ut_sen_BENNETT
SEN. ROBERT BENNETT
Age: 65 Born: September 18, 1933 in Salt Lake City Education: University of Utah, B.S. (1957) Military: Chaplain, U.S. Army National Guard (1957-60) Family: Married - Joyce; 6 children Hometown: Salt Lake City, Utah Religion: Mormon Career: Junior U.S. Senator (1992-present); CEO, Franklin Quest Co. (1984-91); Chairman, UT Educ. Strategic Planning Comm. (1988); President, Microsonics Corp. (1981-84); Chairman, American Computers Corp. (1979-81); President, Osmond Communications (1978-79); P.R. Dir., Summa Corp. (1974-78); President, Robert Mullen P.R. (1970-74); Cong. Liaison, U.S. Dept. of Transportation (1969-70); Staff Aide, U.S. Sen. Wallace F. Bennett (1963); Staff Aide, U.S. Rep. Sherman Lloyd (1962) |
· Republican incumbent Sen. Bob Bennett was elected to the Senate in 1992. He defeated former Rep. Wayne Owens with 51% of the vote after spending more than $1.5 million of his own money.
· While the self-described Reagan Republican is only seeking his second term, Bennett has been in the political arena for most of his life. He was 17 when his father, former Sen. Wallace Bennett, was elected. Wallace Bennett served for 24 years and his son now occupies his seat.
· In 1970, he bought the Washington, D.C. public relations firm that employed Howard Hunt, later known as the Watergate burglar. The firm was determined to be CIA cover, but Bennett was never accused of wrong-doing himself during the Watergate investigations.
· Franklin Quest, producers of Franklin planners, grew from four employees to 700; with $80 million in sales during his tenure. When Benentt left the company in 1991, his portion was worth approximately $25 million.
· Bennett served as the Chairman of the Utah Board of Education Strategic Panning Commission and co-authored, A Shift in Focus, the plan directing resource toward students rather than structure.
· Bennett, an economic conservative, impressed former Majority Leader Bob Dole. Dole asked him to Chair the Republican Health Care Task Force. When Dole ran for President in 1996, Bennett often traveled with him.
· Bennett wrote the book, Gaining Control about the forces controlling daily life.