Kenneth E. Bentsen

Kenneth E. Bentsen Senior Advisor, Public Strategies, Inc.

"Former U.S. Congressman from Texas's 25th District, Ken Bentsen recently joined Public Strategies, Inc., a public affairs consulting firm as a Senior Advisor working out of the Texas, Washington, D.C. and New York offices.

"From 1995 to 2003, Mr. Bentsen represented the 25th District in Texas in the U.S. House of Representatives serving on the Budget, Financial Services and Small Business Committees. As a senior member of both the House Budget and Financial Services Committees, Mr. Bentsen helped craft the legislation to modernize the nation's banking and securities laws, the U.S. response to the Asian financial crisis and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act which enhanced federal oversight of U.S. capital markets. He was actively involved in the drafting and passage of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, for which he earned the "Budget Hawk Award" from the non-partisan Concord Coalition. He also authored and co-authored many measures related to healthcare, thrift savings plans, international trade and the nation's response to terrorism, particularly with respect to banking and insurance.

"Previously, Mr. Bentsen was an investment banker in Houston and New York, specializing in municipal and housing finance. He was a senior banker on many structured finance, mortgage-backed and general government transactions between 1987 and 1995.

"Mr. Bentsen serves on the Development Board of the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and as a Member of the Board of Directors of the Oncology Nursing Society. He also is a board member for the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation and the Komen Foundation.

"Mr. Bentsen earned a Master's of Public Administration from American University and a Bachelor's of Arts from the University of St. Thomas. Mr. Bentsen is married to the former Tamra Kiehn and they have two daughters, Louise and Meredith."


 * Trustee, Meridian International Center

Records and Controversies
Bentsen voted for the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 that started the Iraq War.