Jim Meffert
Encyclopedia
Jim Meffert is the executive director of the Minnesota Optometric Association and the former president of the Minnesota Parent-Teacher Association
. Meffert lives in Edina
and was the Democratic
nominee for Minnesota's 3rd congressional district
in 2010.
. His father was a teacher and his mother worked at an accounting firm.
After graduating from Marshall Senior High School in 1985, Jim earned his Bachelor of Arts at St. Olaf College
in Northfield, Minnesota. Though he majored in political science, Meffert also played percussion in the St. Olaf Band and Jazz Band. That is where he met his future wife, Karrin, who played clarinet. Karrin and Jim married in 1991. In 1992, they moved to Chicago so Karrin could attend graduate school at Northwestern University
.
In Chicago, Jim worked for the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons on such issues as coverage for reconstruction after mastectomy and cleft lip and palate repair. He also worked to ensure that access to burn care and reconstructive surgery was included in the Clinton Health Plan proposals. Meffert later went on to work at the American Medical Association
.
Meffert and his wife returned to Edina, Minnesota
to raise their three children. Alex, Noah, and Katy all attend Edina public schools. Jim and Karrin served as Co-Presidents of the Parent Teacher Association at their children’s elementary school and Jim then served on the Minnesota State PTA board, where he served as president. Meffert has also chaired the Minnesota Children’s Platform Coalition, a statewide network of child advocacy and related organizations. He is currently serving on the P-20 Partnership for Education and the Steering Committee for the “Rethinking Public Education” project by the Growth & Justice Foundation.
From 1998 to 2010, Jim worked full time as the executive director of the Minnesota Optometric Association.
in Minnesota's 3rd congressional district
. Meffert won the DFL endorsement in April 2010, edging out forensic psychiatrist Maureen Hackett
.
Though Meffert has been unable to afford television advertising, he has gained some name recognition through television attack ads from the Paulsen campaign. Political analyst Dave Schultz said that "Given how little money that Meffert has, you would've thought Paulsen would've just ignored Meffert completely and just run a positive campaign." Meffert responded to the attack, saying "It's the kind of thing that makes people cynical about politics and politicians. When you hide behind a big bank account and you throw up an ad that's designed to tear down your opponent."
Paulsen defeated Meffert by a 59% to 37% margin.
Parent-Teacher Association
In the U.S. a parent-teacher association or Parent-Teacher-Student Association is a formal organization composed of parents, teachers and staff that is intended to facilitate parental participation in a public or private school. Most public and private K-8 schools in the U.S. have a PTA, a...
. Meffert lives in Edina
Edina, Minnesota
Edina is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and a first-ring suburb situated immediately southwest of Minneapolis. Edina began as a small farming and milling community in the 1860s. The population was 47,941 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
and was the Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
nominee for Minnesota's 3rd congressional district
Minnesota's 3rd congressional district
Minnesota's 3rd congressional district is one of the most affluent in the state, encompassing the suburbs of Hennepin County to the north, west, and south of Minneapolis...
in 2010.
Background
Meffert grew up in Marshall, MinnesotaMarshall, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,735 people, 4,914 households, and 2,914 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,537.0 people per square mile . There were 5,182 housing units at an average density of 625.4 per square mile...
. His father was a teacher and his mother worked at an accounting firm.
After graduating from Marshall Senior High School in 1985, Jim earned his Bachelor of Arts at St. Olaf College
St. Olaf College
St. Olaf College is a coeducational, residential, four-year, private liberal arts college in Northfield, Minnesota, United States. It was founded in 1874 by a group of Norwegian-American immigrant pastors and farmers, led by Pastor Bernt Julius Muus. The college is named after Olaf II of Norway,...
in Northfield, Minnesota. Though he majored in political science, Meffert also played percussion in the St. Olaf Band and Jazz Band. That is where he met his future wife, Karrin, who played clarinet. Karrin and Jim married in 1991. In 1992, they moved to Chicago so Karrin could attend graduate school at Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
.
In Chicago, Jim worked for the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons on such issues as coverage for reconstruction after mastectomy and cleft lip and palate repair. He also worked to ensure that access to burn care and reconstructive surgery was included in the Clinton Health Plan proposals. Meffert later went on to work at the American Medical Association
American Medical Association
The American Medical Association , founded in 1847 and incorporated in 1897, is the largest association of medical doctors and medical students in the United States.-Scope and operations:...
.
Meffert and his wife returned to Edina, Minnesota
Edina, Minnesota
Edina is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and a first-ring suburb situated immediately southwest of Minneapolis. Edina began as a small farming and milling community in the 1860s. The population was 47,941 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
to raise their three children. Alex, Noah, and Katy all attend Edina public schools. Jim and Karrin served as Co-Presidents of the Parent Teacher Association at their children’s elementary school and Jim then served on the Minnesota State PTA board, where he served as president. Meffert has also chaired the Minnesota Children’s Platform Coalition, a statewide network of child advocacy and related organizations. He is currently serving on the P-20 Partnership for Education and the Steering Committee for the “Rethinking Public Education” project by the Growth & Justice Foundation.
From 1998 to 2010, Jim worked full time as the executive director of the Minnesota Optometric Association.
2010 Election
On December 1, 2009, Meffert entered the campaign to challenge Representative Erik PaulsenErik Paulsen
Erik Paulsen is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party. He previously served in the Minnesota House of Representatives...
in Minnesota's 3rd congressional district
Minnesota's 3rd congressional district
Minnesota's 3rd congressional district is one of the most affluent in the state, encompassing the suburbs of Hennepin County to the north, west, and south of Minneapolis...
. Meffert won the DFL endorsement in April 2010, edging out forensic psychiatrist Maureen Hackett
Maureen Hackett
Maureen Hackett-Biography:Born into a family of six children in Cleveland, Ohio, Maureen was raised in Illinois and graduated from Lake Forest College magna cum laude with a bachelor's degree in chemistry and biology...
.
Though Meffert has been unable to afford television advertising, he has gained some name recognition through television attack ads from the Paulsen campaign. Political analyst Dave Schultz said that "Given how little money that Meffert has, you would've thought Paulsen would've just ignored Meffert completely and just run a positive campaign." Meffert responded to the attack, saying "It's the kind of thing that makes people cynical about politics and politicians. When you hide behind a big bank account and you throw up an ad that's designed to tear down your opponent."
Paulsen defeated Meffert by a 59% to 37% margin.