Fred Zeidman

Fred S. Zeidman is a Senior Director of Governmental Affairs in the Washington, DC, office of the Greenberg Traurig law firm. He also serves as Chairman of Emerge Capital Corp in Houston, Texas. 

Zeidman, who "sits on JINSA's board of directors and is vice-chair of the Republican Jewish Coalition", "has been active in Republican politics for many years and is chairman of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council." 

"Zeidman's name might be familiar in Houston circles, where he was known as an old and close friend of George Bush. He was a Bush Pioneer in the 2000 presidential campaign and a Bush Ranger in the 2004 election cycle.

"Zeidman has ties to another infamous Texan. In 2003, he accompanied House Majority leader Tom DeLay on his 2003 trip to Israel. The trip made headlines because, while there, DeLay contradicted the President's own policy on Israel, condemning cease fires as 'vacations' for terrorists." 

"Zeidman is the former Chairman of Seitel, Inc. a leading provider of seismic data and related geophysical expertise to the petroleum industry. When he was appointed, the company was trying to burnish its image after restating earnings in the wake of the Enron scandal, and SEC charges against a former CEO for abuse of company funds." 

"In 2004 Fred Zeidman was appointed the Senior Director of Governmental Affairs to the lobbying firm of Greenberg Traurig. Greenberg Traurig was in the headlines recently, after one of its former lobbyists, Jack Abramoff, got in a little trouble over some PAC money." 

Zeidman received his M.B.A. from New York University, 1970, and his B.S.B.A. from Washington University in St. Louis, 1968. He has not been admitted to the bar. 

Zeidman is the father of Jay Zeidman, a former White House liaison to the Jewish community who was "recruited" in January 2007 by presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) "to help with finance and fundraising operations as well as with Jewish outreach." 

Affiliations
According to his Greenberg Traurig profile, Zeidman is:


 * Chairman, U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council, Washington, DC
 * Trustee, Executive Committee, Houston Jewish Community Foundation
 * Vice Chairman, Board of Regents, Texas Southern University
 * State of Texas Chairman, State of Israel Bonds
 * Vice Chairman, Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC)
 * Director and Treasurer, Executive Committee, Texas Inter-Faith Housing Corp.
 * Chairman, Southwest Region, Anti-Defamation League (ADL)
 * Board Development Corporation of Israel
 * Vice President and Director, Jewish Institution for National Security Affairs
 * Director, Executive Committee, Houston Ear Research Foundation
 * Executive Committee, American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC)
 * Lamar High School Business Advisory Board
 * Chancellor Advisor Committee, Texas Christian University
 * Director, Seaside Institute
 * Investment in Discovery Campaign Committee, Baylor College of Medicine