Connie Mack III

(father of Connie Mack IV, father-in-law of Mary Bono Mack, step-grandson of Tom Connally, grandson of Morris Sheppard, and great-grandson of John Levi Sheppard), a Representative and a Senator from Florida; born Cornelius McGillicuddy, III, in Philadelphia, Pa., October 29, 1940; attended St. Francis Xavier School, Fort Myers, Fla.; graduated, Fort Myers High School 1958; B.A., University of Florida, Gainesville 1966; banker 1966-1982; elected as a Republican to the Ninety-eighth and to the two succeeding Congresses (January 3, 1983-January 3, 1989); elected to the United States Senate in 1988; reelected in 1994 and served from January 3, 1989, to January 3, 2001; was not a candidate for reelection in 2000; chairman, Joint Economic Committee (One Hundred Fourth Congress); Republican Conference chairman 1997-2001; chairman of the board, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Fla., 2001-. Senator Connie Mack is a senior policy advisor in King & Spalding's Government Advocacy and Public Policy Practice Group. Senator Mack works with the firm's clients to develop and implement strategies to successfully achieve their legislative policy goals. Senator Mack retired in January 2001 after serving 18 years in the United States Congress, including 12 years in the Senate. During his political career he played a key role in the passage of laws dealing with banking, health care, modification of the tax code, public housing reform and the environment. Senator Mack was instrumental in leading the historic bipartisan congressional effort to double funding for biomedical research. He was the sponsor of legislation calling for the doubling of medical research funding through the National Institutes of Health, and worked tirelessly to secure the necessary appropriations. A cancer survivor, Senator Mack also has been a strong advocate for cancer research, education, early detection and treatment. In January 2005, President George W. Bush named Senator Mack as Chairman of the President's Advisory Panel on Federal Tax Reform. This nine-member, bipartisan commission was charged with advising the Administration on ways to make the tax code less complex and more pro-growth. At the time of his retirement, Senator Mack was Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference and Chairman of the Joint Economic Committee. He also served on the Senate Finance and Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs committees. After leaving the Senate, Senator Mack served as a Senior Policy Advisor in the Government Relations practice at Shaw Pittman. Prior to his election to the Senate, he was a member of the House of Representatives for three terms representing southwest Florida. Before entering Congress, he was a banker and served as President of Florida National Bank of Lee County, Florida. Senator Mack serves as Chairman Emeritus of the Board of the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute in Tampa. He also is a member of the Boards of Directors of American Momentum Bank, Darden Restaurants, Exact Sciences Corporation, Genzyme Corporation, Moody's Corporation, and Mutual of America Life Insurance Company. The Senator serves as Trustee Emeritus of the Board of Directors of the American Cancer Society Foundation. Educated at the University of Florida, Senator Mack holds a degree in marketing and business.