Betsy Markey

Betsy Markey
Betsy Markey
Democratic Party nominee for; U.S. Representative for Colorado, 4th District
	Election date; November 4, 2008
Opponent	Marilyn Musgrave (R)
Incumbent	Marilyn Musgrave
Personal details
Nationality	American
Political party	Democratic Party
Spouse	Jim Kelly
Residence	Fort Collins, Colorado
Alma mater	University of Florida; American University
Website	www.markeyforcongress.com

Template:Future election candidate

Elizabeth Helen “Betsy” Markey (born April 27, 1956) is a challenger in the 2008 campaign for Colorado's 4th congressional district (map) and member of the Democratic Party. The district includes most of the eastern portion of the state outside the Denver and Colorado Springs metropolitan areas. Markey was elected as Chair of the Larimer County Democratic Party in 2002 and served until January 2005.

Early life and education

Betsy Markey was born the sixth of seven children in a Catholic family. Markey attended college at the University of Florida from 1974 through 1978. Her last semester was completed abroad at a university in Poznan, Poland. After completing a degree in Political Science, Markey worked for a short period of time on the staff of U.S. Senator Durkin (D-NH). She later went on to work for U.S. Congressman Harris (D-VA) as a Caseworker/Legislative Assistant on one of the Congressman’s subcommittees. Markey was hired as a Staff Assistant to the Vice President for Development and Planning at American University in 1981. In the evenings she earned a graduate degree. Markey completed a Masters of Public Administration in 1983 from American University.

Public service

In 1983 Markey was selected as a Presidential Management Fellow, a competitive two-year management program track in the federal government. Markey went on to hold positions in the Treasury Department as budget and program analyst, as human resources specialist, and as staff assistant to the Deputy Commissioner of the Customs Service.

In 1984, during the Reagan Administration, she was recruited by the U.S. Department of State to develop computer security policies for the newly-formed Office of Information Systems Security. Markey served as Director of Computer Security Policy and Training and worked with all bureaus to craft computer security policy. She created the Department’s first comprehensive computer security training program for management, security personnel and support staff globally. For her work, Markey received the State Department’s Meritorious Honor Award. Markey left the Department in 1988 at the GS-14.

Markey was hired as Regional Director of Colorado’s North Central and Eastern Plains for U.S. Senator Ken Salazar in January 2005. She resigned the position in May 2007. Markey announced her decision to run for United States House of Representatives for Colorado’s Fourth Congressional District in June 2007.

Marriage and family life

Betsy Markey married husband Jim Kelly in May 1984. Her first daughter, Katherine, was born in 1986. After giving birth to her second of three children, Erin, in 1987, Markey left the State Department to raise her family. The family moved to their current home in Fort Collins, Colorado in 1995. Markey later gave birth to son James Albert in 1991.

Professional career and small business

After leaving the State Department in 1988, Markey co-founded a software firm, Syscom Services. By 1995, Syscom ranked #99 in the Inc. 500 listing of America’s fastest-growing private companies.

In the mid-1990s, Markey was also the owner of Huckleberry’s, a successful and popular coffee and ice cream shop in Old Town Fort Collins, Colorado. She sold her small business in 2000.

Affiliations

Markey’s past professional affiliations and honors include: Pi Alpha Alpha (the National Honor Society for Public Administrators), National Association of Female Executives, National Association of Women Business Owners, International Network for Women in Enterprise and Trade, Who’s Who in American Women 1988, Who’s Who in Executives 1996/97, and the Colorado Institute for Leadership Training, class of 2002.

Local activism

Markey served as President of the Board of Directors of the Food Bank for Larimer County. She chaired the Food Bank’s capital campaign which raised nearly a million dollars to expand the Food Bank facility and the services they provide. As Chair of the Larimer County Democratic Party she oversaw a large expansion in the role the party played in Northern Colorado. Markey also founded the Larimer County Democratic Business Coalition, a network of small business owners in the community. During that time she also participated in the Local Legislative Affairs Committee (LLAC) for the Fort Collins Chamber of Commerce.

2008 Congressional campaign

In June 2007, Markey filed a statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission, and formally announced her intention to run in Colorado’s Fourth Congressional District. The seat is currently occupied by Republican Representative Marilyn Musgrave. Since her announcement, she has garnered numerous key supporters including many past and present elected officials.

Endorsements

As of April 9, 2008 Betsy Markey has obtained the endorsements of several prominent local and state politicians.

Governor Bill Ritter
Senator Ken Salazar
Representative Diana DeGette
Representative Mark Udall
Representative John Salazar
Representative Ed Perlmutter
State Senator Bob Bacon
Stan Matsunaka, former State Senate President and CD4 candidate
Peggy Reeves, former State Senator
State Representative John Kefalas
Bryan Jameson, former State Representative
Bernie Strom, former State Representative
Pam Shaddock, Greeley City Council Member
ML Johnson, Poudre School District Board Member
John Gascoyne, former Larimer County Democratic Party Chair
Char McDaniel, former Larimer County Democratic Party Chair
Allison Cortner, Executive Director, Southern Colorado Economic Development District

References

External links

Betsy Markey for U.S. Congress official campaign website

Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
Profile at Vote Smart
Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org
Syscom Services official website