Jim Nicholson (Secretary of Veterans Affairs)

Robert James "Jim" Nicholson ( born February 4, 1938 in Struble, Plymouth County, Iowa) is an American politician. He was in the years 2005 to 2007, the fifth of war veterans minister of the United States.

Life

Nicholson is the Roman Catholic faith. He is married to Suzanne Marie Ferrell and the couple have three children.

Career

Nicholson graduated in 1961 the prestigious United States Military Academy at West Point and served eight years in the Army, including the Vietnam War. He has received several awards, including the Meritorious Service Medal. In 1991 he retired from the military with the rank of Colonel from.

His political career began in 1986 as an official at the Republican Party in Colorado. In the period from 1997 to 2001, he served as Chairman of the Republican National Committee.

Between 2001 and his appointment as war veterans minister, he was the sixth U.S. ambassador to the Holy See ( the Vatican). During George W. Bush's term as U.S. president, he resigned on 26 January 2005, the successor to Anthony Principi and retired on 1 October 2007 again at his own request from the Cabinet. His successor was James Peake.

Prior to his political career, he was a lawyer in Denver, and in 1978 an independent real estate agent ( Nicholson Enterprises, Inc.). Nicholson was awarded the Public Policy Master's degree from Columbia University. He also holds a degree in law at the University of Denver (1972).