Roger A. Bodman (born 1952) is an American Republican Party politician and political strategist who served in the cabinet of New Jersey Governor

Thomas Kean Thomas Howard Kean ( ; born April 21, 1935) is an American businessman, academic administrator and politician. A member of the Republican Party, Kean served as the 48th governor of New Jersey from 1982 to 1990. Following his tenure as governor, ...

. Early in his career, Bodman served as district office manager for the late New Jersey Congresswoman Millicent Fenwick and as chief of staff for former New Jersey Congressman James Courter. In 1981, he was selected as manager of Tom Kean's campaign for governor. Following Governor Kean's victory, Bodman was named to two cabinet posts. As the State Commissioner of Labor, he implemented extensive legislative reforms of the unemployment insurance program. Later, as the State Commissioner of Transportation, he was the chief advisor to the governor on transportation matters. He also served as chairman of New Jersey Transit. In 1987, Bodman was appointed by the governor to chair the Study Commission on Regulatory Efficiency, a role that earned him the Alliance for Action's Eagle Award. In 1988, he served as vice chairman of the New Jersey Bush for President committee. A native of Bernardsville, New Jersey, Bodman graduated cum laude from Ohio University in 1974 with a degree in political science. Bodman is also a visiting professor at Rutgers University's Eagleton Institute of Politics.

Career

Bodman grew up in

Bernardsville, New Jersey Bernardsville () is a borough in Somerset County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The borough is nestled in the heart of the Raritan Valley region. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 7,707,

, near where his father worked for AT&T as an engineer. He graduated in 1970 from

Bernardsville High School Bernards High School is a comprehensive four-year regional public high school serving students in ninth through twelfth grades in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. The school is part of the Somerset Hills Regional School District, a ...

. He is a 1974 graduate of

Ohio University Ohio University is a public research university in Athens, Ohio. The first university chartered by an Act of Congress and the first to be chartered in Ohio, the university was chartered in 1787 by the Congress of the Confederation and subsequ ...

. Bodman began his political career as a driver for U.S. Rep.

Millicent Fenwick Millicent Vernon Hammond Fenwick (February 25, 1910 – September 16, 1992) was an American fashion editor, politician and diplomat. A four-term Republican Party (United States), Republican member of the United States House of Representatives fro ...

in her first campaign for Congress in 1974. He later ran Fenwick's District Office. In 1978, Bodman managed the successful campaign of

Jim Courter James Andrew Courter (born October 14, 1941) is an American Republican Party politician, lawyer, and businessman. He represented parts of northwestern New Jersey in the United States House of Representatives from 1979 to 1991. In 1989, he u ...

for Congress against two-term Democratic Rep.

Helen Meyner Helen Day Stevenson Meyner (March 5, 1928 — November 2, 1997), also known as Helen S. Meyner, was an American politician from New Jersey. A Democrat, Meyner served as a U.S. Representative from New Jersey from 1975 to 1979. As the wife of New Je ...

, the wife of former New Jersey Governor

Robert Meyner Robert Baumle Meyner (July 3, 1908 – May 27, 1990) was an American Democratic Party politician and attorney who served as the 44th governor of New Jersey from 1954 to 1962. Before being elected governor, Meyner represented Warren County in ...

. Bodman later became Courter's Chief of Staff. In 1981, Bodman was the campaign manager for

in his winning campaign for Governor of New Jersey. Bodman served in Kean's cabinet, first as the Commissioner of Labor from 1982 to 1985, and then as Commissioner of Transportation from 1985 to 1986. He resigned from the cabinet in 1987 to start a lobbying firm.

References

1952 births Living people New Jersey Republicans Ohio University alumni People from Bernardsville, New Jersey New Jersey Commissioners of Transportation {{NewJersey-politician-stub