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 Principi
Succeeded by	James Peake
United States Ambassador to the Holy See
In office August 10, 2001 – January 2005
President	George W. Bush
Pope	John Paul II Benedict XVI
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	Robert James Nicholson (1938-02-04) February 4, 1938 Struble, Iowa
Political party	Republican
Alma mater	United States Military Academy, Columbia University
Profession	attorney
Religion	Roman Catholic
Awards	Bronze Star Combat Infantryman Badge Meritorious Service Medal Vietnam Gallantry Cross Air Medal (2)
Military service
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1961–1991
Rank	Colonel
Battles/wars	Vietnam War

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]

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 retired Army General 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]

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 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.

In 2005, he was awarded the prestigious Distinguished Graduate Award by the USMA.

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. Currently, he is senior counsel with Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP, working from both the Washington, D.C. and Denver offices.

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 in 2005, he served as United States Ambassador to the Holy See (the Vatican). In 2003 he was awarded Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Pius IX.

References

↑ U.S. Envoy Thanks Pope for Prayers and Closeness, a post-9/11 press release from the Zenit News Agency
↑ Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs. "Nicholson to Leave VA and Return to the Private Sector — Public and Intergovernmental Affairs". .va.gov. Retrieved 2012-11-13.
↑ Official transcript of Nicholson's nomination, whitehouse.gov; Accessed March 13, 2007.
↑ College of Law History Alumni Image Collection from the University of Denver
↑ "Jim Nicholson, Former Secretary of Veterans Affairs". Georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov. Retrieved 2012-11-13.
↑ Coloradan Nicholson to lead Veterans Affairs, a December 2004 Denver Post article

External links

Official biography from the Department of Veterans Affairs website
VIP Speakers Bureau, Jim Nicholson
Appearances on C-SPAN

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	U.S. 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 McDonald

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Secretary of Veterans Affairs	Anthony Principi (2001–05) Jim Nicholson (2005–07) James Peake (2007–09)

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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 2009–2012 Ken Hackett 2013–

Authority control	WorldCat Identities VIAF: 48913610 LCCN: no2003032343 ISNI: 0000 0001 1569 7072 SUDOC: 076397912

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