Terry Neese

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Terry Neese
Terry Neese (cropped).jpg
Personal details
Born1947/1948 (age 73–74)
Walters, Oklahoma, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
EducationUniversity of Oklahoma
WebsiteCampaign website

Terry Neese (born 1947/1948)[1] is an American businesswoman and political candidate. She was the Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma in 1990 and a candidate for Oklahoma's 5th congressional district in the 2020 election.[2]

Early life and education[]

Terry Neese was born in Walters, Oklahoma to Clifford and Vida Mae Farley,[3] and raised in Cookietown, Oklahoma. She has two sisters. She graduated from Burkburnett High School in Burkburnett, Texas. According to Neese, she briefly attended the University of Oklahoma, studying secretarial science with the intention of being an administrative assistant.[4]

Career[]

Neese worked for several companies in Norman, Oklahoma as a secretary and later office manager.

Neese describes founding her own business with $600, turning it into a "multimillion-dollar business",[4] Terry Neese Personnel Service in 1975.[5] In 2000, she passed on the company to her daughter, Kim Neese-Brown.[5] She has said that her company has helped find employment for more than 24,000 people in Oklahoma.[6]

Neese also describes creating and leading multiple organizations with worldwide outreach. For example, she describes co-founding GrassRoots Impact, Inc. with Democratic National Committee member Barbara Kasoff.[7][8] GrassRoots Impact provides a communications strategy for corporations and government agencies to effectively reach out to women and minorities in business.[9]

In 1986, she founded a charity called Oklahomans Helping Oklahomans.[10] The next year, she was named a co-chair for Business Partners Inc. in Oklahoma.[11]

She is the co-founder of WIPP (Women Impacting Public Policy) which was created in 2001.[12] According to Neese, WIPP has over 600,000 members and works to advocate for women in business.[4]

Neese also describes herself as founder and CEO of the Institute for Educating and Empowering Women All Around the World.,[13] which apparently strives to educate women in business. Neese also describes a leadership role in a group called Peace Through Business,[14] which is apparently a business training and mentorship program for women in Afghanistan and Rwanda.[15]

In 2001, she apparently created the Terry Neese Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence, and SBA Women's Business Center, in which she serves as the Chairwoman of the Board.

Politics[]

In 1990, Neese became the first woman nominated by a major political party for Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma.[4] Neese was then defeated by Democratic candidate Jack Mildren.[16]

In 1994 she ran for Lieutenant Governor again, losing in a runoff election. [17][18] During the 2016 United States Presidential Election, Neese served as the National Finance Chair for the Carly Fiorina 2016 presidential campaign.[19]

In April 2019, Neese announced her candidacy for Oklahoma's 5th congressional district in the 2020 election. Just prior to announcing her candidacy, she moved into that district from Oklahoma's 3rd congressional district. In the June 30, 2020, Republican primary, Neese placed first among a field of nine candidates. As no candidate amassed 50 percent of votes cast, the top two vote-getters advanced to a runoff election.[20][21] Neese was then defeated in the runoff election by state senator Stephanie Bice.[22]

Controversies[]

Neese had claimed "Native American (Cherokee) Heritage," presumably membership in the Cherokee Nation, a claim which she used to garner a series of political appointments. In the early 1990s, for example, she was appointed by President George H. W. Bush to be a Commissioner to the National Advisory Council on Indian Education. All 15 of its members must be Native American. She was reappointed to this Council in 1993 by President Bill Clinton. Similarly, President George W. Bush nominated Neese to lead the U.S. Mint in 2005 at least partly because of her roots in the Cherokee Indian Community. In an article published at the time, Neese claims "her roots to the Cherokee Indian Community run deep". A 2020 investigation found Neese to have no membership in the Cherokee tribe.[23]

In the second scandal, Neese was requested to decline a 2005 government appointment from President Bush after training tapes were uncovered in which she instructed her employees to lie and use unethical behavior. At the time, Neese—who had been a large Bush fundraiser—claimed she was declining her appointment as Director of the U.S Mint for family reasons; the allegation of impropriety was not made until 2019.[24] Neese said the tapes were doctored.[25][26]

Awards[]

Neese was inducted into the Enterprising Women Hall of Fame, sponsored by Enterprising Women, in 2004.[27] In 2013, she earned their Enterprising Women Legacy Award.[28]

Neese was inducted into the Oklahoma Women's Hall of Fame in 2007.[6]

Personal life[]

Neese was listed as a resident of Yukon, Oklahoma in 2019, but subsequently rented an apartment in Oklahoma City, within Oklahoma's 5th congressional district, ahead of her congressional campaign.[1]

References[]

  1. ^ a b Casteel, Chris (April 30, 2019). "Neese says she's now a resident of congressional district she seeks to represent". The Oklahoman. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  2. ^ "Live: Oklahoma State Primary Election Results 2020". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  3. ^ "VIDA BOWLES Obituary (1921 - 2018) Oklahoman".
  4. ^ a b c d Nykolaiszyn, Juliana (August 23, 2007). "Oral History Interview with Terry Neese". Inductees of the Oklahoma Women's Hall of Fame Oral History Project. Retrieved April 6, 2015.
  5. ^ a b "Terry Neese Personnel Has Open House". The Daily Oklahoman. August 28, 2000. Retrieved August 8, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ a b "Oklahoma Women's Hall of Fame Inductees by Year". Oklahoma State University Library. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
  7. ^ "Barbara Kasoff – SheSource Expert – Women's Media Center". womensmediacenter.com. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  8. ^ "Terry Neese". www.greateroklahomacity.com. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  9. ^ "Terry Neese". growinokc.com. Greater Oklahoma City Chamber. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
  10. ^ DeFrange, Ann (November 7, 1986). "Fund-Raising Group Hopes to Build State Morale". The Daily Oklahoman. Retrieved August 8, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Business Partners Inc. Appoints Co-Chairwomen". The Daily Oklahoman. February 15, 1987. Retrieved August 8, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ Stafford, Jim (October 28, 2006). "State Women to Attend International Conference". The Daily Oklahoman. Retrieved August 8, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Institute for Educating and Empowering Women All Around the World". www.ieew.org. IEEW. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
  14. ^ "Peace Through Business Program". www.ieew.org. IEEW. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
  15. ^ "Dr. Terry Neese CEO/President Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women" (PDF). ieew.org. IEEW. Retrieved April 6, 2015.
  16. ^ "Our Campaigns – OK Lt. Governor Race – Nov 06, 1990". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  17. ^ "Our Campaigns - OK Lt. Governor - R Runoff Race - Sep 20, 1994".
  18. ^ "Our Campaigns - OK Lt. Governor Race - Nov 08, 1994".
  19. ^ "August 1, 2015 - Carly Fiorina Announces Dr. Terry Neese as National Finance Chairman".
  20. ^ "Neese becomes second Republican to target OKC district in House". Oklahoman.com. April 26, 2019. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  21. ^ "Live Primary Election Results: Races in Colorado, Oklahoma and Utah". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  22. ^ Pathe, Simone. "Stephanie Bice wins GOP primary runoff for competitive US House seat in Oklahoma". CNN. Retrieved August 26, 2020.
  23. ^ "KFOR investigates candidate Terry Neese's claim of having 'deep roots in the Cherokee Nation'". August 22, 2020.
  24. ^ Felder, Ben (August 18, 2020). "White House told Neese to withdraw her name from U.S. Mint position after the discovery of training tapes". The Frontier. Retrieved August 18, 2020 – via readfrontier.org.
  25. ^ "Live:GOP Debate". News 9 Times.
  26. ^ Mock, Jennifer (July 30, 2005). "President Nominates City Businesswoman to Direct Mint". The Daily Oklahoman. Retrieved August 8, 2019 – via Newspapers.com. and "Neese". The Daily Oklahoman. July 30, 2005. Retrieved August 8, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  27. ^ "Business People". The Daily Oklahoman. May 9, 2004. Retrieved August 8, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. ^ "Terry Neese receives 2013 Enterprising Women Legacy Award". newsok.com. NewsOK. Retrieved April 6, 2015.

External links[]

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