Brian C. Cronin is an American politician, first elected to the Idaho House of Representatives

Idaho House of Representatives

The Idaho House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the Idaho State Legislature. It consists of 70 representatives elected to two-year terms and meets at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise, Idaho.-Composition of the House:...

 in 2008. Cronin represents Idaho's District 19(map), which includes downtown Boise, and the North End, East End, Foothills, Warm Springs Mesa, Foothills and Highlands areas of Boise.

Boise, Idaho

Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...

 In 2010, Cronin was chosen by fellow House Democrats as Minority Caucus Chairman.

Early life and career

Cronin was born in New York, NY and attended elementary and junior high school in Ridgewood, New Jersey

Ridgewood, New Jersey

Ridgewood is a village in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the village population was 24,958. Ridgewood is an affluent suburban bedroom community of New York City, located approximately northwest of Midtown Manhattan.The Village of Ridgewood was...

. In 1986, he moved to Idaho, where he graduated from high school. He earned a bachelor's degree in History at Haverford College

Haverford College

Haverford College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in Haverford, Pennsylvania, United States, a suburb of Philadelphia...

 in 1992. In 1995, he earned an Ed.M in Teaching and Curriculum from Harvard University

Harvard University

Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...

. In between college and graduate school, Cronin worked in Ecuador as a WorldTeach

WorldTeach

WorldTeach is a non-governmental organization that provides opportunities for individuals to make a meaningful contribution to international education by living and working as volunteer teachers in developing countries. Founded in 1986 by a group of Harvard University students, WorldTeach places...

 volunteer, teaching English at the Universidad Tecnica de Manabi.

After returning to the U.S., Cronin taught history at Scarsdale High School

Scarsdale High School

Scarsdale High School is a public high school in Scarsdale, New York, a coterminous town and village in Westchester County, New York. The school was founded in 1917...

 in Scarsdale, New York

Scarsdale, New York

Scarsdale is a coterminous town and village in Westchester County, New York, United States, in the northern suburbs of New York City. 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 villages...

. He then served as communications director for Junior Chamber International

Junior Chamber International

Junior Chamber International is the only worldwide non-political and non-sectarian youth service organization. It is an international community of citizens between the ages of to with the aim and purpose of creating positive changes in the world...

 in Miami before returning to Idaho in 1998. Cronin worked in a variety of marketing/communication roles for Hewlett-Packard

Hewlett-Packard

Hewlett-Packard Company or HP is an American multinational information technology corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, California, USA that provides products, technologies, softwares, solutions and services to consumers, small- and medium-sized businesses and large enterprises, including...

 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

Jerry Brady

Jerry Michael Brady is an Idaho politician and owns a newspaper that is distributed in southeast Idaho...

, who was defeated by Dirk Kempthorne

Dirk Kempthorne

Dirk Arthur Kempthorne , was the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, who served under President George W. Bush from 2006 to 2009. A Republican, Kempthorne previously served as the 30th Governor and as a U.S. Senator from Idaho...

. The following year, Cronin served as press secretary for State Representative Dave Bieter 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

Nicole LeFavour is an American politician and educator from Idaho, currently serving in the Idaho Senate. Elected to the Senate in 2008, she had previously served four years in the Idaho House of Representatives....

.

In 2008, when Sen. Mike Burkett retired and LeFavour ran for the 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

Pacific Northwest Economic Region

The Pacific Northwest Economic Region includes British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, the Yukon, the Northwest Territories, Alaska, Washington, Idaho, Montana and Oregon. It is designed to improve cooperation and communication between member jurisdictions as well as improve communication between...

 (PNWER) and in partnership with the National Conference of State Legislatures

National Conference of State Legislatures

The National Conference of State Legislatures is a bipartisan non-governmental organization established in 1975 to serve the members and staff of state legislatures of the United States...

 (NCSL) and the U.S Department of Energy, selects energy-minded legislators from both the U.S. and Canada 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's "Students Come First" reform plan. Despite his fierce opposition, Cronin earned praise from Luna and House Education Commmittee Chairman Bob Nonini in an Idaho Statesman

Idaho Statesman

The Idaho Statesman is a U.S. daily newspaper serving the Boise, Idaho metropolitan area. The paper has a circulation of 61,000 daily, 83,038 Sunday, and employs about 300 people. It is owned by The McClatchy Company....

 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

Aspen Institute

The Aspen Institute is an international nonprofit organization founded in 1950 as the Aspen Institute of Humanistic Studies. The organization is dedicated to "fostering enlightened leadership, the appreciation of timeless ideas and values, and open-minded dialogue on contemporary issues." The...

. 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.

Committee Assignments

• Education Committee
• Business Committee
• Environment/Energy/Technology Committee
• House Ways & Means Committee
• Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs
• Information Technology Resource Management Council
• Interim Energy Committee

Awards

• Selected for New Deal Leaders, invited to the White House, 2011
• “Idaho Statesman of the Year,” by Pi Sigma Alpha national political honor society, Idaho State University
  Idaho State University
  Idaho State University is a public university located in Pocatello, Idaho. It has outreach programs in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho Falls, Boise, and Twin Falls....
  
  
• Idaho Business Review’s “Accomplished Under 40,” 2008
• A+ Friend of Education Award, Idaho Education Association
• Food Producers of Idaho “Ag All-Star”
• MVP Award, Idaho Public Employees Association

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

External links

• Campaign web site
• House Membership, State of Idaho Legislature