial figure in Ohio politics for years after terms as governor due to his last-minute issuance of commutations for eight prisoners sentenced to death in Ohio to life in prison.

Later career

Celeste then established the consulting firm Celeste & Sabety Ltd. in Columbus. After he served as the director of the DNC's healthcare campaign in 1993, President Clinton appointed him as ambassador to India, a position he served in from 1997 to 2001.

His brother, Theodore S. Celeste, successfully ran as a Democratic Party candidate for the Ohio House in 2006.

Celeste was inaugurated as the 12th President of Colorado College in 2002. Celeste is a member of the advisory board of the Roosevelt Institution, a student think tank. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Celeste, along with Thomas Kean who co-chaired the 9/11 Commission, co-chairs the Homeland Security Project for The Century Foundation. He also sits on the board of the Independent Strategic Assessment Group, United States Northern Command (NORTHCOM), which is the military command over the USA established in the wake of the attacks of September 11th. Celeste joined board of Directors of Glimcher Realty Trust in September 2007.^[1]

Celeste had six children (now grown) with his first wife, Dagmar. The couple divorced in 1995. Celeste is currently married to Jacqueline Lundquist. Celeste and Lundquist have one child, Sammy.

References

1. ^ Bizjournals. "Glimcher elects Celeste to board, promotes VP" by Matt Burns. September 11, 2007.

See also

• Election Results, Ohio Governor
• Election Results, Ohio Governor (Democratic Primaries)

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