John Rakolta
Encyclopedia
John Rakolta Jr. is the CEO of Walbridge (formely known as Walbridge Aldinger). He was also one of the National Finance Chairs for Mitt Romney
's 2008 Presidential Campaign. Rakolta's wife Terry Rakolta
is the sister of Mitt's former sister-in-law Ronna Romney
.
He was offered the opportunity to be part of a consortium of five Detroit-area businessmen to provide a loan to Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick
to convince him to resign so that the scandals he had created would end, but Rakolta declined before it actually happened, so the other four went on with it alone.
Rakolta received his bachelors degree in civil engineering from Marquette University
in 1970 and then studied smaller company management at the Harvard Business School
.
All four Rakolta's grandparents were immigrants from Romania
. He is the Honorary-Consul General for Romania in Detroit.
Rakolta's father, John Rakolta, Sr. (1923–2003), was the head of Walbridge Aldinger before Rakolta. Rakolta Jr. began his career at Walbridge in 1971, became COO in 1978 and CEO in 1991. Rakolta is also on the board of the Munder Funds since 1993.
Besides his work for the Romney campaign in 2008, Rakolta was a major fundraiser for the Bush campaign in 2004. Most recently he was State Finance Chair for Gov. Rick Snyder of Michigan.
Rakolta has also served as the chairman of New Detroit from 2003 to 2010.
Rakolta's daughter Lauren Rakolta was also a major figure in Mitt Romney's campaign and previously had worked for Mitt Romney when he was governor of Massachusetts. She is currently the finance director for Rick Snyder's campaign to be governor of Michigan.
Mitt Romney
Willard Mitt Romney is an American businessman and politician. He was the 70th Governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 and is a candidate for the 2012 Republican Party presidential nomination.The son of George W...
's 2008 Presidential Campaign. Rakolta's wife Terry Rakolta
Terry Rakolta
Terry Rakolta led a boycott against the Fox Broadcasting Company sitcom Married... with Children.A Mother Is Heard as Sponsors Abandon a TV Hit New York Times Born Terry Lynn Stern, she is the sister of Ronna Romney, former daughter-in-law of former Michigan governor George Romney. Rakolta's...
is the sister of Mitt's former sister-in-law Ronna Romney
Ronna Romney
Ronna Romney née Ronna Eileen Stern, is a Michigan Republican politician and radio talk show host.-Biography:She has twice been a candidate for U.S. Senator...
.
He was offered the opportunity to be part of a consortium of five Detroit-area businessmen to provide a loan to Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick
Kwame Kilpatrick
Kwame Malik Kilpatrick is a former mayor of Detroit, Michigan. Kilpatrick's mayorship was plagued by numerous scandals and rampant accusations of corruption, with the mayor eventually resigning after being charged with ten felony counts, including perjury and obstruction of justice...
to convince him to resign so that the scandals he had created would end, but Rakolta declined before it actually happened, so the other four went on with it alone.
Rakolta received his bachelors degree in civil engineering from Marquette University
Marquette University
Marquette University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1881, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities...
in 1970 and then studied smaller company management at the Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School is the graduate business school of Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, United States and is widely recognized as one of the top business schools in the world. The school offers the world's largest full-time MBA program, doctoral programs, and many executive...
.
All four Rakolta's grandparents were immigrants from Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
. He is the Honorary-Consul General for Romania in Detroit.
Rakolta's father, John Rakolta, Sr. (1923–2003), was the head of Walbridge Aldinger before Rakolta. Rakolta Jr. began his career at Walbridge in 1971, became COO in 1978 and CEO in 1991. Rakolta is also on the board of the Munder Funds since 1993.
Besides his work for the Romney campaign in 2008, Rakolta was a major fundraiser for the Bush campaign in 2004. Most recently he was State Finance Chair for Gov. Rick Snyder of Michigan.
Rakolta has also served as the chairman of New Detroit from 2003 to 2010.
Rakolta's daughter Lauren Rakolta was also a major figure in Mitt Romney's campaign and previously had worked for Mitt Romney when he was governor of Massachusetts. She is currently the finance director for Rick Snyder's campaign to be governor of Michigan.