Posted on 12/22/2004 9:06:25 AM PST by GeneralHavoc
Bill Scranton, Jeff Piccola, Lynn Swann, Marybeth Buchanan, and Jerry McCawley can sleep easy tonight.
GrassrootsPA has exclusively learned that another GOP Gubernatorial hopeful has decided that things are crowded enough without him.
Pittsburgh's Glen Meakem, highly successful co-founder and former chief executive officer of FreeMarkets OnLine and founder of Chamberlain Investments, has decided against a 2006 Gubernatorial run.
"Clearly the Swann thing sucked up all the energy from anyone else," said a source close to Meakem, who contends that Swann's presence in the race, timing, and other factors ultimately led to his decision. A 2010 run, however, is certainly not out of the question.
If he had chosen to enter the race, 40-year-old Meakem would almost undoubtedly have been considered a viable statewide candidate. "What's the worst you can say about him, he started a fortune 500 company?" asked the Meakem insider. "There's no question he would have been a viable statewide candidate. He's got executive experience, access to unlimited money, and a great personable story." Meakem founded FreeMarkets Online in 1995 and Chamberlain Investments in 2002.
Last year FreeMarkers merged with Sunnyvale, California-based Ariba Inc. in a deal valued at nearly a half-billion dollars. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that Meakem made about $300 million in cash and stock on the merger, and has been keeping a low profile since his Semptember Ariba departure.
In 2002 the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette named Meakem one of their "Top Fifty Defining Success," writing: "The day Internet auctioneer FreeMarkets Inc. began trading its stock, making Glen Meakem a paper billionaire, someone asked the young executive if he ever imagined his company would be this successful," with Meakem replying "I always knew it would happen this way."
"[B]etween 1998 and 2001 the company increased its revenues from $8 million to $155 million, although the company's revenue generation has lost steam the past two years. It had 2003 revenue of $151 million," added the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
In a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article from a few years ago, Republican Meakem described himself as "rather conservative." In a Business Week cover story, Meakem remarked that when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1990, he, then a U.S. Army Reserve engineer, asked to be sent to the Persian Gulf war.
The Meakem insider, who calls him a "true conservative" and "very smart," also confirmed a recent report that Marybeth Buchanan is eyeing a possible Gubernatorial Run. "She's been considering it for a long time," he said. "I think the Santorum people have gravitated to her because they need a candidate."
As for whether Swann will really run for Governor, "Let's wait until March."
Note: Some articles on Glen Meakem: Business Week: Glen Meakem Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: PG Benchmarks Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Former FreeMarkets chairman invests in College Prowler Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Top 50 Defining Success Pittsburgh Tribune Review: Free to pursue new markets, new goals
He's like the Donald Trump of his industry. Check out how much he is worth...
Bump.
Glad you like it Badray ;)
Very interesting. Sounds like Lynn Swann is our man for 2006---unless a certain Mr. Toomey joins the race.
Who is the Ms. Buchanan they mentioned at the end?
Unless one of these people stands up and says "I will sign the death warrant authorizing the execution of Mumia Abu Jamal", the PA Republican party will remain hopeless.
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