Allen Alley
Encyclopedia
Allen Alley is a businessman and Chairman of the Oregon Republican Party
. He unsuccessfully ran for Oregon State Treasurer
in 2008 and the Republican
nomination for Governor of Oregon
in 2010
.
, the son of Nafe and Behle Alley. His father, a mechanical engineer, began his career designing conveyor systems before joining the Boeing Company
. The family lived in several different cities, including Seattle
and Philadelphia
where Allen attended high school.
In 1976, Alley graduated from Purdue University
with a degree in Mechanical Engineering
and a minor in Business. He went to work for the Ford Motor Company
and then Boeing
in various product engineering and design roles. Alley joined Computervision
as director of Product Marketing in Boston, Massachusetts. From there, he was recruited to join Battery Ventures, a $75 million investment company that specialized in high-technology ventures. In 1992, Alley moved to Oregon to work for InFocus
, a manufacturer of mobile business display hardware, where he served as Vice President of Corporate Development, Engineering, and Marketing. In 1997, Alley co-founded Pixelworks, a fabless semiconductor company
.
In 2000, Alley raised $66.1 million for Pixelworks, making it one of that year's top semiconductors.
in January 2002 to serve as the inaugural chair for the Oregon Council for Knowledge and Economic Development. Under his leadership, the fledgling council sought to stimulate economic development in Oregon by bringing leaders from wide-ranging fields of higher education, economic development and the private sector.
In February 2002, Alley accepted a Presidential appointment from President George W. Bush
to sit on the U.S.-Japan
Private Sector/Government Commission, which strove to promote sustainable economic growth in both countries. While in Japan, Alley met Governor of Utah Jon Huntsman
and the two made a pact that they would at one point in their careers seek elected offices for their respective states. Both have fulfilled such promises.
In 2006, Alley was named as the Chairman of the Oregon Business Plan. He was tasked with the responsibility to help to shape public policy in Oregon that would ensure economic growth.
After stepping down as CEO of Pixelworks Inc. in 2007, Alley was hired to serve as a deputy chief of staff for Democratic Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski
. Included in Alley’s policy portfolio was economic development, technology, transportation, workforce training and energy.
for Oregon State Treasurer. Alley lost to Democrat Ben Westlund
51% to 45% in the general election
.
In 2009, Alley announced his candidacy for Governor of Oregon in 2010
. He lost in the May 2010 Republican primary to wealth strategist and former NBA player Chris Dudley
.
On January 3, 2011, Alley announced his candidacy for Oregon Republican Party
Chairman. His announcement came only hours after current chair Bob Tiernan
announced he wouldn’t seek another term. Alley was first encouraged by Republican State Representative Greg Smith
to run for the position and soon after gained support from numerous other Republican politicians and party leaders including U.S. Congressmen Greg Walden
. Alley ran unopposed and on January 22, 2011 he was unanimously elected to the position.
.
Oregon Republican Party
The Oregon Republican Party is the state affiliate of the United States Republican Party in Oregon, headquartered in Lake Oswego. The first state party convention was held in Salem on April 21, 1859, and its first nominee for Congress, Portland attorney David Logan...
. He unsuccessfully ran for Oregon State Treasurer
Oregon State Treasurer
The Oregon State Treasurer is a constitutional officer within the executive branch of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon, elected by statewide vote to serve a four year term. As chief financial officer for the state, the office holder heads the Oregon State Treasury, and with the Governor...
in 2008 and the Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
nomination for Governor of Oregon
Governor of Oregon
The Governor of Oregon is the top executive of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon. The title of governor was also applied to the office of Oregon's chief executive during the provisional and U.S. territorial governments....
in 2010
Oregon gubernatorial election, 2010
The Oregon gubernatorial election of 2010 was held on Tuesday, to elect the Governor of Oregon, who will serve a four-year term to begin on . The incumbent governor, Democrat Ted Kulongoski, was ineligible to run due to term limits barring him from being elected to more than two consecutive...
.
Early life
Alley was born in Kalamazoo, MichiganKalamazoo, Michigan
The area on which the modern city stands was once home to Native Americans of the Hopewell culture, who migrated into the area sometime before the first millennium. Evidence of their early residency remains in the form of a small mound in downtown's Bronson Park. The Hopewell civilization began to...
, the son of Nafe and Behle Alley. His father, a mechanical engineer, began his career designing conveyor systems before joining the Boeing Company
Boeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
. The family lived in several different cities, including Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
and Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
where Allen attended high school.
In 1976, Alley graduated from Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
with a degree in Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
and a minor in Business. He went to work for the Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
and then Boeing
Boeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
in various product engineering and design roles. Alley joined Computervision
Computervision
Computervision, Inc. was an early pioneer in turnkey Computer Aided Design and Manufacturing . Computervision was founded in 1969 by Marty Allen and Philippe Villers, and headquartered in Bedford, Massachusetts, USA. Its early products were built on a Data General Nova platform...
as director of Product Marketing in Boston, Massachusetts. From there, he was recruited to join Battery Ventures, a $75 million investment company that specialized in high-technology ventures. In 1992, Alley moved to Oregon to work for InFocus
InFocus
InFocus Corporation is a privately owned American company based in the state of Oregon. Founded in 1986, the company develops, manufactures, and distributes DLP and LCD projectors and accessories as well as LCD flat panel displays. Formerly a NASDAQ listed public company, InFocus was purchased by ...
, a manufacturer of mobile business display hardware, where he served as Vice President of Corporate Development, Engineering, and Marketing. In 1997, Alley co-founded Pixelworks, a fabless semiconductor company
Fabless semiconductor company
A fabless semiconductor company specializes in the design and sale of hardware devices and semiconductor chips while outsourcing the fabrication or "fab" of the devices to a specialized manufacturer called a semiconductor foundry...
.
In 2000, Alley raised $66.1 million for Pixelworks, making it one of that year's top semiconductors.
Public service career
Alley’s interest in politics began when he was appointed by Oregon Governor John KitzhaberJohn Kitzhaber
John Albert Kitzhaber is the 37th Governor of Oregon. He served as the 35th Governor of Oregon from 1995 to 2003 and became the first person to be elected to the office three times when he was re-elected to a non-consecutive third term in 2010...
in January 2002 to serve as the inaugural chair for the Oregon Council for Knowledge and Economic Development. Under his leadership, the fledgling council sought to stimulate economic development in Oregon by bringing leaders from wide-ranging fields of higher education, economic development and the private sector.
In February 2002, Alley accepted a Presidential appointment from President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
to sit on the U.S.-Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
Private Sector/Government Commission, which strove to promote sustainable economic growth in both countries. While in Japan, Alley met Governor of Utah Jon Huntsman
Jon Huntsman, Jr.
Jon Meade Huntsman, Jr. is an American politician and diplomat who served as the 16th Governor of Utah. He also served in the administrations of four United States presidents and is a candidate for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination.Huntsman worked as a White House staff assistant for...
and the two made a pact that they would at one point in their careers seek elected offices for their respective states. Both have fulfilled such promises.
In 2006, Alley was named as the Chairman of the Oregon Business Plan. He was tasked with the responsibility to help to shape public policy in Oregon that would ensure economic growth.
After stepping down as CEO of Pixelworks Inc. in 2007, Alley was hired to serve as a deputy chief of staff for Democratic Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski
Ted Kulongoski
Theodore R. "Ted" Kulongoski is an American politician, who served as the 36th Governor of Oregon. A Democrat, he has served in both houses of the Oregon Legislative Assembly, as the state Insurance Commissioner, the Attorney General, and an Associate Justice on the Oregon Supreme Court.-Early...
. Included in Alley’s policy portfolio was economic development, technology, transportation, workforce training and energy.
Political campaigns
In May 2008, Alley won the Republican primaryOregon Republican primary, 2008
The 2008 Oregon Republican primary was a mail only primary in the U.S. state of Oregon. Ballots were mailed to registered Republican voters between May 2 and May 6, 2008. To be counted, all ballots must have been received by county elections offices by 8:00 p.m. PDT on May 20, 2008...
for Oregon State Treasurer. Alley lost to Democrat Ben Westlund
Ben Westlund
Ben Westlund was a politician in the U.S. state of Oregon. A Democrat, he was elected State Treasurer in 2008. Previously, Westlund served in both houses of the Oregon Legislative Assembly, as a Republican from 1996 to 2006, as an independent from 2006 to 2007, and then as a Democrat...
51% to 45% in the general election
Oregon state elections, 2008
On November 4, 2008, the US state of Oregon held statewide general elections for three statewide offices , both houses of the Oregon Legislative Assembly, and twelve state ballot measures. The primary elections were held on May 20, 2008...
.
In 2009, Alley announced his candidacy for Governor of Oregon in 2010
Oregon gubernatorial election, 2010
The Oregon gubernatorial election of 2010 was held on Tuesday, to elect the Governor of Oregon, who will serve a four-year term to begin on . The incumbent governor, Democrat Ted Kulongoski, was ineligible to run due to term limits barring him from being elected to more than two consecutive...
. He lost in the May 2010 Republican primary to wealth strategist and former NBA player Chris Dudley
Chris Dudley
Christen Guilford "Chris" Dudley is a retired American basketball player who played 16 years and 886 games in the NBA for five different teams. A journeyman center, he was known primarily for his defensive skill as a rebounder and shot blocker...
.
On January 3, 2011, Alley announced his candidacy for Oregon Republican Party
Oregon Republican Party
The Oregon Republican Party is the state affiliate of the United States Republican Party in Oregon, headquartered in Lake Oswego. The first state party convention was held in Salem on April 21, 1859, and its first nominee for Congress, Portland attorney David Logan...
Chairman. His announcement came only hours after current chair Bob Tiernan
Bob Tiernan
Bob Tiernan is an American politician who served in the Oregon House of Representatives, representing Oregon's 24th district, which included most of Lake Oswego and portions of southwestern Portland...
announced he wouldn’t seek another term. Alley was first encouraged by Republican State Representative Greg Smith
Greg Smith (Oregon politician)
Greg V. Smith is an American politician in the US state of Oregon. He is a member of the Oregon House of Representatives, serving District 57. He resides in Heppner with his wife Sherri and their five kids.- Educational background :...
to run for the position and soon after gained support from numerous other Republican politicians and party leaders including U.S. Congressmen Greg Walden
Greg Walden
Gregory Paul Walden is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1999. He is a member of the Republican Party.The district covers more than two-thirds of the state . He is the son of Paul E...
. Alley ran unopposed and on January 22, 2011 he was unanimously elected to the position.
Personal
Alley and his wife of 28 years, Debbie, have three children. They reside in Lake Oswego, OregonLake Oswego, Oregon
Lake Oswego is a city located primarily in Clackamas County in the U.S. state of Oregon. Small portions of the city are also located in neighboring Multnomah and Washington counties. Located south of Portland surrounding the Oswego Lake, the town was founded in 1847 and incorporated as Oswego in...
.