Howard Mills III
Encyclopedia
Howard D. Mills III is an insurance
consultant and former politician from Goshen, New York
. He served as New York's Superintendent of Insurance
from 2005 to 2007, and previously held elective office in both the New York State Assembly
and the Town of Wallkill
.
In 2004, he ran against Senator Charles Schumer
of New York for the United States Senate but lost by the biggest margin of victory in state history.
in 1969. The site was moved to adjacent Sullivan County when local residents objected to holding the festival in the Town of Wallkill.
Mills graduated from Pine Bush High School
. He attended Marist College
in Poughkeepsie, New York
, graduating in 1986 with a degree in political science, and from American University
in 1988 with a master's degree in public administration. While studying at American University, Mills was first a student intern and then a full time staff member to Congressman Benjamin A. Gilman
of New York, his own Congressman.
in Newburgh, New York, where he also was an adjunct instructor of geography.
He worked as a business consultant to the telecommunications industry and was the business development and public relations officer for the
Myles Financial Services Group in Florida, New York
, while a member of the Wallkill Town Board.
Mills is a major in the New York Guard
, a state militia organization. In the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Mills was briefly called to active duty and later awarded the New York State Defense of Liberty Medal.
He is married to the former Erin Rice; they have two sons and one daughter.
Town Board. and served two two-year terms, following which he was elected Town supervisor
, a job he held from 1993 until 1998, when he was elected to the New York State Assembly
. As Supervisor, Mills lowered taxes, improved the Town's bond rating, oversaw a landfill closure, three major bridge replacements and a town-wide road improvement program. Mills served for six years in the New York State Assembly after being elected in 1998. He served as the Deputy Minority Leader, sat on the Banking, Housing, Insurance and Ways and Means Committees, and was a member of the Armed Forces Legislative Caucus. He has been described as pro-choice (albeit opposed to "late term abortions"), "pro-Second Amendment", and a "moderate" on social issues.
In 2001, two years after Mills left his post as supervisor, state Attorney General
Eliot Spitzer
sued the town in federal court, accusing the police department of petty corruption, civil liberties violations, and harassment. The town entered into an agreement with the state, dismissed the police chief, agreed to the appointment of an overseer and accepted a lengthy code of conduct laid out by the state. The police chief, James Coscette, had been appointed by Mills and unanimously confirmed by the Town Board.
for the U.S. Senate. He was considered a "sacrificial lamb
" from the outset of the campaign. He was nominated by the State Republican Committee
after its fallout with the conservative front-runner Michael Benjamin
, who had a significant advantage to Mills in both fund raising and campaign volunteers. Mills was denied the nomination of the Conservative Party of New York State over the abortion issue. He faced considerable difficulty raising money and getting name recognition. He raised only $600,000 for the race, while Schumer's campaign amassed over $24 million. In the November election, as anticipated, Mills lost. His was the most lopsided contest for statewide office in New York State history, garnering 24% of the vote to Schumer's 71%. Marilyn O'Grady of the Conservative Party received 4%. Mills lost his own Assembly district,
winning only Hamilton County
, the least-populated and most Republican district in the state. Mills conceded the race minutes after polls closed and before any votes were counted.
George Pataki
as the New York State Superintendent of Insurance
, making him the state's top regulator of that industry. Mills signed landmark settlement agreements with the world’s largest insurer as well as three prominent U.S. insurance brokers, secured auto rate premium reductions, was involved in securing an extension of the federal Terrorism Risk Insurance Act
(TRIA) through the end of 2007, and within the Insurance Department itself, created a Corporate Practices Unit within the agency’s Office of General Counsel.
After a New York Post
article revealed that Mills had maintained his Assembly campaign account and continued raising funds while Insurance Superintendent, using them for purposes such as paying for a luxury car, dining out and purchasing gifts, Governor Pataki publicly chastised Mills' conduct. He served until 2007, when he reentered the private sector and became Chief Advisor, Insurance Industry Group, Deloitte & Touche USA.
Mills was seriously considering entering New York's 19th congressional district election, 2008
, against freshman incumbent John Hall. Although Hall was targeted by National Republican Congressional Committee
, they struggled to find a top tier candidate, and Mills' backers believed that he was up to the task. However, in late 2007, Mills issued a press release stating he was not interested in running for congress.
Insurance
In law and economics, insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the...
consultant and former politician from Goshen, New York
Goshen (town), New York
Goshen is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 12,913 at the 2000 census.The Town of Goshen contains a village also called Goshen, the county seat of Orange County. The town is centrally located in the county....
. He served as New York's Superintendent of Insurance
Insurance commissioner
Insurance commissioner is an executive office in many U.S. states, some in the state cabinet. The office differs state by state:...
from 2005 to 2007, and previously held elective office in both the New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
and the Town of Wallkill
Wallkill, Orange County, New York
Wallkill is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 24,659 at the 2000 census.The Town of Wallkill is centrally located in the county. Interstate 84 crosses New York State Route 17 in the southern part of the town. U.S...
.
In 2004, he ran against Senator Charles Schumer
Charles Schumer
Charles Ellis "Chuck" Schumer is the senior United States Senator from New York and a member of the Democratic Party. First elected in 1998, he defeated three-term Republican incumbent Al D'Amato by a margin of 55%–44%. He was easily re-elected in 2004 by a margin of 71%–24% and in 2010 by a...
of New York for the United States Senate but lost by the biggest margin of victory in state history.
Early life and education
The Mills family were prominent farmers in Orange County for 200 years. Mills' father, Howard Mills, Jr., became a real estate developer who converted most of the farmland into residential and business developments. One large parcel of property owned by the Mills family was the original proposed site of the Woodstock FestivalWoodstock Festival
Woodstock Music & Art Fair was a music festival, billed as "An Aquarian Exposition: 3 Days of Peace & Music". It was held at Max Yasgur's 600-acre dairy farm in the Catskills near the hamlet of White Lake in the town of Bethel, New York, from August 15 to August 18, 1969...
in 1969. The site was moved to adjacent Sullivan County when local residents objected to holding the festival in the Town of Wallkill.
Mills graduated from Pine Bush High School
Pine Bush High School
Pine Bush High School is the central high school for the Pine Bush Central School District, located on NY 302 in the hamlet of Pine Bush, New York. Drawing over 2,000 students from northwestern Orange County and the adjacent portions of Sullivan and Ulster counties.The school no longer offers the...
. He attended Marist College
Marist College
Marist College is a private liberal arts college on the east bank of the Hudson River near Poughkeepsie, New York. The site was established in 1905 by Marist Brothers, and the college was chartered in 1929...
in Poughkeepsie, New York
Poughkeepsie (town), New York
Poughkeepsie is a town in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 42,777 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from the native term, "Uppu-qui-ipis-in," which means "reed-covered hut by the water."...
, graduating in 1986 with a degree in political science, and from American University
American University
American University is a private, Methodist, liberal arts, and research university in Washington, D.C. The university was chartered by an Act of Congress on December 5, 1892 as "The American University", which was approved by President Benjamin Harrison on February 24, 1893...
in 1988 with a master's degree in public administration. While studying at American University, Mills was first a student intern and then a full time staff member to Congressman Benjamin A. Gilman
Benjamin A. Gilman
Benjamin Arthur "Ben" Gilman is a former Republican United States Representative from New York. Born in Poughkeepsie, New York, Gilman graduated from Middletown High School in Middletown, New York in 1941 and received a B.S. from the Wharton School Finance at the University of Pennsylvania in...
of New York, his own Congressman.
Early career
Prior to beginning his political career, Mills served as Director of Development at Mount Saint Mary CollegeMount Saint Mary College
Mount Saint Mary College is a private, co-educational, four-year liberal arts college, located in Newburgh in the mid-Hudson Valley region of New York State...
in Newburgh, New York, where he also was an adjunct instructor of geography.
He worked as a business consultant to the telecommunications industry and was the business development and public relations officer for the
Myles Financial Services Group in Florida, New York
Florida, New York
Florida is the name of some places in the U.S. state of New York:*Florida, Montgomery County, New York, a town*Florida, Orange County, New York, a village...
, while a member of the Wallkill Town Board.
Mills is a major in the New York Guard
New York Guard
The New York Guard is the State Defense Force of New York State. As of June 2008, the New York Guard, a recognized command under the New York State's Military law, has line-item funding in the state budget....
, a state militia organization. In the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Mills was briefly called to active duty and later awarded the New York State Defense of Liberty Medal.
He is married to the former Erin Rice; they have two sons and one daughter.
Early political career
At age 24, Mills won a seat on the WallkillWallkill, Orange County, New York
Wallkill is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 24,659 at the 2000 census.The Town of Wallkill is centrally located in the county. Interstate 84 crosses New York State Route 17 in the southern part of the town. U.S...
Town Board. and served two two-year terms, following which he was elected Town supervisor
Town supervisor
Town Supervisor is an elective legislative position in New York towns. Supervisors sit on the town board, where they preside over town board meetings and vote on all matters with no more legal weight than that of any other board member .Towns may adopt local laws that allow them to provide for an...
, a job he held from 1993 until 1998, when he was elected to the New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
. As Supervisor, Mills lowered taxes, improved the Town's bond rating, oversaw a landfill closure, three major bridge replacements and a town-wide road improvement program. Mills served for six years in the New York State Assembly after being elected in 1998. He served as the Deputy Minority Leader, sat on the Banking, Housing, Insurance and Ways and Means Committees, and was a member of the Armed Forces Legislative Caucus. He has been described as pro-choice (albeit opposed to "late term abortions"), "pro-Second Amendment", and a "moderate" on social issues.
In 2001, two years after Mills left his post as supervisor, state Attorney General
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
Eliot Spitzer
Eliot Spitzer
Eliot Laurence Spitzer is an American lawyer, former Democratic Party politician, and political commentator. He was the co-host of In the Arena, a talk-show and punditry forum broadcast on CNN until CNN cancelled his show in July of 2011...
sued the town in federal court, accusing the police department of petty corruption, civil liberties violations, and harassment. The town entered into an agreement with the state, dismissed the police chief, agreed to the appointment of an overseer and accepted a lengthy code of conduct laid out by the state. The police chief, James Coscette, had been appointed by Mills and unanimously confirmed by the Town Board.
2004 campaign for U.S. Senate
In 2004 he dropped a bid for a fourth Assembly term in order to run against Charles SchumerCharles Schumer
Charles Ellis "Chuck" Schumer is the senior United States Senator from New York and a member of the Democratic Party. First elected in 1998, he defeated three-term Republican incumbent Al D'Amato by a margin of 55%–44%. He was easily re-elected in 2004 by a margin of 71%–24% and in 2010 by a...
for the U.S. Senate. He was considered a "sacrificial lamb
Sacrificial lamb
A sacrificial lamb is a metaphorical reference to a person or animal sacrificed for the common good. The term is derived from the traditions of Abrahamic religion where a lamb is a highly valued possession, but is offered to God as a sacrifice for the forgiveness of Sin.-In politics:In politics, a...
" from the outset of the campaign. He was nominated by the State Republican Committee
New York Republican State Committee
The New York Republican State Committee is the affiliate of the United States Republican Party in New York, headquartered in Albany.-History:...
after its fallout with the conservative front-runner Michael Benjamin
Michael Benjamin Bonheur
Michael Benjamin was born Michael Benjamin Bonheur in New York City, New York, United States. Benjamin works as a private investor focusing on Internet companies...
, who had a significant advantage to Mills in both fund raising and campaign volunteers. Mills was denied the nomination of the Conservative Party of New York State over the abortion issue. He faced considerable difficulty raising money and getting name recognition. He raised only $600,000 for the race, while Schumer's campaign amassed over $24 million. In the November election, as anticipated, Mills lost. His was the most lopsided contest for statewide office in New York State history, garnering 24% of the vote to Schumer's 71%. Marilyn O'Grady of the Conservative Party received 4%. Mills lost his own Assembly district,
winning only Hamilton County
Hamilton County, New York
Hamilton County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is named after Alexander Hamilton, the only member of the New York State delegation who signed the United States Constitution in 1787 and later the first United States Secretary of the Treasury. Its county seat is Lake Pleasant...
, the least-populated and most Republican district in the state. Mills conceded the race minutes after polls closed and before any votes were counted.
New York Superintendent of Insurance
In 2005, Mills was appointed by GovernorGovernor of New York
The Governor of the State of New York is the chief executive of the State of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military and naval forces. The officeholder is afforded the courtesy title of His/Her...
George Pataki
George Pataki
George Elmer Pataki is an American politician who was the 53rd Governor of New York. A member of the Republican Party, Pataki served three consecutive four-year terms from January 1, 1995 until December 31, 2006.- Early life :...
as the New York State Superintendent of Insurance
Insurance commissioner
Insurance commissioner is an executive office in many U.S. states, some in the state cabinet. The office differs state by state:...
, making him the state's top regulator of that industry. Mills signed landmark settlement agreements with the world’s largest insurer as well as three prominent U.S. insurance brokers, secured auto rate premium reductions, was involved in securing an extension of the federal Terrorism Risk Insurance Act
Terrorism Risk Insurance Act
The Terrorism Risk Insurance Act is a United States federal law signed into law by President George W. Bush on November 26, 2002. The Act created a federal "backstop" for insurance claims related to acts of terrorism. The Act is intended as a temporary measure to allow time for the insurance...
(TRIA) through the end of 2007, and within the Insurance Department itself, created a Corporate Practices Unit within the agency’s Office of General Counsel.
After a New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
article revealed that Mills had maintained his Assembly campaign account and continued raising funds while Insurance Superintendent, using them for purposes such as paying for a luxury car, dining out and purchasing gifts, Governor Pataki publicly chastised Mills' conduct. He served until 2007, when he reentered the private sector and became Chief Advisor, Insurance Industry Group, Deloitte & Touche USA.
Mills was seriously considering entering New York's 19th congressional district election, 2008
New York's 19th congressional district election, 2008
The New York 19th congressional district election for the 111th United States Congress was held on November 4, 2008. Freshman incumbent John Hall is the nominee for the Democratic Party...
, against freshman incumbent John Hall. Although Hall was targeted by National Republican Congressional Committee
National Republican Congressional Committee
The National Republican Congressional Committee is the Republican Hill committee which works to elect Republicans to the United States House of Representatives....
, they struggled to find a top tier candidate, and Mills' backers believed that he was up to the task. However, in late 2007, Mills issued a press release stating he was not interested in running for congress.