Brian C. Cronin (born September 16, 1970) served as Idaho State Representative for District 19's B seat from 2008 to 2012. District 19 includes downtown Boise, the North End, East End, Foothills, Warm Springs Mesa, Foothills and Highlands areas of
Boise
Boise (, , ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho and is the county seat of Ada County. On the Boise River in southwestern Idaho, it is east of the Oregon border and north of the Nevada border. The downtown area' ...
. In 2010, Cronin was chosen by fellow House Democrats as Minority Caucus Chairman.
Early life and career
Cronin was born in New York City and attended elementary and junior high school in
Ridgewood, New Jersey
Ridgewood is a village in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 24,958,Haverford College in 1992. In 1995, he earned an Ed.M in Teaching and Curriculum from
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of high ...
. In between college and graduate school, Cronin worked in
Ecuador
Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ' ...
as a
WorldTeach
WorldTeach was a non-governmental organization that provided opportunities for individuals to live and work as volunteer teachers in developing countries. Approximately 300 volunteers were annually placed in year-long and summer programs, with m ...
volunteer, teaching
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
at the Universidad Técnica de Manabí in
Portoviejo
Portoviejo (), also known as San Gregorio de Portoviejo, is a city in Ecuador, and the capital of the Provinces of Ecuador, Province of Manabí Province, Manabí from the Pacific coast. It is still known as the city of the "Royal Tamarind Trees" ...
.
After returning to the United States, Cronin taught history at
Scarsdale High School
Scarsdale High School (SHS) is a public high school in Scarsdale, New York, United States, a coterminous town and village in Westchester County, New York. It is a part of the Scarsdale Union Free School District.
The school was founded in 1917. ...
in
Scarsdale, New York
Scarsdale is a town and village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The Town of Scarsdale is coextensive with the Village of Scarsdale, but the community has opted to operate solely with a village government, one of several village ...
Miami
Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...
before returning to Idaho in 1998. Cronin worked in a variety of marketing/communication roles for Hewlett-Packard and Wirestone before starting his own consulting firm in 2003.
Personal
In 1996, Cronin married Verónica Franco Lopez. Verónica founded and directs the Garabatos Spanish Preschool in Boise. The couple has twin daughters, Kyra and Alana, born in 2002.
Political career
In 2002, Cronin worked as press secretary for gubernatorial candidate Jerry Brady, who was defeated by
Dirk Kempthorne
Dirk Arthur Kempthorne (born October 29, 1951) is an American politician who served as the 49th United States Secretary of the Interior from 2006 to 2009 under President George W. Bush. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a ...
. The following year, Cronin served as press secretary for State Representative
Dave Bieter
David Harold Bieter (born November 1, 1959) is an American politician and attorney who served as List of mayors of Boise, mayor of Boise, Idaho, Boise from 2004 to 2020. He is the longest-serving mayor in the city's history. According to ''The New ...
in his successful bid for Mayor of Boise. Cronin ran for office in 2004, for the Idaho House seat in District 19 that was vacated by longtime Representative Ken Robison. Cronin placed second in a three-way Democratic primary, losing to
Nicole LeFavour
Nicole LeFavour (born February 8, 1964) is an American politician and educator from Idaho who served as an Idaho State Senator from 2008 to 2012. LeFavour previously served in the Idaho House of Representatives from 2004 to 2008.
Early life, ed ...
.
In 2008, when Senator
Mike Burkett
Michael John Burkett (born January 16, 1967), known professionally as Fat Mike, is an American musician and producer. He is the bassist and lead vocalist for the punk rock band NOFX and the bassist for the punk rock supergroup cover band Me Fi ...
retired and LeFavour ran for his Senate seat, Cronin ran again for state representative in District 19, defeating Republican Kevin McGowan. He was re-elected to a second term in 2010, defeating Republican John Magnan. In late 2010, House Democrats elected Cronin as their Minority Caucus Chairman.
Cronin, who serves on the Environment, Energy, & Technology Committee, graduated from the Legislative Energy Horizon Institute in 2010. The Institute, sponsored by the Pacific Northwest Economic Region (PNWER) and in partnership with the
National Conference of State Legislatures
The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), established in 1975, is a "nonpartisan public officials’ association composed of sitting state legislators" from the states, territories and commonwealths of the United States.
Background ...
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
to participate in an 18-month university certificate program in energy policy planning awarded through the University of Idaho.
In the 2011 legislative session, Cronin became known as the leading voice opposing Superintendent
Tom Luna
Thomas Luna (born 1958)Superintendent of Public ...
's "Students Come First" reform plan. Despite his fierce opposition, Cronin earned praise from Luna and House Education Committee Chairman
Bob Nonini
Robert Paul Nonini (born August 7, 1954 in Wallace, Idaho) is an American politician who was a Republican member of the Idaho Senate serving District 3 from 2012 to 2018. He previously served in the Idaho State Representative from 2004 to 2012 r ...
in an ''
Idaho Statesman
The ''Idaho Statesman'' is the daily newspaper of Boise, Idaho, in the western United States. It is owned by The McClatchy Company.
History
The paper was first published as the ''Idaho Tri-Weekly Statesman'' on July 26, 1864, by James S. Reynolds ...
'' profile of Cronin.
Cronin's impassioned debate against the various pieces of legislation that Luna proposed was widely quoted throughout Idaho and around the country.
In the fall of 2011, Cronin was selected as a Rodel Fellow at the Aspen Institute. Each year, the Aspen Institute selects 24 “rising stars” in state or local government from around the nation for a two-year fellowship, designed to foster thoughtful leadership, bi-partisan collaboration, and new approaches to problem solving. Following the 2011 legislative session, Cronin was named an MVP by the Idaho Public Employees Association along with Senator
Dean Cameron
Dean Cameron (born Dean Eikleberry; December 25, 1962) is an American television and film actor and musician. He is known for his role as Francis "Chainsaw" Gremp in the 1987 Mark Harmon comedy '' Summer School''. He also played Dave Marshak i ...
(R-Rupert). In November 2011, Cronin was recognized, together with Senator Denton Darrington (R-Declo), as an "Idaho Statesman of the Year" by the
Pi Sigma Alpha
Pi Sigma Alpha ( or PSA), the National Political Science Honor Society, is the only honor society for college and university students of political and social sciences in the United States. Its purpose is to recognize and promote high academic ...
political science honor society at
Idaho State University
, mottoeng = "The truth will set you free"
, established =
, former_names = Academy of Idaho(1901–1915)Idaho Technical Institute(1915–1927) University of Idaho—Southern Branch(1927–1947)Idaho Stat ...
. And in December 2011, New DEAL Leaders—a group of "pro-growth progressives" headed up by
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
Mark Begich
Mark Peter Begich ( ; born March 30, 1962) is an American politician who served as a United States Senate, United States senator from Alaska from 2009 to 2015. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he previously ser ...
(D-
Alaska
Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S. ...
)--announced that Cronin was one of their honorees.
Cronin did not seek reelection to the Idaho Legislature in 2012. He was succeeded by fellow Democrat Holli High Woodings.
Committee assignments
Cronin's committee assignments include:
*Business Committee
*Education Committee
*Environment/Energy/Technology Committee
*House Ways & Means Committee
*Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs
*Information Technology Resource Management Council
*Interim Energy Committee
Awards
*Idaho Business Review’s “Accomplished Under 40,” 2008
*A+ Friend of Education Award, Idaho Education Association
*Food Producers of Idaho “Ag All-Star”
Community involvement
*Commissioner, Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs
*Delegate, Idaho Human Rights Education Center mission to Jordan, 2009
*Vice President, Leadership Boise, Class of 2005-07
*Board Member, Boise State Public Radio Community Advisory Board
*Board Member, Idaho Human Rights Education Center
*Board Member, Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business Success Center
*Vice Chairman, Ada County Highway District Neighborhood Advisory Committee
*Chairman, Ada County Democrats (2005–2008)
*Volunteer: United Way Community Impact Review Team and Direct Impact Response Team
*Volunteer: Agency for New Americans
*Volunteer: Roosevelt Elementary School
*Member, Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce; Idaho Technology Council
Idaho Legislature
The Idaho Legislature consists of the upper Idaho Senate and the lower Idaho House of Representatives. Idaho is divided into 35 legislative districts, which each elect one senator and two representatives. There are no term limits for either ...