The 2016 Committee - Pro-Ben Carson super PAC organization

Pro-Carson Super PACs

(page updated January 16, 2016)

The 2016 Committee
...super PAC filed with the FEC on Oct. 23, 2014. This is the direct successor to the National Draft Ben Carson for President Committee. When Carson launched his Carson America Exploratory Committee it became necessary to change the name.1 In June 2015, The 2016 Committee announced Sam Pimm as executive director. However, that arrangement did not last long as on Aug. 24 it announced a restructuring. On Oct. 22 The 2016 Committee, which focuses on grassroots organizing and fundraising, announced it will collaborate with Our Children's Future PAC, which will focus on large-dollar fundraising (see below). A new website that will involve both entities is expected be released Dec. 1.

[website | facebook]

Chairman John Philip Sousa, IV

Extensive experience in the financial services sector. Director of business development at Midwood Financial since March 2013. Owner of John Philip Sousa's America since July 2007. Self employed at JPS Inc since April 2002. Executive at Mass Mutual, 2000-03. Executive vice president of SunAmerica Marketing, 1995-97. Co-founder and partner of Pamco, a firm that helped banks sell insurance and investments to their clients., 1980-90. Regional manager at Great Western Savings and Loan. Candidate for Congress in Southern California in 1974. An agent for Connecticut General. Served in the U.S. Air Force, 1962-66. Great grandson of John Phillip Sousa. (website)

National Director Bill Saracino

(started as communication and western regional April 2014/announced May 27, 2014 ) Owner of Saracino Consulting, based in Los Angeles, since July 1991; has worked on more than 75 legislative and congressional campaigns. Additional experience includes chief operating officer of the Parents Television Council, political director of the Gun Owners of California, western states director of Steve Forbes for President, and chief of staff at the Assembly Republican Caucus, 1985-87. Attended University of Southern California.

Communications Director Chuck Muth

President of Citizen Outreach, a libertarian-leaning grassroots advocacy organization and one of Nevada's leading conservative bloggers (Muth's Truths). He is also a professional campaign trainer and founder of CampaignDoctor.com.

IOWA

Headquarters: 8805 Chambery Blvd, Suite 250, Johnston, Iowa ...office opening and Christmas Party on the afternoon of Dec. 20, 2014. +

Midwestern Regional Director Tina Goff

(April 2014/announced May 19, 2014) Central Iowa region on Rick Santorum for President from Oct. 2011. Iowa organizational director on Herman Cain's campaign from May to end of June 2011, when she resigned due to his lack of commitment to competing in Iowa. Volunteer coordinator/mid-Iowa field director on Branstad 2010 campaign. Analyst and project manager at Genesis Marketing and Research, Inc., 2008-09. Central Iowa regional director/volunteer coordinator on Fred Thompson's caucus campaign. Financial director at Day Care for Exceptional Children, 1997-2007.

Field Staff (remote)
Austin Allaire
Lauren Rowley - student at Wheaton College.

about 30 staff (32 as of Sept. 25, 2015; see: Jennifer Jacobs. "Fiorina hitches rise in Iowa to untested strategy." The Des Moines Register, Sept. 25, 2015)

for example
Georan Churchill served as a field staffer for several months starting in March 2015 and was a summer intern for the draft committee, June-Aug. 2014. He also worked as a barista for Friedrichs Coffee in West Des Moines from March 2014.

Office covers the Midwest: Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Headquarters: 815 Elm St., Manchester, NH ...office announced Dec. 9, 2014

Northeast Regional Sarah De La Cerda

President of BLEU Enterprises, a political consulting company, since summer 2013 and student at the University of Rhode Island since Sept. 2011. twitter

On Jan. 11, 2016 WMUR-TV's John DiStaso reported that "All five paid New Hampshire staffers at the pro-Ben Carson 2016 Committee super PAC quit their posts on Sunday to become volunteers for U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas." >
...not clear what happened to Sarah De La Cerda

Field Director Tim Comerford

(July 20, 2015) Served three terms in the NH House of Representatives representing Rockingham Dist. 33, first elected in 2008; also was a candidate for state rep. in 2006 special election. Account representative for TruVision EcoLighting, LLC, June 2011-Feb. 2012. B.A. in international relations from St. Anselm College, 2008. From Fremont.

Jerry Sickles of Keene
Joel Lambert of Alton
Jaye Foster of Keene
Emily Lecuyer of Hampstead

SOUTHEAST

Southeast Regional Director Steve Arnold

Based in North Carolina. twitter

Deputy Regional Director/Southeast [South Carolina] Chris Horne

Founder and director of Strategic-i-Solutions (SiS), which serves the Christian business sector in and around the Lowcountry. twitter

Upstate Kelvin Curtis

Midlands Matthew Miller

WEST

Western Regional Director Eddie Facey

(announced Aug. 2015) Based in Las Vegas, where he has lived since 2004. Experience includes president and CFO of New Patients, Inc.; CFO of Guggenheim Dental Supply of Hawthorne, CA; controller or CFO of businesses in the distribution, telecommunications and aerospace sectors; and five years experience with the international accounting firm of Cooper & Lybrand M.B.A. from UCLA; B.S. degree from Hillsdale College.

Deputy Regional Director/Southwest Gray Delany

Earlier was doing coalitions for the 2016 Committee. Experience includes deputy campaign manager on Dave Brat's primary campaign win over U.S. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor.

Our Children's Future PAC
Super PAC filed with the FEC on May 4, 2015. Its focus is on large-dollar fundraising...will closely collaborate with The 2016 Committee.

Chairman Jeff Reeter

Served as national finance chairman for Carson's exploratory effort (resigned approx. May 2015 as reported by The Washington Post on June 5, 2015) Managing partner at Northwestern Mutual in Houston since 2002; appointed managing partner in Dallas in 1996; joined Northwestern Mutual Financial Network in Dallas in 1984. graduated from Baylor’s Hankamer School of Business in 1984.

Chief Operating Officer Sam Fischer

Owner of Meridian Central Public Affairs from July 2005. A regional finance director at the RNC, June 2001-July 2005. Membership director at NNEPA, Aug. 1999-March 2001. Finance director for the Republican State Committee of Pennsylvania, Aug. 1995-Nov. 1997. Finance director at the Nebraska Republican Party, Aug. 1992-Aug. 1995.

Chief Financial Officer Brent Lowder

Experience includes chief operating officer of the California Republican Party. California executive director and lead California finance person on Rudy Giuliani's.2007-08 presidential campaign. Executive director of William E. Simon & Sons, and served as a senior aide to Bill Simon during his 2002 campaign for Governor of California. Deputy finance director on Matt Fong's unsuccessful campaign for U.S. Senate against incumbent Sen. Barbara Boxer (D) in 1998. Worked on Pete Wilson's gubernatorial campaign in 1994.

One Vote
..super PAC filed with the FEC on March 17, 2015. Not clear if this has been superseded by Our Children's Future PAC.

Executive Director Andy Yates

Senior partner at Red Dome Group in the Charlotte, NC area, from April 2013; also lead consultant at Capitol Strategies Consulting from Aug. 2009. Campaign manager on Pantano for Congress in 2010. B.A. in politics from Wake Forest University, 2002.

older edition - older edition

The 2016 Committee
...super PAC filed with the FEC on Oct. 23, 2014. This is the direct successor to, and started with the same organization as the National Draft Ben Carson for President Committee. When Carson launched his Carson America Exploratory Committee it became necessary to change the name.1 See also: Sunlight Foundation.

[website | facebook]

Co-Founder John Philip Sousa, IV

Co-Founder Vernon Robinson

Candidate for the Republican nomination in NC-8 in 2012, finishing third in the May 8 primary. Republican nominee for Congress in NC-13 against Rep. Brad Miller (D) in 2006. Candidate for NC GOP chair in May 1995. Candidate for the Republican nomination in the open NC-5 in 2004, finishing first in the July 20 primary, but losing the Aug. runoff to state Sen. Virginia Foxx. Candidate for state House in 2002. Served two terms on the Winston-Salem City Council. Candidate for state Senate in 1998. Candidate for North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction in 1992 and 1996. President of the N.C. Education Reform Foundation. Served as an officer in the U.S. Air Force. Earned M.B.A. from the University of Missouri while on active duty; graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1977. twitter

Social Media Team
Leader Tonya Mead
Co-Leader Rex Cawley

Editorial Team
Leader Dennis Jamison

Followup Team
Leader Barbara Hopewell

Tech Team
Leader Larry Obermesik

Projects Team
Leader Marilyn Lott

Prayer Team
Leader Heather Ferguson

Executive Director Sam Pimm

(June 2015; announced June 24, 2015) New Hampshire-based consultant with 36 years of political experience, including work on the presidential campaigns of Ronald Reagan, Phil Gramm, Fred Thompson and Newt Gingrich; owns Consultant in a Can. President of America's PAC from Jan. 2015. Campaign manager on Bob Smith for U.S. Senate, Dec. 2013-14. Campaign manager for Kerry Bentivolio for Congress in Michigan, 2012; campaign manager on businessman Scott D'Amboise's campaign for U.S. Senate in the June 12, 2012 Republican primary in Maine. Director of field operations on Newt Gingrich's 2011-12 New Hampshire primary campaign. Other New Hampshire experience includes campaign manager of Fran Wendleboe's campaign for Republican state chair, 2007; Russell Prescott for Executive Council in 2006; and Fran Wendleboe for Congress in 2002. Executive director of Young Americans for Freedom, 1981-83. B.A. in government from Georgetown University, 1978.

Digital Director Ron Robinson

(Oct. 2013) Author/founder of PROCINCT.net, precinct walk list data for activists, from 2010; general manager/founder of OGI, online shopping cart/credit card processing software, from 1993. Served as digital director for eight campaigns in 2014 including a couple of congressional campaigns. New media director on John Colbert for Congress (Pasadena, CA), June-Nov. 2010. Programmer analyst for Universal Music Group, 2001. Perl programmer/analyst for the Los Angeles Times, 1998-2000. Studied communications and marketing at University of Tulsa and Tulsa Community College. Senior still photographer for the U.S. Army, 1974-77. twitter

Communication and West Regional Bill Saracino

(April 2014/announced May 27, 2014) Owner of Saracino Consulting, based in Los Angeles, since July 1991; has worked on more than 75 legislative and congressional campaigns. Additional experience includes chief operating officer of the Parents Television Council, political director of the Gun Owners of California, western states director of Steve Forbes for President, and chief of staff at the Assembly Republican Caucus, 1985-87. Attended University of Southern California.

Southeast Regional Steve Arnold

twitter

Coalitions Gray Delany

Experience includes deputy campaign manager on Dave Brat's primary campaign win over U.S. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor.

raising money
Campaign Funding Direct
Omega List
both of McLean, VA
See: Jaime Fuller. "The Draft Ben Carson super PAC raised a massive amount of money over the last three months. How?" WashingtonPost.com. April 17, 2014.
See also: examples of letters: 1, 2 [PDFs].

Finance Director/Major Donors E.J. Thomas

experience includes "national sales manager for one of America's largest corporations."

IOWA

Headquarters: 8805 Chambery Blvd, Suite 250, Johnston, Iowa ...office opening and Christmas Party on the afternoon of Dec. 20, 2014. +

Midwestern Regional Tina Goff

(April 2014/announced May 19, 2014) Central Iowa region on Rick Santorum for President from Oct. 2011 but left before the caucuses. Iowa organizational director on Herman Cain's campaign from May to end of June 2011, when she resigned due to his lack of commitment to competing in Iowa. Volunteer coordinator/mid-Iowa field director on Branstad 2010 campaign. Analyst and project manager at Genesis Marketing and Research, Inc., 2008-09. Central Iowa regional director/volunteer coordinator on Fred Thompson's caucus campaign. Financial director at Day Care for Exceptional Children, 1997-2007.

Iowa Co-Chairs NOTE: signed on to the exploratory committee

(announced Sept. 18, 2014)
State Rep. Rob Taylor (R-West Des Moines) - Elected to the Iowa House of Representatives in 2012 representing District 44. Sales director for a small business in central Iowa, a consultant and trainer for the automotive industry, and a diesel and bio-fuel specialist. Masters of Business Leadership from William Penn University; B.S. from Upper Iowa University; Associates degree from Des Moines Area Community College in Ankeny. Born and raised in Des Moines.
Dr. Christi Taylor - An internist with the Iowa Clinic. Chairperson for the Dallas County Republican Party.

and County Chairs for all 99 Counties

(announced Oct. 20, 2014)

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Headquarters: 815 Elm St., Manchester, NH ...office announced Dec. 9, 2014

Northeast Regional Sarah De La Cerda

President of BLEU Enterprises, a political consulting company, since summer 2013 and student at the University of Rhode Island since Sept. 2011. twitter

NEVADA

Chuck Muth

Note.

On the change from National Draft Ben Carson for President Committee to The 2016 Committee, once Carson set up his exploratory committee what is sometimes known as the Bob Dole rule went into effect. Reportedly when Dole ran for president, so many different committees sprang up with Dole in the name that people could not tell which was the official campaign committee; afterwards he moved to fix the problem. According to the FEC:

The name of a nonconnected committee (including a leadership PAC) may not include the name of any candidate for federal office. (Only a candidate’s authorized committees may register with his or her name.)

Further, a nonconnected committee may not use a candidate’s name in any name under which the committee makes solicitations or other communications to the general public, unless the name clearly shows opposition to the candidate.

See the bottom of page 14 of the FEC’s Campaign Guide for Nonconnected Committees for more information: http://www.fec.gov/pdf/nongui.pdf.

52 USC § 30102. Organization of political committees

(e) Principal and additional campaign committees; designations, status of candidate, authorized committees, etc

(4) The name of each authorized committee shall include the name of the candidate who authorized such committee under paragraph (1). In the case of any political committee which is not an authorized committee, such political committee shall not include the name of any candidate in its name.