Richard H. "Rich" Bagger (born March 27, 1960, in Plainfield, New Jersey

Plainfield, New Jersey

Plainfield is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population increased to a record high of 49,808....

) is an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 Republican Party

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...

 politician

Politician

A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...

 from New Jersey

New Jersey

New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...

, former State Senator

New Jersey Senate

The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...

 and currently chief of staff to Governor Chris Christie. He is a resident of Westfield, New Jersey

Westfield, New Jersey

Westfield is a town in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 30,316. The old village area, now the downtown district, was settled in 1720 as part of the Elizabethtown Tract....

.

Bagger received an A.B.

Bachelor of Arts

A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...

 in 1982 from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs

Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs

The Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs is a professional public policy school at Princeton University. The school has granted undergraduate A.B. degrees since 1930 and graduate degrees since 1948...

 at Princeton University

Princeton University

Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....

 and a J.D.

Juris Doctor

Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...

 from Rutgers School of Law-Newark.

Bagger served as a Planning Board member, Councilman, and Mayor in Westfield during the 1980s and 1990s. He was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly

New Jersey General Assembly

The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...

 from the 22nd Legislative District

22nd Legislative District (New Jersey)

New Jersey's 22nd Legislative District is one of 40 in the state, covering the Middlesex County municipality of Dunellen Borough and Middlesex Borough, the Somerset County localities of Green Brook Township and North Plainfield Borough, and the Union County municipalities of Clark Township,...

 in 1991, succeeding Chuck Hardwick

Chuck Hardwick

Charles Leighton Hardwick is a former state legislator in New Jersey, and a current Senior Vice President at Pfizer...

, his longtime mentor. During his time as an assemblyman, he served as Chairman of the Appropriations Committee and was elected to be Majority Conference Leader. In 2000, he declined a race to succeed Bob Franks

Bob Franks

Robert Douglas "Bob" Franks was a Republican politician. He was a former U.S. Representative from New Jersey.-Biography:...

 in Congress

United States House of Representatives

The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...

. In 2001, he was elected to the New Jersey Senate

New Jersey Senate

The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...

 for the 21st Legislative District

21st Legislative District (New Jersey)

New Jersey's 21st Legislative District is one of 40 in the state, covering the Essex County municipality of Millburn Township, the Morris County communities of Chatham Township, Harding Township, Long Hill Township and Madison Borough, the Somerset County localities of Warren Township and Watchung...

. He resigned as a State Senator

State Senator

A state senator is a member of a state's Senate, the upper house in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a legislator in Nebraska's one house State Legislature.There are typically fewer state senators than there are members of a state's lower house...

 in 2003 in order to pursue private business interests and was succeeded by Thomas Kean Jr.

Thomas Kean Jr.

Thomas Howard "Tom" Kean Jr. is an American Republican politician, serving in the New Jersey State Senate since 2003. He represents the 21st Legislative District, which covers parts of Union, Morris, Somerset and Essex Counties...

 Bagger remained a political leader in Union County

Union County, New Jersey

Union County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 536,499. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Elizabeth. Union County ranks 93rd among the highest-income counties in the United States. It also ranks 74th in...

 after leaving the legislature.

After leaving the Senate, Bagger was an Assistant General Counsel to Horizon Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Jersey

Horizon Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Jersey

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, headquartered in Newark, New Jersey is the only licensed Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association plan in New Jersey, providing health insurance coverage to over 3.2 million people throughout all of North, Central, and South Jersey.It is a not-for-profit,...

 and practiced law with the firm of McCarter and English. He then worked as Senior Vice President of Government Relations for Pfizer

Pfizer

Pfizer, Inc. is an American multinational pharmaceutical corporation. The company is based in New York City, New York with its research headquarters in Groton, Connecticut, United States...

. He also was a member of the NJN Foundation Board of Trustees. In December of 2009, then-Governor-elect Chris Christie appointed Bagger as his chief of staff.