Thursday, August 3, 2006
Contact: Jessica Robinson, 573-751-0290
Blunt Names Ed Martin New Chief of Staff
JEFFERSON CITY–Gov. Matt Blunt today announced that he has selected Edward R. Martin, Jr. to serve as his new Chief of Staff.
“I am pleased to welcome Ed Martin to our team and look forward to his contributions to our ongoing efforts to help move Missouri forward as chief of staff,” Blunt said. “Ed brings an exceptional legal, professional and personal background to this job and has shown the ability to bring diverse groups of people together to get results, a skill that will serve him well in our state capitol.”
Martin, 36 of St. Louis, currently serves as chairman of the St. Louis City Board of Election Commissioners. Martin is a founding partner of the law firm of Martin & Simmonds, a general practice law firm in St. Louis. Martin holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature from College of Holy Cross in Massachusetts, a juris doctorate with health law certificate and masters of applied ethics in health care from Saint Louis University.
Martin brings a wide range of experience and civic dedication to the governor’s office. He is fluent in Bahasa Indonesian, Bahasa Malay and Italian and has lived in Italy and North Sumatera, Indonesia. He serves on the Missouri Chamber of Commerce Leadership Missouri Board. Martin has founded and co-hosted radio talk shows in the St. Louis area, serves on the St. Louis Review editorial board and writes a regularly featured column in The Arch City Chronicle. He has been involved with Boy Scouts of America, Cardinal Carberry Senior Living Center Board of Directors, and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, among many others.
Martin is the Father McGivney Fellow for Rights of Conscience with Americans United for Life and is an active member in the Catholic Church. He was appointed by Archbishop Justin Rigali in 1998 as director of the Human Rights Office for the Archdiocese of St. Louis. Martin served as chairman of the Papal Visit Committee for Social Concerns for Pope John Paul II’s visit to St. Louis, and hosted Mrs. Rosa Parks for a private audience with the Pope.
Martin said he looked forward to joining Blunt’s staff and helping continue the tremendous progress he has made less than two years in office.
“Gov. Blunt has accomplished so much in his first 18 months in office, taking a state government that had completely lost its way and led it to sound fiscal stability,” Martin said. “It is rare to see an elected official who delivers on nearly every promise he made in his campaign. Given that record of accomplishment and the focused agenda for the future, I consider it an honor to be asked to serve. It will be my goal to see that he succeeds in completing his vision for the taxpayers of Missouri.”
Martin also praised the work of outgoing Chief of Staff Ken McClure for helping Blunt form an administration and implement policies that have reversed Missouri’s bleak economic climate and made education the true number one priority of state government. Martin said he would call on McClure regularly for advice and counsel.
Martin will begin his new duties on Sept. 1, 2006 and will be available for media interviews when he begins in his official capacity. Martin, with his wife and daughter, plans to move to the Jefferson City area.
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