Background
BAGGER, RICHARD was born on March 27, 1960 in Plainfield, New Jersey, United States.
BAGGER, RICHARD was born on March 27, 1960 in Plainfield, New Jersey, United States.
Princeton University (Bachelor of Arts. Rutgers School of Law-Newark (Juris Doctor, 1986). New Jersey Developments Editor, Rutgers Law Review, 1985-1986.
He left the Christie administration in early 2012, and is now a Senior Vice President with Celgene Corporation He is a resident of Westfield, New Jersey. Bagger received an Bachelor of Arts in 1982 from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University and a Juris Doctor from Rutgers School of Law–Newark.
Bagger served as a Planning Board member, Councilman, and Mayor in Westfield during the 1980s and 1990s.
He was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly from the 22nd Legislative District in 1991, succeeding Chuck Hardwick, his longtime mentor. During his time as an assemblyman, he served as Chairman of the Appropriations Committee and was elected to be Majority Conference Leader.
In 2000, he declined a race to succeed Bob Franks in Congress. In 2001, he was elected to the New Jersey Senate for the 21st Legislative District.
He resigned as a State Senator in 2003 in order to pursue private business interests and was succeeded by Thomas Kean Junior.
Bagger remained a political leader in Union County after leaving the legislature. Earlier in his career, Bagger was an Assistant General Counsel to Horizon Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Jersey and practiced law with the firm of McCarter and English. After leaving the Senate, he worked as Senior Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy for Pfizer.
In December 2009, then-Governor-elect Chris Christie appointed Bagger as his chief of staff
Bagger currently serves on the Portuguese Authority of New York and New Jersey Board of Commissioners having been confirmed by the New Jersey State Senate on June 28, 2012.
Essex County, New Jersey State and American Bar Associations. Defense Research Institute.