Mitt Romney

Willard Mitt Romney was born on March 12, 1947, in Detroit, Michigan. He is the son of George Romney, who served as Michigan governor in the 1960s, and was raised in the nearby suburb of Bloomfield Hills. Romney married Ann Lois Davies in 1969, and they have five sons. He is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and undertook a 30-month missionary campaign for the church in France from 1966 to 1968, interrupting his university studies.

Education

Romney's educational background includes degrees from prestigious institutions:

• Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Brigham Young University, graduated summa cum laude in 1971
• Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School, cum laude, in 1975
• Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School in 1975, earning Baker Scholar recognition

Political Experience

Business Career

Before entering politics, Romney built a successful business career. From 1978 to 1984, he served as a vice president at Bain and Company, a Boston-based management consulting firm. In 1984, he co-founded Bain Capital, a private equity investment firm that became one of the largest of its kind in the nation. Through Bain Capital, he helped found, acquire, or invest in hundreds of companies, including Staples, Domino's Pizza, and Brookstone. In 1990, he took a two-year leave to serve as interim CEO of Bain and Company, leading the company through a successful financial turnaround.

Public Service

Romney's political career includes several major positions:

• 2002 Winter Olympics: As President and CEO of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee, Romney rescued the games from financial crisis and ethical controversies, erasing a $379 million operating deficit and overseeing one of the most successful Olympics in the nation's history.

• *Governor of Massachusetts *: Romney was elected governor in November 2002. During his tenure, he reduced a $3 billion deficit and signed into law a comprehensive health-care reform program that provided nearly universal health care for Massachusetts residents. He served as the 70th governor of the state.

• Presidential Campaigns: Romney ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 but lost to Senator John McCain. In 2012, he secured the Republican nomination for president but lost to incumbent Barack Obama in the general election.

• *U.S. Senate *: Romney ran for the U.S. Senate in 2018 and won, becoming the first person in modern American history to be elected governor and U.S. senator of different states. He was sworn in as Utah's senator on January 3, 2019, and completed his term in 2025.

Political Party: Republican Party