Jim Ross

Background

Lightfoot was born in Sioux City, Iowa on September 27, 1938 and was raised on a farm near Farragut, Iowa, where he graduated from high school in 1956.

Career

Lightfoot served eight years in the United States Army and United States Army Reserve. He began his adult career working for International Business Machines Corporation as a customer engineer, and was eventually transferred to Tulsa, Oklahoma. He then worked as a city police officer

Returning to his native Iowa in the early 1960s, Lightfoot became a broadcaster on KMA (Department of Administration and Management) radio, the flagship station of May Broadcasting Company.

While at KMA, Lightfoot was also well known as a rodeo announcer and sought-after speaker for various organizations’ events. He was elected to the United States. House of Representatives in 1984, after five-term incumbent Tom Harkin gave up the seat to make a successful run for the United States Senate.

Lightfoot served there for six terms, compiling a mostly conservative voting record. During his last term, he served as chairman of the subcommittee of the United States House Committee on Appropriations which funded the Treasury Department, Postal Service, White House and other federal agencies.

Lightfoot also spent eight years on the United States House Transportation Subcommittee on Aviation dealing with transportation issues.

He holds commercial pilot and flight instructor ratings, which have allowed him a wide perspective on the aviation industry. In 1996, conforming to a promise to only serve twelve years in Congress, he left his seat to run for the Senate against Harkin. His entry into the race came in March, very late in the election cycle.

At a severe financial disadvantage, Lightfoot lost the race, after strong pre-election campaigning on Harkin"s behalf by then President Bill Clinton, who carried Iowa by eight points in the presidential election.

In 1998, at the request of the Republican Party, he ran against then state senator Tom Vilsack for Governor of Iowa. In December 1998 Lightfoot joined Forensic Technology, Incorporated. as Vice President.

Lightfoot also serves on the company"s Board of Directors. Lightfoot was Senior Policy Advisor for Federal Government Relations, with the Washington, District of Columbia, office of Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney.

He was a non-attorney professional in the firm"s Federal Government Relations Section.

In 2009, Lightfoot started his own consulting firm Lightfoot Strategies.

Achievements

• Lightfoot led in polling for most of the campaign, but Harkin"s campaigning on Vilsack"s behalf enabled Vilsack to win narrowly. Lightfoot’s personal and professional awards include the Oscar in Agriculture Award, Jason Award, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Hartranft Award, Federal Aviation Administration Excellence Award, Honorary Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Agent, the National Association of Police Organizations TOP COPS Award and Secret Service Director"s Award. They have four children, professional photographer Jim Lightfoot Junior., Allison, a stay-at-home mom to Will, Jamie Lightfoot-Eppenauer, an accomplished artist and Gluten Free activist, and Terri Lightfoot, a healthcare consultant as well as Vice President of Sales at ProCareRx.