Jack B. Olson
Encyclopedia
Jack B. Olson was an American businessman
, politician
, and Republican
from the U.S. state
of Wisconsin
.
Olson was born in Kilbourn
(now Wisconsin Dells) in Columbia County, Wisconsin
on August 29, 1920, to Jane Zimmerman Olson and Grover Olson. He graduated from Wisconsin Dells High School and attended Western Michigan University
. Olson married Eleanor Lang of Kalamazoo, Michigan
on March 7, 1942; he graduated from Western Michigan University
the same year with a Bachelor of Science
degree
. Olson enlisted in the U.S. Navy
after graduating and became a PT boat
commander, serving in the North Atlantic
during World War II
. Upon returning home Olson owned and operated Dells Boat Tours and Amphibious Duck rides; serving as president of his family's boat company. He was active in the tourism industry, promoting Wisconsin Dells as a resort town
.
Olson was a Wisconsin delegate to the 1960
, 1964
, and 1968
National Republican Conventions, and served as state chairman for the presidential campaign of Richard Nixon
. During this time he was also the director of the economic development project for the University of Hawaii
. Olson served three terms as Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin
, from 1963 to 1965 and from 1967 to 1971. Olson was the director and official representative on the first Trade Mission to Europe and Vice Chairman of Wisconsin's Outdoor Resources Action Program 200 program.
Olson unsuccessfully ran as the Republican nominee for governor of Wisconsin
in 1970. He was the United States Ambassador to the Bahamas
from 1976 to 1977. A delegate to the 1964 Republican National Convention
s, he unsuccessfully ran for governor of Wisconsin
in 1970. Nixon appointed him to the Air Quality Advisory Board; Gerald Ford
later appointed United States Ambassador to the Bahamas
(1976–1977) and to the Citizens' Committee on Environmental Quality and the Committee for Economic Co-operation and Development meeting .
Olson won Western Michigan University's Distinguished Alumni Award in 1966. He is a past president of the Wisconsin Vacationland Council.
He died at age 82 on July 3, 2003 at his home following a long illness.
Economy of the United States
The economy of the United States is the world's largest national economy. Its nominal GDP was estimated to be nearly $14.5 trillion in 2010, approximately a quarter of nominal global GDP. The European Union has a larger collective economy, but is not a single nation...
, politician
Politics of the United States
The United States is a federal constitutional republic, in which the President of the United States , Congress, and judiciary share powers reserved to the national government, and the federal government shares sovereignty with the state governments.The executive branch is headed by the President...
, and 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...
from the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
.
Olson was born in Kilbourn
Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin
Wisconsin Dells is a city in south-central Wisconsin, with a population of 2,418 as of the 2000 census. It straddles four counties: Adams, Columbia, Juneau, and Sauk. The city takes its name from the dells of the Wisconsin River, a scenic, glacially formed gorge that features striking sandstone...
(now Wisconsin Dells) in Columbia County, Wisconsin
Columbia County, Wisconsin
-Unincorporated communities:*Anacker*Belle Fountain*Durwards Glen*East Friesland*Harmony Grove*Ingle*Keyeser*Lake Wisconsin*Leeds*Lowville*Marcellon*North Leeds*Okee*Otsego-External links:***...
on August 29, 1920, to Jane Zimmerman Olson and Grover Olson. He graduated from Wisconsin Dells High School and attended Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University is a public university located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1903 by Dwight B. Waldo, and as of the Fall 2010 semester, its enrollment is 25,045....
. Olson married Eleanor Lang of Kalamazoo, Michigan
Kalamazoo, Michigan
The area on which the modern city stands was once home to Native Americans of the Hopewell culture, who migrated into the area sometime before the first millennium. Evidence of their early residency remains in the form of a small mound in downtown's Bronson Park. The Hopewell civilization began to...
on March 7, 1942; he graduated from Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University is a public university located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1903 by Dwight B. Waldo, and as of the Fall 2010 semester, its enrollment is 25,045....
the same year with a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
. Olson enlisted in the U.S. Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
after graduating and became a PT boat
PT boat
PT Boats were a variety of motor torpedo boat , a small, fast vessel used by the United States Navy in World War II to attack larger surface ships. The PT boat squadrons were nicknamed "the mosquito fleet". The Japanese called them "Devil Boats".The original pre–World War I torpedo boats were...
commander, serving in the North Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Upon returning home Olson owned and operated Dells Boat Tours and Amphibious Duck rides; serving as president of his family's boat company. He was active in the tourism industry, promoting Wisconsin Dells as a resort town
Resort
A resort is a place used for relaxation or recreation, attracting visitors for holidays or vacations. Resorts are places, towns or sometimes commercial establishment operated by a single company....
.
Olson was a Wisconsin delegate to the 1960
1960 Republican National Convention
The 1960 National Convention of the Republican Party of the United States was held in Chicago, Illinois, from July 25 to July 28, 1960, at the International Amphitheatre....
, 1964
1964 Republican National Convention
The 1964 National Convention of the Republican Party of the United States took place in the Cow Palace, San Francisco, California, on July 13 to July 16, 1964. Before 1964, there had only been one national Republican convention on the West Coast...
, and 1968
1968 Republican National Convention
The 1968 National Convention of the Republican Party of the United States was held in at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, Dade County, Florida, from August 5 to August 8, 1968....
National Republican Conventions, and served as state chairman for the presidential campaign of Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
. During this time he was also the director of the economic development project for the University of Hawaii
University of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
. Olson served three terms as Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin
Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin
The Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin is the first person in the order of succession of Wisconsin's executive branch, thus serving as governor in the event of the death, resignation, removal, impeachment, absence from the state, or incapacity due to illness of the Governor of Wisconsin...
, from 1963 to 1965 and from 1967 to 1971. Olson was the director and official representative on the first Trade Mission to Europe and Vice Chairman of Wisconsin's Outdoor Resources Action Program 200 program.
Olson unsuccessfully ran as the Republican nominee for governor of Wisconsin
Governor of Wisconsin
The Governor of Wisconsin is the highest executive authority in the government of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The position was first filled by Nelson Dewey on June 7, 1848, the year Wisconsin became a state...
in 1970. He was the United States Ambassador to the Bahamas
United States Ambassador to the Bahamas
The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Bahamas, usually simply called U.S. Ambassador to the Bahamas, is an official position and title appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the U.S. Senate by majority vote...
from 1976 to 1977. A delegate to the 1964 Republican National Convention
1964 Republican National Convention
The 1964 National Convention of the Republican Party of the United States took place in the Cow Palace, San Francisco, California, on July 13 to July 16, 1964. Before 1964, there had only been one national Republican convention on the West Coast...
s, he unsuccessfully ran for governor of Wisconsin
Governor of Wisconsin
The Governor of Wisconsin is the highest executive authority in the government of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The position was first filled by Nelson Dewey on June 7, 1848, the year Wisconsin became a state...
in 1970. Nixon appointed him to the Air Quality Advisory Board; Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
later appointed United States Ambassador to the Bahamas
United States Ambassador to the Bahamas
The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Bahamas, usually simply called U.S. Ambassador to the Bahamas, is an official position and title appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the U.S. Senate by majority vote...
(1976–1977) and to the Citizens' Committee on Environmental Quality and the Committee for Economic Co-operation and Development meeting .
Olson won Western Michigan University's Distinguished Alumni Award in 1966. He is a past president of the Wisconsin Vacationland Council.
He died at age 82 on July 3, 2003 at his home following a long illness.