Jim Pederson (businessman and politician)
Jim Pederson (born July 12, 1942), is a businessman, co-founder of the commercial development firm The Pederson Group, and was the Chairman of the Arizona Democratic Party from 2001 to 2005.
Life and career
Pederson was born and raised in Casa Grande, Arizona, the oldest of six brothers. Pederson's father, Ed Pederson, was the City Manager of Casa Grande for twenty-five years, and his mother, Lillian Pederson, was a registered nurse who stayed home to raise her sons. After high school in Casa Grande, Pederson went to the University of Arizona where he earned a bachelors degree in political science and a masters in public administration.
After college, Pederson took a job with the Research and Budget Division for the city of Phoenix, and later worked as Administrative Assistant to Phoenix Mayor Milt Graham. When Graham left office, Pederson entered the commercial developing business working for Grossman Company Properties and Westcor and eventually formed The Pederson Group with his brother, Gary. The Pederson Group has since developed over 25 retail projects across Arizona.
Pederson has three children and has been married to his wife, Roberta, for 33 years.
Some of the awards won by Jim Pederson, according to his web site, are the Valley Big Brothers Leadership Award, the United Way Gold Award for Outstanding Service, and the City of Hope – Spirit of Life Award.
Chairman of the Arizona Democratic Party
In 2001, Pederson was elected chairman of the Arizona Democratic Party, which was then in need of funds and new infrastructure. Pederson was able to bring both, and more, and he is credited with recruiting two top-notch candidates for statewide office 2002, then-Arizona Attorney General Janet Napolitano for Governor and former Phoenix mayor and gubernatorial candidate, Terry Goddard, for Attorney General. Both won, and credit is often given to Pederson for his funding, fundraising ability, and his leadership in rebuilding the Democratic party infrastructure.
Pederson's work, however, did not carry the state for Democratic candidate John Kerry in the 2004 U.S. presidential election, and none of the much-publicized campaigns by Democratic challengers in Arizona for the 2004 United States House of Representatives elections were successful in unseating Republican incumbents. Even though the party didn't fare well in the 2004 federal elections, the Democratic Party increased its ranks in the Arizona State House of Representatives and lost only one Arizona State Senate seat, an interesting fact given that George W. Bush carried Arizona by more percentage points in 2004 then he did in the 2000 election.
U.S. Senate 2006 candidacy
Not long after the 2004 election, Pederson's name began being mentioned as a potential US Senate candidate in 2006. On July 28th, 2005, Pederson formally stepped down as Chair of the Arizona Democratic Party, further fueling those speculations.
In early September, 2005, an email was sent from the Arizona Democratic Party's website, inviting people to an announcement by Pederson on September 7. In an anticlimactic move, an email was sent out shortly after the first saying that the announcement would be postponed due to Hurricane Katrina, and it was requested that any money that would be donated to Pederson's campaign at the announcement be directed to relief efforts instead. Similarly, a meeting in Arizona of the Democratic National Committee was scheduled for around the same time, but was also postponed, and the same request was made. On September 7, Pederson filed to run for US Senate, representing the state of Arizona.
On September 14, 2005, Pederson formally announced his intention to run, in his home town of Casa Grande, Arizona. Pederson will be facing Jon Kyl, an incumbent who is running for a third term in the Senate. Head-to-head polls show Kyl significantly ahead of Pederson.
The race might be one of the most expensive in Arizona history. As of May 7, 2006, Kyl's campaign had raised over $9 million, primarily from private donations and large fundraising dinners. Jim Pederson's campaign has raised over $5 million, primarily through a dinner event with former President Clinton and a $2 million donation from Pederson.