Ronald Keith "Ron" Machtley (born July 13, 1948) was a 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...

 member of the United States House of Representatives

United States House of Representatives

The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...

 from Rhode Island

Rhode Island

The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...

 from 1989 to 1995. Since 1996, Machtley has served as president of Bryant University

Bryant University

Bryant University is a private university located in Smithfield, Rhode Island, U.S., that grants the degrees of bachelor of arts, bachelor of science, and master's degrees in business, taxation and accounting. Until August 2004, it was known as Bryant College...

 in Smithfield, Rhode Island

Smithfield, Rhode Island

Smithfield is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. It includes the historic villages of Esmond, Georgiaville, Mountaindale, Hanton City, Stillwater and Greenville...

.

Machtley was born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania

Johnstown, Pennsylvania

Johnstown is a city in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States, west-southwest of Altoona, Pennsylvania and east of Pittsburgh. The population was 20,978 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Cambria County...

 and attended public schools. He received a B.S. from the United States Naval Academy

United States Naval Academy

The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...

 in 1970, serving in the United States Navy from 1970 to 1975 and the United States Naval Reserve from 1975 to 1995. Machtley received a Juris Doctor

Juris Doctor

Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...

 from Suffolk University Law School

Suffolk University Law School

Suffolk University Law School, also known as Suffolk Law School or SULS, is one of the professional graduate schools of Suffolk University. Suffolk University Law School is a private, non-sectarian, law school located in downtown Boston, Massachusetts. Suffolk University Law School was founded in...

 in Boston, Massachusetts in 1978 and was admitted to the Rhode Island bar in the same year.

Machtley ran for Congress as a 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...

 in the 1st District and defeated 28-year incumbent Democrat

Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...

 Fernand St. Germain

Fernand St. Germain

Fernand Joseph St. Germain is a former U.S. Representative from Rhode Island.Born in Blackstone, Massachusetts, St. Germain attended parochial schools in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. He graduated from Our Lady of Providence Seminary High School, 1945, and from Providence College, 1948...

 in a considerable upset. He was reelected two more times, and was very popular even as Rhode Island was trending more and more Democratic. In 1992, for instance, he was reelected with a staggering 70 percent of the vote even as Bill Clinton

Bill Clinton

William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...

 easily carried the state. He was a moderate Republican in the mold of John Chafee

John Chafee

John Lester Hubbard Chafee was an American politician. He served as an officer in the United States Marine Corps, as the 66th Governor of Rhode Island, as the Secretary of the Navy, and as a United States Senator.-Early life and family:...

.

Machtley gave up his seat to run for Governor of Rhode Island in 1994. He was the heavy favorite in the Republican primary, but was soundly defeated by Lincoln Almond

Lincoln Almond

Lincoln Carter Almond is an American attorney, politician and member of the Republican Party. Almond served as United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island from 1969–1978 and 1981–1993 and latter the 72nd Governor of Rhode Island, serving from 1995 to 2003.- Early life, education and...

, who went on to victory in November. To date, he is the last Republican elected to the House from Rhode Island.

Machtley was named president of Bryant in 1996, and shepherded it through its transition to university status in 2004. He currently makes upwards of $700,000 annually.

He is also an avid golfer and squash player. He is a member of Newport Country Club.