Steve Poizner

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Steven L. Poizner
6th California State Insurance Commissioner
Incumbent
Assumed office January 8, 2007
Preceded by	John Garamendi
Succeeded by	Incumbent

Born	January 4, 1957 (age 50) Houston, Texas
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Carol Poizner

Stephen L. "Steve" Poizner (born January 4, 1957) is a California businessman and Republican politician, who has been the elected State Insurance Commissioner of California since January 8, 2007. Prior to his political career, Poizner worked in the Silicon Valley as a high tech entrepreneur; founding both SnapTrak, Inc. and Strategic Mapping, Inc. Following SnapTrak's sale for $1 billion dollars to Qualcomm, Poizner served a year under Richard Clarke on the National Security Council as a White House Fellow (starting one week before the September 11, 2001 attacks).

1 Background and early life
2 Business career
3 Community service
4 Political career
5 Personal
6 External links

[edit] Background and early life

Born in Houston, Texas, Poizner was named "Outstanding Male Student at the University of Texas" when he became valedictorian while earning his bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Texas in 1978. He was named an Arjay Miller Scholar at Stanford University when he earned an MBA from Stanford Business School in 1980.

Two years after Poizner graduated from Stanford, the national Jaycees organization sued the Palo Alto Jaycees chapter for admitting female members. Poizner led the Palo Alto Jaycees in its efforts to admit women against the national organization's wishes, and the case eventually reached the U.S. Supreme Court, with Poizner a strong equal rights advocate. Poizner and the Palo Alto chapter, along with its fellow groups in other communities, won the suit and struck a blow against gender discrimination in service clubs.

[edit] Business career

As founder of Strategic Mapping and SnapTrak, Poinzer developed mapping technology and GPS technology that allows emergency crews to locate cell phone users when they dial 9-1-1. In 2000, Poizner sold SnapTrak to Qualcomm for $1 billion.

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[edit] Community service

Poizner serves on the Aspire Public Schools board and has volunteered with a local chapter of the NAACP. In 2001, Poizner co-founded EdVoice, an educational non-profit making organization dedicated to improving public schools and serving the interests of K-12 children in California. He was selected out of a pool of 1000 candidates to become one of twelve White House Fellows for a one-year term, from September 2001–September 2002. From September 2002–June 2003, he served as an unpaid teacher in San Jose's Mount Pleasant High School. In 2003, Poizner co-founded of the California Charter Schools Association.

[edit] Political career

In 2004, Poizner ran for the California State Assembly as a Republican against Democrat Ira Ruskin, a Redwood City Councilman, in the heavily Democratic 21st District, losing by 5,884 votes out of 190,120 votes cast in 2004. He spent $5 million of his own money to fund his campaign.

The following year, Poizner was nominated by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to be a member of the California Public Utilities Commission. He was unable to accept the appointment however, due to complications from his financial holdings. He also managed the unsuccessful campaign for Yes on Proposition 77 in the November 8, 2005 California Special Election. His Insurance Commissioner campaign also donated $1.25 million to the Yes on Proposition 77 campaign.

In 2006, Poizner ran for the office of California Insurance Commissioner. He ran unopposed in the Republican primary on June 6, and won the general election on November 7 by defeating Democrat Cruz Bustamante, the Lieutenant Governor of California, by a 12.4% margin. ^[1] Poizner and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger were the only Republicans elected in California statewide races.

Poizner is pro-choice and advocates equal rights for women and minorities.