Tom Ridge is a politician who is known for his dedication and high moral standards. Before the 9/11 attacks, he was elected twice as Governor of Pennsylvania. From 1995 to 2001, he was governor of Pennsylvania. During that time, the state’s economy and infrastructure grew quickly, which helped it do well. After the terrible events of September 11, 2001, Tom Ridge became the first Assistant to the President for Homeland Security. Even though Ridge was seen as a successful and well-liked politician in the 2000s, his start in politics wasn’t anything to write home about. He got off to a rough start, but he stuck with it and eventually became a good politician. As a child, he had an ear infection that made it hard for him to hear out of one ear. But this didn’t stop the young boy from becoming a smart student who did well in both school and sports. He joined the army, but a health problem cut short his career just as it was getting going. He didn’t let the problems he faced in life stop him from becoming a lawyer and running a successful business. He finally decided to go into politics, where, again, his hard work and determination helped him succeed. He is also a successful businessman who runs Ridge Global as CEO.
Early years and childhood
He was born in Pennsylvania on August 26, 1945, as the oldest of three children to parents from a working-class family. Thomas Regis Ridge, his father, served in the Navy and worked as a traveling salesman. He had trouble hearing better in one ear.
He went to both St. Andrews Elementary School and Cathedral Preparatory School. He was a good student who did well in both schoolwork and sports.
He was given money to go to Harvard College. He came from a middle-class family and worked in construction to make a living. In 1967, he got his diploma with high marks.
He wanted to learn about the law, so he went to Dickinson School of Law. After a year, he was called up by the US Army. During his service, he won a number of medals.
He had to leave the army because his appendix burst. He then went to law school and got his Juris Doctor degree, graduating in 1972.
Tom Ridge’s Career
In 1972, he started his career as a lawyer by opening a private practice. In 1980, he became the Assistant District Attorney in Erie County, Pennsylvania.
In 1982, he ran for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives that was open for the District. In a surprise win for the GOP, he beat Democratic Senator Anthony Andrezeski.
He was re-elected six times, which made him a strong politician. He ran for Governor in 1994 because he wanted to get ahead. He won and became Governor in 1995.
He was re-elected with 57 percent of the vote in 1998. During his time as president, he worked to improve law and order and set up an emergency fund in case of a future disaster.
He was in favor of putting students who cause trouble in their own schools and wanted Pennsylvania to get public charter schools. He helped make the Link-to-Learn program to make sure that technology is used well to help education.
After the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, George W. Bush, who was president at the time, set up the Office of Homeland Security and made Ridge its head. He quit his job as governor to take this one.
Ridge had to come up with a national plan that would make the United States safer from terror attacks in the future.
The Homeland Security Act of 2002 was passed, and Ridge became the first Secretary of Homeland Security. It was a job that required a lot of planning and coordinating between different departments to make the country more resistant to terrorist attacks.
After being involved in politics for a long time, Ridge quit his job in 2004 because he wanted to spend more time with his family and do other things.
He started Ridge Global, an advisory firm in Washington, D.C., that works in risk management, security and infrastructure protection, emergency preparedness, and other related fields.
Mark Campbell and Mark Holman, two former Chiefs of Staff, used his name in 2010 to start a lobbying firm called Ridge Policy Group.
He is also on the boards of directors for Home Depot and The Hershey Company. He works for the auditing firm Deloitte as a senior advisor.
His Major Works
Ridge was Governor of Pennsylvania from 1995 to 2001. During that time, he worked to improve law and order, encourage competition among electric utilities, set up a fund to help the state deal with a recession, and support insurance programs.
Awards & Achievements
The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars gave him the Woodrow Wilson Award as a way to honor him.
Ridge was a big part of getting money for the Tom Ridge Environmental Center in Pennsylvania. The center is named after him.
Personal History and Legacies
He got married to Michele in 1979, and they now have two kids together. His wife used to run the Erie County Library System when she was in charge.
Estimated Net worth
Tom is one of the wealthiest politicians and is on the list of the most popular ones. Based on what we found on Wikipedia, Forbes, and Business Insider, Tom Ridge has a net worth of about $1.5 million.