Robert S. Graham (born January 9, 1972) is an American entrepreneur, business owner, author, and the former Chairman of the Arizona Republican Party (AZ GOP), serving from 2013 to 2017.[1][2]
Early life and education
Graham was born in Fort Walton Beach, Florida in 1972. His father was an Air Force Major, and the Graham family moved to the Kincheloe Air Force Base in Michigan where they lived until the end of the Cold War.[3]
Graham attended high school in East Lansing Michigan. He then transferred to Arizona State University, where he received a Bachelor of Sciences in Global Business Management and Finance and graduated cum laude.[4] For his entrepreneurial success and service to ASU, Graham was awarded "Distinguished Alumnus" from the School of Global Management and Leadership.[5] He graduated from Thunderbird School of Global Management 2013 and received a Masters of Business Administration in Global Management.[6]
Career
In 1997, Graham started working as the Director of Marketing for Gold and Associates. He then worked as the Vice President of Business Development for CUE Financial until 2001, where he increased the company's national market share.[7] From 2001 until 2004, he worked as a Private Wealth Advisor for Merrill Lynch. In 2004, he left Merrill Lynch and founded RG Capital, LLC and iNation, LLC. iNation is a Scottsdale-based data and digital technology company (SaaS), with a customer relationship management (CRM) tool designed for businesses and professionals worldwide, and Graham served as the Founder and Chairman until he sold the business in 2008 to a private equity firm.[citation needed]
Graham was elected Chairman of the Arizona Republican Party in January 2013, when he received 70% of the vote.[8][9] His primary duty as Chairman is to maintain and grow the Republican Party in Arizona. He has been recognized nationally for the successful 2014 Midterm Elections in Arizona, on account of Republicans winning every statewide office.[10][11]
In January 2015, Graham was re-elected as the Chairman of the Arizona Republican Party, receiving 82% of the vote, a 12% increase from his previous election.[12] Graham is known in the Arizona Republican Party for his outreach to minority communities, and in 2015, Governor Doug Ducey and the State of Arizona appointed him to the Arizona Commission of African-American Affairs.[13] Beginning in 2013, Graham has worked with Asian, African American, Latino, and Tribal coalitions.[14][15]
Publications
In 2010, Graham published his first book Job Killers: The American Dream in Reverse.[16] The book explains how labor unions can ruin jobs and shrink the economy.
Personal life
Graham has been married to his wife Julia since 1997. They have six children together.[17]
References
- ^ Sanchez, Yvonne Wingett (November 30, 2015). "Arizona GOP chairman to Susan Bitter Smith: Consider resigning". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved December 8, 2015.
- ^ "Arizona Republican Party". arizonagop.org. Retrieved 2015-12-09.
- ^ "Cold War" (PDF). Retrieved 14 December 2015.
- ^ "Our Campaigns – Candidate – Robert Shaw Graham". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
- ^ "Forbes Custom: Marketplace". forbescustom.com. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
- ^ "Robert Graham | Thunderbird School of Global Management". www.thunderbird.edu. Retrieved 2015-12-09.
- ^ "State Chairman Robert Graham". GOP. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
- ^ "Arizona GOP selects Robert Graham as chairman". www.azfamily.com. Retrieved 2015-12-09.
- ^ "Robert Graham Wins Big in AZ GOP Chairman Race". Retrieved 14 December 2015.
- ^ "Arizona Election Results 2014: Dates, Analysis, Full Midterm Overview, Complete Updates". POLITICO. Retrieved 2015-12-09.
- ^ "GOP chief Robert Graham mostly right on votes for Diane Douglas". azcentral. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
- ^ "Robert Graham Announces Two Key Endorsements for Second Term as Chairman of the Arizona Republican Party". Arizona Politics for Conservatives: Sonoran Alliance. 26 November 2014. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
- ^ "AZCAAA | Creating value of the African-American community". azcaaa.org. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
- ^ "AMERICAN FREEDOM by BARBARA: Recently Elected Republican Party Leaders Throughout Maricopa County Endorse Robert Graham for Chairman". www.americanfreedombybarbara.com. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
- ^ "Arizona GOP head: Time to reach out, build on success – Kingman Daily Miner". kdminer.com. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
- ^ "Job Killers | The American Dream in Reverse". jobkiller.com. Retrieved 2015-12-09.
- ^ "State Chairman Robert Graham". GOP. Retrieved 2015-12-11.