David Shafer
Encyclopedia
David J. Shafer is an American politician currently serving in the Georgia State Senate
representing Senate District 48. This suburban district, located north of Atlanta, includes portions of Fulton County
and Gwinnett County. Shafer is a Republican
. He filed paperwork with the Georgia State Ethics Commission in late 2008 to raise funds for a 2010 bid for Lieutenant Governor, but suspended his campaign shortly thereafter and instead qualified for re-election to the State Senate.
. He was educated in DeKalb County Public Schools and graduated from the University of Georgia
with a degree in political science. He was a student leader, serving as president of the Interfraternity Council, the Phi Kappa Psi
Fraternity and the Order of Omega
honor society. He was a member of Order of the Greek Horsemen
and Gridiron Secret Society
. His senior year, Shafer served as an academic intern
in the Washington, D.C. office of United States Senator Sam Nunn
. During his internship, Shafer roomed with future country music
performer Wild Bill Gentry, also a Nunn intern.
in the early 1990s. He resigned to manage the 1994 gubernatorial campaign of Republican businessman Guy Millner
, who narrowly lost the general election to Governor Zell Miller
. Shafer ran for Secretary of State himself in 1996, winning a hotly contested Republican primary in the race to succeed Max Cleland
but losing the general election to Democrat Lewis Massey, who had been appointed to succeed Cleland by Miller. Shafer ran for State Chairman of the Georgia Republican Party
in 2001, placing second in a three way race ultimately won by Christian conservative
activist Ralph Reed
.
special election on February 12, 2002, defeating three other candidates in a race to succeed Senator Billy Ray, who had resigned from the Senate to accept a judicial appointment to the Superior Court. Shafer caucused with the Republican Party. Shafer was re-elected in the 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008 general and 2010 general elections as a Republican.
Shafer served as a floor leader for Governor Sonny Perdue
. He has also served as an officer of the Senate Republican Caucus, first as Treasurer, then as Vice Chairman.
Shafer was an early supporter of Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle
and played a prominent role in his 2006 campaign. He served on Cagle's kitchen cabinet
as a member of the Senate Committee on Assignments from 2007 to 2009. In 2011, when the Senate adopted new Senate Rules transferring the power of the Lieutenant Governor to the Senate Committee on Assignments, Shafer became a member of the Committee again by virtue of being Vice Chairman of the Senate Republican Caucus.
Shafer has served as Chairman of the Gwinnett County Senate Delegation since 2005.
wing of the Republican Party but describes himself as a "fiscal and social conservative." Shafer receives high ratings from traditional conservative and libertarian groups like Americans for Tax Reform
, National Rifle Association
and Republican Liberty Caucus
. He has also been recognized for "environmental leadership" by Georgia Conservation Voters, a "moderate" coalition of environmental organizations.
Shafer has advocated reform of the state's budgeting procedures. He has introduced legislation mandating zero-based budgeting, requiring budgetary surpluses to be returned to the taxpayers and requiring periodic sunset review of certain state agencies. Shafer served as floor leader to Governor Sonny Perdue
but voted against Perdue's proposed 2003 tax increase.
Shafer's legislative voting record is generally considered pro-business. Shafer was recognized as Legislator of the Year by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce
in 2010 for his 99% pro-business voting record. He is also a recipient of the Guardian of Free Enterprise Award from the National Federation of Independent Business
. Shafer has sponsored several major telecommunications bills, encouraging competition and protecting customer privacy. He authored legislation in 2007, dubbed the "Corporate Good Samaritan Act
," which limits the liability of corporations who provide voluntary, uncompensated assistance during times of declared disaster. He introduced legislation in 2009 requiring periodic review of all state licensing boards to determine whether or not they are still needed.
Shafer is also known for his advocacy of "nondestructive stem cell research" involving stem cells derived from sources other than the human embryo. In 2006, he authored legislation creating the Georgia Newborn Umbilical Cord Blood Bank, which passed in 2007 as the "Saving the Cure Act." Shafer was recognized for his work in this area by Georgia Right to Life, which gave him its Pro-Life Hero Award.
He sponsored a resolution that passed in 2007 apologizing for Georgia's eugenics
laws and blaming them on Social Darwinism
. In 2008, he denounced atrocities in the Darfur
region of Sudan as genocide
and introduced legislation preventing Georgia pension funds from investing in companies that sell weapons to the Sudanese government. In 2009, he introduced and won passage of a resolution expressing support for the State of Israel in defense against terror attacks from the Gaza Strip.
Shafer drew national attention in 2008 with a resolution asserting that Georgia's northern border was erroneously surveyed in 1818 and authorizing litigation to recover the disputed area. Shafer's resolution would give Georgia, which is suffering from drought, access and riparian rights to the Tennessee River
.
Shafer is a supporter of the Fair Tax. In 2009, he introduced a resolution urging the United States Congress to adopt the Fair Tax, calling for repeal of Sixteenth Amendment
and expressing the will of the Georgia General Assembly to abolish the state income tax and replace it with a Fair Tax.
In 2010, Shafer saw passage of his zero-based budgeting bill as well as legislation to reform transportation spending, subject state agencies to sunset review and expand Second Amendment rights.
Shafer authored two controversial amendments significantly limiting taxation powers of local government in Fulton County
. In 2005, Shafer attached an amendment to the charter of the City of Sandy Springs which prevented the Mayor and Council from increasing city property taxes above the existing millage rate without a referendum. Similar amendments were subsequently incorporated in the charters of the City of Milton and City of Johns Creek. More controversially, Shafer added language to a related Sandy Springs bill which prohibited counties from collecting taxes in one area of a special services taxing district and spending those taxes in a noncontiguous area. Senator Vincent Fort
denounced the Shafer Amendment as "apartheid," saying it prevented Fulton County from taxing wealthy, predominately white homeowners in North Fulton and spending those taxes providing services to poorer areas of South Fulton. Shafer agreed that the amendment had that effect, saying that each area should pay for its own services, but called the reference to apartheid "erroneous and insulting." Fulton County sued to overturn the Shafer Amendment, but it was upheld both by a Fulton Superior Court judge and the Georgia Supreme Court.
Shafer supported Sonny Perdue
for Governor in 2002 and 2006, endorsing him, contributing to his campaigns and making speeches on his behalf. He also served as one of Perdue's floor leaders in the Senate from 2003 to 2005. However, the two disagreed on budgetary issues. Shafer opposed Perdue's 2003 package of proposed excise and property tax increases, voting against even a scaled back version that only raised tobacco taxes. He also opposed Perdue's 2010 proposed tax on hospital bills, insisting that it be coupled with reductions in income and insurance premium taxes. Also, Shafer introduced zero-based budgeting legislation over Perdue's objections. When Shafer won passage of zero based budgeting in 2010 with Senate Bill 1, Perdue vetoed it. Shafer successfully moved to override
Perdue's veto during the 2011 legislative session.
On April 15, 2009, after Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle announced that a debilitating spinal disease was forcing him to withdraw from the race for Governor and instead seek re-election as Lieutenant Governor, Shafer released a statement wishing Cagle well and suspending his own campaign in order to "reevaluate political options." Shafer defeated Cagle and Johnson in a straw poll held at the Seventh Congressional District Republican Convention on April 18, 2009 and at the State Convention of the Georgia Association of College Republicans held the same day. Shortly thereafter, Shafer announced that he was permanently ending his campaign, subject to Cagle's full medical recovery, and that he would instead seek re-election to the State Senate.
with his family. He serves on the board of directors of the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce and is a former trustee of the Gwinnett County Library System. He is a Presbyterian and a Rotarian.
Georgia Senate
The Georgia State Senate is the upper house of the Georgia General Assembly .-Composition:According to the state constitution of 1983, this body is to be composed of no more than 56 members elected for two-year terms. Current state law provides for 56 members...
representing Senate District 48. This suburban district, located north of Atlanta, includes portions of Fulton County
Fulton County, Georgia
Fulton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. Its county seat is Atlanta, the state capital since 1868 and the principal county of the Atlanta metropolitan area...
and Gwinnett County. Shafer is a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. He filed paperwork with the Georgia State Ethics Commission in late 2008 to raise funds for a 2010 bid for Lieutenant Governor, but suspended his campaign shortly thereafter and instead qualified for re-election to the State Senate.
Early life and education
Shafer was raised in Dunwoody, a suburb of Atlanta in DeKalb CountyDeKalb County, Georgia
DeKalb County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. The population of the county was 691,893 at the 2010 census. Its county seat is the city of Decatur. It is bordered to the west by Fulton County and contains roughly 10% of the city of Atlanta...
. He was educated in DeKalb County Public Schools and graduated from the University of Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
with a degree in political science. He was a student leader, serving as president of the Interfraternity Council, the Phi Kappa Psi
Phi Kappa Psi
Phi Kappa Psi is an American collegiate social fraternity founded at Jefferson College in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania on February 19, 1852. There are over a hundred chapters and colonies at accredited four year colleges and universities throughout the United States. More than 112,000 men have been...
Fraternity and the Order of Omega
Order of Omega
The Order of Omega is an undergraduate Greek society recognizing "fraternity men and women who have attained a high standard of leadership in inter-fraternity activities." It functions as an adjunct to traditional fraternal organizations, rather than a social or professional group in se...
honor society. He was a member of Order of the Greek Horsemen
Order of the Greek Horsemen
Order of the Greek Horsemen is a secret society at the University of Georgia, in Athens, Georgia. Founded in 1955, the organization annually inducts five new members from among the male leaders of the Greek system at the University of Georgia...
and Gridiron Secret Society
Gridiron Secret Society
The Gridiron Secret Society is a secret society based at the University of Georgia, in Athens, Georgia. However, there is much speculation about its international reach...
. His senior year, Shafer served as an academic intern
Intern
Internship is a system of onthejob training for white-collar jobs, similar to an apprenticeship. Interns are usually college or university students, but they can also be high school students or post graduate adults seeking skills for a new career. They may also be as young as middle school or in...
in the Washington, D.C. office of United States Senator Sam Nunn
Sam Nunn
Samuel Augustus Nunn, Jr. is an American lawyer and politician. Currently the co-chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nuclear Threat Initiative , a charitable organization working to reduce the global threats from nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, Nunn served for 24 years as a...
. During his internship, Shafer roomed with future country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
performer Wild Bill Gentry, also a Nunn intern.
Early political career
Shafer served as executive director of the Georgia Republican PartyGeorgia Republican Party
The Georgia Republican Party is one of the two major political parties in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is affiliated with the United States Republican Party .-Current structure:...
in the early 1990s. He resigned to manage the 1994 gubernatorial campaign of Republican businessman Guy Millner
Guy Millner
Guy W. Millner is an American multi-millionaire businessman who ran as a Republican for governor of Georgia in 1994, United States Senator from Georgia in 1996 and Governor of Georgia in 1998, losing all three races....
, who narrowly lost the general election to Governor Zell Miller
Zell Miller
Zell Bryan Miller is an American politician from the US state of Georgia. A Democrat, Miller served as Lieutenant Governor from 1975 to 1991, 79th Governor of Georgia from 1991 to 1999, and as United States Senator from 2000 to 2005....
. Shafer ran for Secretary of State himself in 1996, winning a hotly contested Republican primary in the race to succeed Max Cleland
Max Cleland
Joseph Maxwell Cleland is an American politician from Georgia. Cleland, a Democrat, is a disabled US Army veteran of the Vietnam War, a recipient of the Silver Star and the Bronze Star for valorous action in combat, and a former U.S. Senator...
but losing the general election to Democrat Lewis Massey, who had been appointed to succeed Cleland by Miller. Shafer ran for State Chairman of the Georgia Republican Party
Georgia Republican Party
The Georgia Republican Party is one of the two major political parties in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is affiliated with the United States Republican Party .-Current structure:...
in 2001, placing second in a three way race ultimately won by Christian conservative
Christian right
Christian right is a term used predominantly in the United States to describe "right-wing" Christian political groups that are characterized by their strong support of socially conservative policies...
activist Ralph Reed
Ralph E. Reed, Jr.
Ralph Eugene Reed, Jr., is a conservative American political activist, best known as the first executive director of the Christian Coalition during the early 1990s. He sought the Republican nomination for the office of Lieutenant Governor of Georgia but lost the primary election on July 18, 2006,...
.
Elections
Shafer was first elected to the State Senate in a nonpartisanNonpartisan
In political science, nonpartisan denotes an election, event, organization or person in which there is no formally declared association with a political party affiliation....
special election on February 12, 2002, defeating three other candidates in a race to succeed Senator Billy Ray, who had resigned from the Senate to accept a judicial appointment to the Superior Court. Shafer caucused with the Republican Party. Shafer was re-elected in the 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008 general and 2010 general elections as a Republican.
Leadership Positions
Shafer has held a number of leadership positions. He served as chairman of the Senate Science and Technology Committee from 2003 to 2006 and as chairman of the Senate Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee since 2006. He has served as vice chairman of the Senate Insurance and Labor Committee since 2003. His other current committee assignments include: Senate Finance Committee, Senate Rules Committee, Senate Health and Human Services Committee and Senate Reapportionment and Redistricting Committee.Shafer served as a floor leader for Governor Sonny Perdue
Sonny Perdue
George Ervin "Sonny" Perdue III, was the 81st Governor of Georgia. Upon his inauguration in January 2003, he became the first Republican governor of Georgia since Benjamin F. Conley served during Reconstruction in the 1870s....
. He has also served as an officer of the Senate Republican Caucus, first as Treasurer, then as Vice Chairman.
Shafer was an early supporter of Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle
Casey Cagle
Lowell S. "Casey" Cagle is an American politician currently serving as the 11th Lieutenant Governor of Georgia. He is a member of the Republican Party, a conservative, and a former member of the General Assembly in the U.S. state of Georgia. In 2006, Cagle defeated political activist Ralph...
and played a prominent role in his 2006 campaign. He served on Cagle's kitchen cabinet
Kitchen cabinet
Kitchen cabinets are the built-in furniture installed in many kitchens for storage of food, cooking equipment, and often silverware and dishes for table service. Appliances such as refrigerators, dishwashers, and ovens are often integrated into kitchen cabinetry...
as a member of the Senate Committee on Assignments from 2007 to 2009. In 2011, when the Senate adopted new Senate Rules transferring the power of the Lieutenant Governor to the Senate Committee on Assignments, Shafer became a member of the Committee again by virtue of being Vice Chairman of the Senate Republican Caucus.
Shafer has served as Chairman of the Gwinnett County Senate Delegation since 2005.
Legislative record
Shafer is associated with the libertarianLibertarianism
Libertarianism, in the strictest sense, is the political philosophy that holds individual liberty as the basic moral principle of society. In the broadest sense, it is any political philosophy which approximates this view...
wing of the Republican Party but describes himself as a "fiscal and social conservative." Shafer receives high ratings from traditional conservative and libertarian groups like Americans for Tax Reform
Americans for Tax Reform
Americans for Tax Reform is an advocacy group and taxpayer group whose stated goal is "a system in which taxes are simpler, flatter, more visible, and lower than they are today. The government's power to control one's life derives from its power to tax...
, National Rifle Association
National Rifle Association
The National Rifle Association of America is an American non-profit 501 civil rights organization which advocates for the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection...
and Republican Liberty Caucus
Republican Liberty Caucus
The Republican Liberty Caucus is a political action organization dedicated to promoting the ideals of individual liberty, limited government and free market economics within the Republican Party in the United States. It is part of the libertarian wing of the Republican Party...
. He has also been recognized for "environmental leadership" by Georgia Conservation Voters, a "moderate" coalition of environmental organizations.
Shafer has advocated reform of the state's budgeting procedures. He has introduced legislation mandating zero-based budgeting, requiring budgetary surpluses to be returned to the taxpayers and requiring periodic sunset review of certain state agencies. Shafer served as floor leader to Governor Sonny Perdue
Sonny Perdue
George Ervin "Sonny" Perdue III, was the 81st Governor of Georgia. Upon his inauguration in January 2003, he became the first Republican governor of Georgia since Benjamin F. Conley served during Reconstruction in the 1870s....
but voted against Perdue's proposed 2003 tax increase.
Shafer's legislative voting record is generally considered pro-business. Shafer was recognized as Legislator of the Year by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce
Georgia Chamber of Commerce
The Georgia Chamber of Commerce is a statewide membership organization centered on a mission of pro-business advocacy and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia...
in 2010 for his 99% pro-business voting record. He is also a recipient of the Guardian of Free Enterprise Award from the National Federation of Independent Business
National Federation of Independent Business
The National Federation of Independent Business is a lobbying organization with its headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee and offices in Washington, D.C. USA, and in all 50 state capitals...
. Shafer has sponsored several major telecommunications bills, encouraging competition and protecting customer privacy. He authored legislation in 2007, dubbed the "Corporate Good Samaritan Act
Good Samaritan law
Good Samaritan laws are laws or acts protecting those who choose to serve and tend to others who are injured or ill. They are intended to reduce bystanders' hesitation to assist, for fear of being sued or prosecuted for unintentional injury or wrongful death...
," which limits the liability of corporations who provide voluntary, uncompensated assistance during times of declared disaster. He introduced legislation in 2009 requiring periodic review of all state licensing boards to determine whether or not they are still needed.
Shafer is also known for his advocacy of "nondestructive stem cell research" involving stem cells derived from sources other than the human embryo. In 2006, he authored legislation creating the Georgia Newborn Umbilical Cord Blood Bank, which passed in 2007 as the "Saving the Cure Act." Shafer was recognized for his work in this area by Georgia Right to Life, which gave him its Pro-Life Hero Award.
He sponsored a resolution that passed in 2007 apologizing for Georgia's eugenics
Eugenics
Eugenics is the "applied science or the bio-social movement which advocates the use of practices aimed at improving the genetic composition of a population", usually referring to human populations. The origins of the concept of eugenics began with certain interpretations of Mendelian inheritance,...
laws and blaming them on Social Darwinism
Social Darwinism
Social Darwinism is a term commonly used for theories of society that emerged in England and the United States in the 1870s, seeking to apply the principles of Darwinian evolution to sociology and politics...
. In 2008, he denounced atrocities in the Darfur
Darfur
Darfur is a region in western Sudan. An independent sultanate for several hundred years, it was incorporated into Sudan by Anglo-Egyptian forces in 1916. The region is divided into three federal states: West Darfur, South Darfur, and North Darfur...
region of Sudan as genocide
Genocide
Genocide is defined as "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group", though what constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars...
and introduced legislation preventing Georgia pension funds from investing in companies that sell weapons to the Sudanese government. In 2009, he introduced and won passage of a resolution expressing support for the State of Israel in defense against terror attacks from the Gaza Strip.
Shafer drew national attention in 2008 with a resolution asserting that Georgia's northern border was erroneously surveyed in 1818 and authorizing litigation to recover the disputed area. Shafer's resolution would give Georgia, which is suffering from drought, access and riparian rights to the Tennessee River
Tennessee River
The Tennessee River is the largest tributary of the Ohio River. It is approximately 652 miles long and is located in the southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. The river was once popularly known as the Cherokee River, among other names...
.
Shafer is a supporter of the Fair Tax. In 2009, he introduced a resolution urging the United States Congress to adopt the Fair Tax, calling for repeal of Sixteenth Amendment
Sixteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution
The Sixteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution allows the Congress to levy an income tax without apportioning it among the states or basing it on Census results...
and expressing the will of the Georgia General Assembly to abolish the state income tax and replace it with a Fair Tax.
In 2010, Shafer saw passage of his zero-based budgeting bill as well as legislation to reform transportation spending, subject state agencies to sunset review and expand Second Amendment rights.
The Shafer Amendments
Shafer authored two controversial amendments significantly limiting taxation powers of local government in Fulton County
Fulton County
Fulton County is the name of eight counties in the United States of America. Most are named for Robert Fulton, inventor of the first practical steamboat:* Fulton County, Arkansas, named after Governor William Savin Fulton...
. In 2005, Shafer attached an amendment to the charter of the City of Sandy Springs which prevented the Mayor and Council from increasing city property taxes above the existing millage rate without a referendum. Similar amendments were subsequently incorporated in the charters of the City of Milton and City of Johns Creek. More controversially, Shafer added language to a related Sandy Springs bill which prohibited counties from collecting taxes in one area of a special services taxing district and spending those taxes in a noncontiguous area. Senator Vincent Fort
Vincent Fort
Vincent D. Fort is a state Senator in the Georgia State Senate, elected since 1996. He represents part of Fulton County for the 39th district...
denounced the Shafer Amendment as "apartheid," saying it prevented Fulton County from taxing wealthy, predominately white homeowners in North Fulton and spending those taxes providing services to poorer areas of South Fulton. Shafer agreed that the amendment had that effect, saying that each area should pay for its own services, but called the reference to apartheid "erroneous and insulting." Fulton County sued to overturn the Shafer Amendment, but it was upheld both by a Fulton Superior Court judge and the Georgia Supreme Court.
Budgetary disagreements with the Perdue Administration
Shafer supported Sonny Perdue
Sonny Perdue
George Ervin "Sonny" Perdue III, was the 81st Governor of Georgia. Upon his inauguration in January 2003, he became the first Republican governor of Georgia since Benjamin F. Conley served during Reconstruction in the 1870s....
for Governor in 2002 and 2006, endorsing him, contributing to his campaigns and making speeches on his behalf. He also served as one of Perdue's floor leaders in the Senate from 2003 to 2005. However, the two disagreed on budgetary issues. Shafer opposed Perdue's 2003 package of proposed excise and property tax increases, voting against even a scaled back version that only raised tobacco taxes. He also opposed Perdue's 2010 proposed tax on hospital bills, insisting that it be coupled with reductions in income and insurance premium taxes. Also, Shafer introduced zero-based budgeting legislation over Perdue's objections. When Shafer won passage of zero based budgeting in 2010 with Senate Bill 1, Perdue vetoed it. Shafer successfully moved to override
Override
Override may refer to:* Override * OverRide * Overriders, an insurance term* Overriding * Manual override, a function where an automated system is placed under manual control...
Perdue's veto during the 2011 legislative session.
Campaign for Lieutenant Governor
In late 2008, Shafer filed paperwork with the Georgia State Ethics Commission authorizing formation of a campaign committee to run for Lieutenant Governor. In early 2009, Shafer announced endorsements from a majority of the Republican members of the Georgia General Assembly and decisively defeated Senator Eric Johnson, who had also announced as a candidate for Lieutenant Governor, in straw polls held at county Republican conventions.On April 15, 2009, after Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle announced that a debilitating spinal disease was forcing him to withdraw from the race for Governor and instead seek re-election as Lieutenant Governor, Shafer released a statement wishing Cagle well and suspending his own campaign in order to "reevaluate political options." Shafer defeated Cagle and Johnson in a straw poll held at the Seventh Congressional District Republican Convention on April 18, 2009 and at the State Convention of the Georgia Association of College Republicans held the same day. Shortly thereafter, Shafer announced that he was permanently ending his campaign, subject to Cagle's full medical recovery, and that he would instead seek re-election to the State Senate.
Personal
Shafer is married and lives in Duluth, GeorgiaDuluth, Georgia
Duluth is a city in Gwinnett County, Georgia and an increasingly more affluent and developed suburb of Atlanta. Unincorporated portions of Forsyth County also have Duluth as a mailing address, though this area is outside city limits...
with his family. He serves on the board of directors of the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce and is a former trustee of the Gwinnett County Library System. He is a Presbyterian and a Rotarian.