Background

• Oct. 4, 1946: Born in North Platte, Nebraska
• Graduated from St. Bonaventure High School in Columbus, Nebraska
• 1966: Graduated from the Brown Institute for Radio and Television
• 1972: Graduated from the University of Nebraska at Omaha
• 1967 – 1968: Served in the United States Army infantry and attained the rank of Sergeant (E-5)

Early Political Career

• 1971 - 1977: Staff member for Congressman John Y. McCollister (R-NE)
• 1977 - 1980: Lobbyist for Firestone Tire & Rubber Company
• 1980: Oranizer for Ronald Reagan's presidential campaign
• 1981 - 1982: deputy administrator of the United States Veterans Administration
• 1982: Resigned from the VA because of a disagreement with VA administrator Robert Nimmo, who wanted to cut VA funding

Business Career

• Co-founded the mobile phone manufacturing company Vanguard Cellular, becoming a multi-millionaire
• 1992 - 1997: Moved back to Nebraska to serve as President of the McCarthy Group, an investment banking firm
• 1992 - 1997: Served as Chairman and CEO of American Information Systems Inc. (AIS), a voting machine manufacturer (now called Election Systems & Software) that is a subsidiary of the McCarthy Group

Professional Positions

• 1997 - Present: Represents Nebraska in the U.S. Senate. Halel unexpectedly beat Ben Nelson, then the sitting governor of Nebraska, in the 1996 election.
  • Current committees:
    
    • Foreign Relations
    • Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs
    • The Select Committee on Intelligence
    • The Committee on Rules and Administration
  • Serves as co-chairman of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China
  • Serves on the NATO Observer Group

Accomplishments

• Medals won in the Vietnam War:
  
  • The Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry
  • The Purple Heart
  • The Army Commendation Medal
  • The Combat Infantryman Badge

Criticism

• Hagel was Chairman and CEO of American Information Systems Inc. in 1996, when he was elected to the Senate. His company provided nearly all the voting machines for the election.

Additional Information

• Hagel announced on Sept. 7, 2007 that he would not run for a third term.

Biography Links