20061029 About Michael Steele

About Michael Steele

October 29, 2006

EN ESPANOL

About Michael Steele - from his website: http://www.michaelsteeleformaryland.com/index.asp

Became Maryland's FIRST statewide elected African-American.

One of the first in his family to go to college - graduating from Johns Hopkins University, and receiving his law degree from Georgetown University.

Named one of the Baltimore Sun's 2003 Legislative Session "Winners" for his efforts to work with both sides of the aisle.

Lieutenant Governor Michael Steele was the first African-American ever elected to statewide office in Maryland. Michael made history once again in October 2005, when he announced his candidacy for the state's open seat in the United States Senate.

Since taking office as Lieutenant Governor with Governor Robert Ehrlich in 2003, Michael has produced real solutions to the real problems facing Marylanders. The Lt. Governor has lead the fight to improve access to better-performing schools; worked alongside law enforcement officials to reduce crime and secure communities; strengthened the state's minority business program to foster greater entrepreneurship; and worked with Maryland conservationists to protect the environment for future generations.

Lt. Gov. Steele has helped redefine the state's goals and commitment towards small and minority businesses in Maryland as chair of the Governor's Commission on Minority Business Enterprise Reform. More recently, he chaired the Governor's Commission on Quality Education in Maryland, which recommended institutional reforms to improve the state's public education system.

Michael currently oversees the Governor's Office on Community Initiatives, partnering with faith-based, community and volunteer organizations to assist the state's most needy. Lt. Governor Steele also serves as a strong advocate for the preservation and advancement of the state's five Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

Michael continues to work with the Maryland police and the Maryland Vehicle Theft Prevention Council to reduce crime and vehicle theft, and he has forged a strong partnership with the mayors of the state's 157 municipalities while strengthening ties between the state and local governments.

Michael Steele was born on October 19, 1958 at Andrews Air Force Base in Prince George's County and was raised in Washington, DC. He graduated from Archbishop Carroll High School, earned his bachelor's degree in International Relations from Johns Hopkins University in 1981, and received his law degree from Georgetown University Law Center in 1991. Mr. Steele also spent three years as a seminarian in the Order of St. Augustine in preparation for the priesthood.

In 2002, President George W. Bush appointed Mr. Steele to serve a term on the Board of Visitors of the United States Naval Academy. His other affiliations include the State House Trust, the East Baltimore Development Corporation, the Export-Import Bank Advisory Committee and the Prince George's County Chapter of the NAACP.

A 2005 Aspen Institute-Rodel Fellow in Public Leadership, Lt. Governor Steele was recently awarded a Bethune-DuBois Institute 2005 Award for his work in the ongoing development of quality education in Maryland.

Lt. Governor Steele is a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Landover Hills, where he attends mass regularly with his wife Andrea and their two sons, Michael and Drew.

For more information on the Michael Steele campaign, please go to: http://www.michaelsteeleformaryland.com/index.asp

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