Damien R. Meyer

Governor Jan Brewer appointed Damien R. Meyer to the Citizens Clean Elections Commission to serve a term ending January 31, 2019. Damien R. Meyer is an experienced commercial litigation attorney. Damien has extensive experience in representing both individuals and businesses including banks, contractors, landlords, real estate developers, aviation companies, entrepreneurs, and health care companies in all areas of their business including contractual analysis and disputes, collection and payment disputes, commercial tort liability, provisional remedies and negotiation of pre-litigation disputes to avoid formal litigation. He also has extensive experience in representing clients in formal litigation in Arizona State and Federal courts, the Arizona Court of Appeals, in private arbitrations and before several state administrative agencies.

Mr. Meyer, his wife and two children currently reside in Phoenix.

Mitchell C. Laird

Governor Jan Brewer appointed Mitchell C. Laird in 2012 to succeed former Commissioner Jeffrey L. Fairman whose term expired. Mitch graduated from Grand Canyon University (GCU) in 1972 and received his Juris Doctor degree in 1976 from the Arizona State University College of Law. In 2004 he received an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from his alma mater GCU.

In 1976 Mitch was admitted to the State Bar of Arizona and founded his own law firm now known as Laird & Associates, P.C. Mitch has served as President of the GCU Alumni Association and for 13 years taught business law at GCU. Mitch served for many years as general counsel to GCU and has also served as general counsel to the Arizona Republican Party. He currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of a non-profit organization known as Canyon Institute that supports education and other charitable endeavors.

Mr. Laird was a Burger King franchisee from 1994 until 2015 and owned 31 Burger King restaurants throughout Arizona. Mitch currently serves as Chairman Emeritus of the Board of the National Franchisee Association and has served as President of the Southwest Franchisee Association.

In 2007, Mitch was appointed to serve on the Arizona Ad Hoc Committee for Workplace Enforcement to provide the Arizona legislature with input from the business community on the Legal Arizona Workers Act’s impact on Arizona business owners. In May 2008, at the request of the United States Congress, Mitch testified on Capitol Hill regarding Arizona’s new immigration law and federal immigration reform before the House Ways and Means Committee of the United States Congress.

Mr. Laird and Becki, his wife of 42 years, have three sons, four grandsons and one granddaughter. All three of his sons have served our Country in the U.S. Military and two of them each served two tours in Iraq.

Thomas J. Koester

Corporation Commissioner Paul Newman appointed Thomas Koester, an Independent, to the Citizens Clean Elections Commission for a 5-year terms expiring January 31, 2016. He is filling the seat formerly held by Royann Parker. Commissioner Koester served as Vice President of Morgan Stanley for 38 years. In addition, Mr. Koester served honorably in the United States Air Force, achieving the rank of Captain. Commissioner Koester and his wife, Patricia, currently reside in Tucson. They have three sons.

Timothy J. Reckart

Governor Jan Brewer appointed Timothy Reckart to the Citizens Clean Elections Commission to serve a term ending January 31, 2015. Mr. Reckart is a partner of the law firm of Rusing Lopez & Lizardi, PLLC where his practice focuses on the formation and venture financing of emerging growth companies, intellectual property transactions and commercial corporate matters. He holds a bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering from MIT, a master’s degree in nuclear engineering from the University of California, Berkeley and an MBA and law degree from Stanford University. Mr. Reckart has been married to his wife, Jane, for 29 years and has six children, Angela, Timothy Jr., Daniel, Justin, Madeline and Elizabeth.

Louis Hoffman

Former Attorney General Terry Goddard appointed Louis Hoffman. Commissioner Hoffman earned his undergraduate degree from Princeton University and his law degree from Harvard Law School. Mr. Hoffman moved to Arizona in 1984 and joined the law firm of Brown & Bain. In 1991 Commissioner Hoffman started the law firm of Louis J. Hoffman, P.C. (now the Hoffman Patent Firm) to assist inventors and companies in protecting patents, copyrights, and trademarks. As one of the original drafters of the Citizens Clean Elections Act, Commissioner Hoffman has been at the forefront of campaign finance reform in Arizona. Commissioner Hoffman has been married to his wife, Kathy, for 24 years and has two children, Seth and Ellie. His term will expire on January 31, 2014.

Lori S. Daniels

Secretary of State Jan Brewer appointed former State Senator Lori Daniels for a five year term to expire on January 31, 2013. She is filling the seat formerly held by Marcia Busching. Commissioner Daniels served ten years in the State Legislature, eight in the House of Representatives and two in the Senate. While a member of the House of Representatives, Ms. Daniels served as the House Majority Leader from 1997 to 2000. In addition to her service in the State Legislature, Commissioner Daniels has served in the Ahwatukee, Gilbert and Chandler Chambers of Commerce as well as working with the United Way, Junior Achievement and Soroptimist. She is a resident of Maricopa County. Ms. Daniels resigned from the Commission on January 2, 2013.

Jeffrey L. Fairman

Secretary of State Jan Brewer appointed former State Senator Lori Daniels for a five year term to expire on January 31, 2013. She is filling the seat formerly held by Marcia Busching. Commissioner Daniels served ten years in the State Legislature, eight in the House of Representatives and two in the Senate. While a member of the House of Representatives, Ms. Daniels served as the House Majority Leader from 1997 to 2000. In addition to her service in the State Legislature, Commissioner Daniels has served in the Ahwatukee, Gilbert and Chandler Chambers of Commerce as well as working with the United Way, Junior Achievement and Soroptimist. She is a resident of Maricopa County. Ms. Daniels resigned from the Commission on January 2, 2013.

Royann J. Parker

Secretary of State Jan Brewer appointed Royann Parker to succeed former Commissioner Clark Dierks, who resigned due to health reasons. Mrs. Parker's term will expire January 31, 2011. Mrs. Parker graduated Cum Laude in 1978 with a bachelor's degree in history and secondary education from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix. She was a successful Republican primary candidate in 1982 for the District 20 seat in the Arizona House of Representatives previously held for many years by her mother, Lillian Jordan. During her extensive public service over three decades, Mrs. Parker was executive secretary on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., from 1979 to 1981 for Arizona Congressman Eldon Rudd; served as a chief assistant for a commissioner of the Arizona Corporation Commission; was legislative assistant for a governor of Arizona; a commissioner on Appellate Court appointments for two years; an executive assistant for nine years to the assistant director and director of the Arizona Department of Administration and Arizona Department of Revenue. She also was a commercial bank loan officer for five years. Mrs. Parker's husband, David, is risk manager for Pima County, and she currently spends full time raising their two young daughters, Kathryn and Leann, taking care of her mother, and as a substitute teacher for the past four years at Casas Christian School in Oro Valley.

Gary Scaramazzo

Governor Janet Napolitano appointed Page resident Gary Scaramazzo to the Citizens Clean Elections Commission in 2005 for a term that will expire in 2010. Mr. Scaramazzo received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in History from Northern Arizona University and is a graduate of the Taft Institute of Government. He spent 12 years performing comprehensive community service, including two years as a member of the Page City Council and ten years as Mayor of Page. Mr. Scaramazzo has accumulated over 20 years of experience in public education as a teacher and coach at the high school level. He was a teacher in the Page Unified School District (1975-1995); instructor of Coconino Community College, Page Campus (1992-1996); the Governor’s Northern Arizona Representative (1997-1999); marketing director for Sunrise Airlines (1999 & 2000); volunteer fireman in Page; president of the Arizona League of Cities and Towns; executive board member with the Governor’s Alliance Against Drugs; and a representative on the Governor’s Drug and Gang Policy Council. He is currently president of Scaramazzo & Associates consulting firm (1999-present); president of MarBella Development condo project in Rocky Point, Mexico (2002-present); and consultant, and then general manager, for Antelope Point Marina on Lake Powell (2002-present).

Donald Lindholm

Secretary of State Jan Brewer appointed Donald Lindholm to succeed former Commissioner Carl Kunasek. Commissioner Lindholm is a partner with the law firm of Burch & Cracchiolo, P.A. where he has been since 1985. A graduate of the University of Arizona College of Law, Commissioner Lindholm was admitted to practice law in 1966. He is an avid pilot and has been flying since high school. His term will expire January 31, 2009.

Carl J. Kunasek

Secretary of State Jan Brewer appointed Carl Kunasek to replace former Commissioner Tracey Bardorf. Mr. Kunasek’s term will expire January 31, 2009. Mr. Kunasek was elected to the Arizona House of Representatives in 1972 where he served for 10 years before being elected to the Arizona State Senate in 1983. He served as Senate President from 1987 to 1989. He was appointed by President George Bush to be Commissioner of the Navajo and Hope Relocation Commission from 1990 to 1994. Mr. Kunasek went on to be elected to the Arizona Corporation Commission in 1994 and served through January 2001.

Tracey A. Bardorff

Secretary of State Jan Brewer appointed Scottsdale resident Tracey A. Bardorf to the Citizens Clean Elections Commission in 2004 for a term set to expire in 2009. Ms. Bardorff resigned in 2005. Ms. Bardorf practices business litigation as an Associate for the law firm of Gallagher & Kennedy, P.A. in Phoenix. She earned her J.D., cum laude, in May 2000 from Arizona State University. Honors included Order of the Coif, Order of the Barristers, and Maricopa County Bar Association Student of the Year for 2000. She also served as executive editor of Jurimetrics: The Journal of Law, Science and Technology. Ms. Bardorf received her undergraduate degree, summa cum laude, from Saint Anselm College. She is fluent in Spanish, German and French, and is proficient in Italian. She is a member of the Maricopa County Bar Association and the Federalist Society, and is admitted to the Arizona Supreme Court, the United States District Court for the District of Arizona, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Marcia Busching

Maricopa County resident Marcia J. Busching was appointed by Governor Janet Napolitano to the Citizens Clean Elections Commission in 2003 for a term that will expire in 2008. Ms. Busching received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in business administration and law degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She was a practicing business and real estate lawyer in Arizona from 1977-2004, and listed in Best Lawyers in America for over eighteen years. She is now an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association--on their Commercial, Construction, Master Construction, and Large Complex Case Panels. In addition she owns a real estate development company, which is developing residential lots, and she is active in community affairs.

Ermila Jolley

Governor Jane Hull appointed Yuma resident Ermila Jolley to the Citizens Clean Elections Commission in 2002 for a five-year term that will expire in 2007. She is filled the seat formerly held by Commissioner Carl Lopez, a Tucson resident. Ms. Jolley was appointed to the Yuma County Redistricting Commission in May 2001 and currently serves as president of the Yuma Community Hispanic Forum. Ms. Jolley has also served as Democratic precinct committee person in Yuma County since 1992. She also is the transitional administrator for JOL Enterprises, Inc., an electrical engineering firm recently sold by her husband Al Jolley. The couple also owns a small firm, A-E Electrical Consultants, Inc. Ms. Jolley received her bachelor’s degree from the Northern Arizona University.

Kathleen S. Detrick

Attorney General Janet Napolitano appointed Tucson resident Kathleen Detrick to the Citizens Clean Elections Commission in 2001 for a term that will expire in 2006. Ms. Detrick has served as the City Clerk and Campaign Finance Administrator for the City of Tucson, Arizona since 1991. The City Clerk is a Charter officer appointed by the Mayor and Council for a two-year term of office. The Campaign Finance Administrator serves at the will of the Mayor and Council. Ms. Detrick has been employed by the Tucson City Clerk’s office since 1971. In 1981 Ms. Detrick was appointed Chief Deputy City Clerk and served as the City Elections Director from 1981 until the appointment as City Clerk in 1991. The City of Tucson has the only other public campaign-funding program in the State of Arizona and has been used as a model by other jurisdictions interested in implementing a similar program. Ms. Detrick was a member of the team that developed the Tucson public campaign-funding program and has been part of the administration of the program since its approval by electorate in 1985.

David G. McKay

Governor Jane Dee Hull appointed Flagstaff resident Dave McKay to the Citizens Clean Elections Commission in 2000 for a term that will expire in 2005. Mr. McKay received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Northern Arizona University. He retired after 35 years with the Flagstaff Unified School District, where he served as principal of Thomas Knoles Elementary School (1987-1998); principal of Christensen Elementary School (1982-1987); assistant principal of Christensen and Killip Elementary Schools (1976-1982); title III coordinator for Flagstaff Public Schools (1973-1976); assistant principal for Mt. Elden Elementary School (Killip) (1968-1973); guidance counselor for Flagstaff Elementary Schools (1966-1968); and science teacher for Flagstaff Junior High School (1963-1966).Mr. McKay founded Big Brothers of Flagstaff in 1968 and has served as executive director since. He also has served as a member of the Arizona School Administrators (1982-1997) and currently is a member of the investigative interview committee for the State Dental Board.

Leslie "Gene" Lemon

Governor Jane Dee Hull appointed Phoenix resident Gene Lemon as chairman of the Citizens Clean Elections Commission in 1999 for a term that will expire in 2004. Mr. Lemon received his bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of Illinois. He retired as vice president-administration from VIAD Corp. (formerly Dial Corp. and Greyhound Corp.), where he also spent 27 years (1972-1999) as assistant general counsel and general counsel. From 1964-1969 Mr. Lemon was senior attorney for Armour and Co. From 1964-1969 he served as assistant general counsel to the American Farm Bureau Federation and affiliated companies. Mr. Lemon has served on numerous boards, including board of directors (1992-1997) and chairman of the audit committee (1993-1995) for FINOVA Group Inc.; board of directors (1995-1997) for the Food & Drug Law Institute; board of directors (1989-1995) for the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce; board of directors (1985-1998) and chairman of the board (1993-1995) for the Phoenix Children’s Hospital; board of trustees (1985-1998) and president (1990-1992) for the Phoenix Art Museum; and grand president (1974-1976) and currently legal counsel for Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity. Mr. Lemon currently serves on the board of directors of the American Arbitration Association; the National Conference of Commissioners of Uniform State Laws; and the board of visitors for the University of California-Davis School of Medicine. Mr. Lemon is a member of the American Bar Association; the Association of General Counsel; Arizona State Bar; Maricopa County Bar Association; International Bar Association; Arizona Club; City Square Racquet Club and Paradise Valley Country Club.

Dr. Ruth S. Jones

Attorney General Janet Napolitano appointed Scottsdale resident Ruth Jones to the Citizens Clean Elections Commission in 1999 for a term that will expire in 2003. Dr. Jones holds a bachelor’s degree from Indiana State University and a doctorate in political science from Georgetown University. Dr. Jones has been with Arizona State University since 1981 and currently serves as professor of political science and executive assistant to the university president for university programs. Her extensive teaching and research in fields of election campaign finance, American politics and interest groups are reflected in her many publications, including books, journal articles and papers, as well as national conference presentations. Her research specialty is state-level campaign finance. Dr. Jones has served as chair for the Political Organizations and Parties section of the American Political Science Association and as a steering committee member of the Council on Governmental Ethics Laws (COGEL). Her community work includes service as a board member of Girls Ranch of Arizona and Neighborhood Partners Inc. She has received numerous awards and recognition for her teaching and research activities and has held many leadership roles in regional and national professional associations.

Carl E. Lopez

Secretary of State Betsey Bayless appointed Oro Valley resident Carl Lopez to the Citizens Clean Elections Commission in 1999 for a term that will expire in 2002. Mr. Lopez received a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in educational administration from the University of Arizona. He served as principal and developer of Luz Academy of Tucson charter school (1997-1998); principal of Academia Cotopaxi in Quito, Ecuador (1984-1986); administrator, principal and teacher for the Tucson Unified School District (1953-1983) and in the U.S. Army (1950-1953). Currently, he is retired. Mr. Lopez has a history of volunteering, including a lifelong involvement in the Tucson community. He has been president of the Pima County Sports Hall of Fame since 1995, as well as Arizona state director of training for economic security, investments, telephone fraud and diversities for the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). He was consultant and trainer of trainers in employment and retirement planning for the AARP (1985-1995); co-chairperson for the committee for recruitment, registration and training of volunteers for the National Senior Olympics in Tucson (1997); and a member of the committee for the celebration of the birthday of Tucson, Los Descendientes del Presidio de Tucson (1995).

Claudia Ellquist

Senate Minority Leader Jack Brown appointed Tucson resident Claudia Ellquist to the Citizens Clean Elections Commission in 1999 for a term that will expire in 2001. Ms. Ellquist received her bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of Arizona. She currently is an adjunct professor at Pima Community College, teaching a course in sociology; a member of the education committee for the Coalition of Arizonans to Abolish the Death Penalty (CAADP); state legislative chair for the Christian Women’s Fellowship; board member of Sanctity of Life—People Against Executions (SOLPAE); and an elected elder at the First Christian Church. Ms. Ellquist has served as consultant for the Healthy Arizona Coalition; steering committee representative and state and local board member for the Church Women United; twice was Democratic precinct committeeman; chair of NOW PAC, which was instituted in 1994 to lead the successful recall of Pima County Assessor Alan Lang; and state and local board member for the National Organization for Women.

Jeanine N. Dike

Governor Jane Dee Hull appointed Yavapai County resident Jeanine N. Dike to the Citizens Clean Elections Commission in 1999 for a term that expired in 2000. Ms. Dike was the Superintendent of the Pioneers' Home in Prescott AZ. Ms. Dike’s term expired January 2000.