Bill Halter
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Bill Halter | |
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Incumbent | |
Assumed office January 9, 2007– |
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Governor(s) | Mike Beebe |
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Preceded by | Winthrop Rockefeller |
Succeeded by | Incumbent |
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Born | 1960 Little Rock, Arkansas |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | Shanti Patching |
Profession | Economist, Management Consultant |
William A. "Bill" Halter (born 1960), a Democrat, was sworn in as lieutenant governor of Arkansas in Little Rock, his hometown, on January 9, 2007. He succeeded the late Republican Winthrop Paul Rockefeller, who served in the position for the preceding decade.
In 1993, Halter began service in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), part of the Executive Office of the President. In his six years with President Clinton's OMB, the U.S. annual federal budget deficit of $290 billion was transformed into a $125 billion surplus and federal civilian employment was reduced to its lowest level since the Kennedy Administration.
After serving in the OMB for six years he was nominated by U.S. President Bill Clinton and confirmed unanimously by the United States Senate in 1999 as the Deputy Commissioner (later, also Acting Commissioner) of Social Security.
[edit] Academics and business
Halter is a Rhodes Scholar who received a Master of Philosophy degree in Economics from Oxford University in 1986. He is a trustee emeritus of Stanford University, having served on its board of trustees for seven years and having chaired the Stanford Committee on Academic Policy.
His official website notes, "Not a career politician, Halter’s business background offers Arkansas leadership with the experience and know-how needed to expand economic development and attract new jobs for Arkansans. Before entering public service, he was a Management Consultant with McKinsey and Company where he advised companies in a range of industries and coauthored a study on the management practices of successful companies. Currently, Bill Halter is a member of the Board of Directors of two public companies in biotechnology and information technology: Threshold Pharmaceuticals...and Akamai Technologies...He previously served on the Board of InterMune,.. Xenogen,...and webMethods." [1]
[edit] Political Career
In the run-up to the 2006 Arkansas elections, Halter initially ran for Governor of Arkansas but dropped out in March 2006 and instead ran successfully for Lt. Governor. He won a Democratic primary election run-off against Tim Wooldridge and then defeated Jim Holt in the general election. [2]
In 2007, there was speculation that Halter would run for the United States Senate against incumbent Mark Pryor in 2008. [3]