Jerry Regier

Jerry Regier
Florida Secretary of Children and Families
In office 2002–2007
Preceded by	Kathleen A. Kearney
Oklahoma Secretary of Health and Human Services
In office April 6, 1997 – January 16, 2002
Governor	Frank Keating
Preceded by	Ken Lackey
Succeeded by	Howard Hendrick
Executive Director of the Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs
In office April 6, 1997 – January 16, 2002
Governor	Frank Keating
Preceded by	Ken Lackey
Succeeded by	Robert E. Christian
President of the Family Research Council
In office 1984–1988
Preceded by	Post created
Succeeded by	Gary Bauer
Personal details
Born	1945
Political party	Republican
Profession	Political Activist

Gerald Paul "Jerry" Regier (born 1945) is an American businessman and politician from Oklahoma who is best known as founder and first President of the Family Research Council.

Regier has previously served in numerous positions within the Administration of Governor of Oklahoma Frank Keating, including Keating's Oklahoma Secretary of Health and Human Services (1997–2002). In addition to his service as Secretary, Regier served concurrently as the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs.

Family Research Council

Regier, in cooperation with Dr. James Dobson, founded the Family Research Council, a conservative, Christian right group and lobbying organization, in 1983. Regier served as that organization's first president from 1984 until 1988. Gary Bauer, a domestic policy advisor under President Ronald Reagan, succeeded Regier as president.

Federal government career

President Ronald Reagan appointed Regier in 1988 to the National Commission on Children, an advisory body in the United States Department of Health and Human Services on children's issues. Reagan's successor, George H.W. Bush, reappointed Regier in 1991. Regier continued to serve on the Commission until 1993.

In 1992, President Bush appointed Regier as Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance and as Administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention in the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). Regier served in both of those positions until the end of Bush's term in 1993.

Keating Administration

Office of Juvenile Affairs

When Republican Frank Keating, a former Reagan Administration official, was elected Governor of Oklahoma in 1995, Keating appointed Regier to serve as the Deputy Director of the newly created Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs (OJA) under Executive Director Ken Lackey. Regier served as principal juvenile justice advisor to Lackey in his position as Keating's Oklahoma Secretary of Health and Human Services. When Lackey resigned as Executive Director of OJA, Keating appointed Regier as his successor.

Health & Human Services Secretary

Lackey served as Health and Human Services Secretary until 1997, when Keating appointed him as his Chief of Staff. Keating appointed Regier to succeed Lackey as Secretary. As Health and Human Services Secretary, Regier served as Keating's top health policy advisor and provided oversight to the Oklahoma State Department of Health, the Oklahoma Department of Human Services, the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services, and the Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs.^[1]

Regier resigned as Secretary in January 2002 to pursue a campaign to succeed the term-limited Keating as Governor of Oklahoma. Keating appointed the head of the Oklahoma Department of Human Services, Howard Hendrick, to succeed Regier as Secretary.^[2][3]

Gubernatorial campaign, 2002

Regier entered the 2002 Oklahoma gubernatorial election as a Republican candidate. He faced former Seattle Seahawks wide receiver and then Congressman Steve Largent for the Republican nomination. In April of that year, however, Regier dropped out of the gubernatorial campaign when he discovered a 10-year residency requirement "next preceding" election as governor. Although Secretary Regier was an Oklahoma native, he had only been back in the state seven years. He broke this news to the press and voluntarily dropped out of the race rather than contest the onerous requirement. Largent went on to receive the nomination and faced Democratic State Senator Brad Henry. Henry narrowly defeated Largent.^[4]

Jeb Bush Administration

When Regier dropped out of the governor's race, Keating recommended that Governor of Florida Jeb Bush appoint him the head of the Florida Department of Children and Families.^[5] Bush acted on Keating's recommendation and made Regier his Secretary of Children and Families. He remained in that position until October 2004.

George W. Bush Administration

In October, 2005, Regier was appointed by the Bush Administration to be the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Human Services Policy at HHS under the Assistant Secretary for Planning & Evaluation (ASPE). In July, 2006 he was promoted to Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, and Acting Assistant Secretary for PLanning and Evaluation (ASPE) under HHS Secretary Micheal Leavitt. During tis time as the ASPE he was also appointed to serve on the Medical Commission.

In July 2007, Secretary Leavitt appointed Regier to serve as Executive Director of the Interagency Working Group on Import Safety, where he directed & Coordinated the work of 12 Cabinet Secretaries culminating in 2 reports to President Bush in September 2007 and November 2007.

Post-Government

International Consulting

From 2009-2012, Regier worked for Calvin Edwards & Company out of Atlanta to evaluate programs internationally for high-net-worth donors. Over this period of time, Regier evaluated 20 programs in 10 countries to determine the efficacy of donor impact.

International Teaching

Since 2009, Regier has served as a Senior Fellow for the Geneva Institute for Leadership & Public Policy (GILPP) in Geneva, Switzerland where he teaches public policy & leadership each summer to policy leaders from 15-20 developing nations.

Global Water Solutions - Water4

Since 2013, Regier has served as Director of Global Resource Development & International Public Policy Ambassador for the Oklahoma City-based non-profit, Water4. Water4 provides training & technical drilling equipment for persons in developing countries to go into the business of manually drilling & maintaining water wells. He is also responsible for connecting governmental officials with viable water solutions in their respective countries. Coordinating exchange programs to educate policy makers is vital to ensuring that early adoption of the Water4 technology is considered.

References

1. Price, Marie (1997-04-16). "Keating nominates Regier". The Journal Record.
2. The Journal Record Staff (2002-01-29). "DHS head to replace Regier in Keating cabinet". The Journal Record.
3. The Journal Record Staff (2002-01-08). "Regier resigns form cabinet". The Journal Record.
4. Price, Marie (2002-04-26). "Gubernatorial candidate drops out of race". The Journal Record.
5. LA Times Staff (2002-08-16). "Ex-Aide of Elder Bush to Head Florida's Child Welfare Agency". LA Times.

External links