Shane Osborn
Encyclopedia
Shane Osborn was the State Treasurer in Nebraska
until he was succeeded by Don Stenberg
on January 6, 2011.
Osborn graduated from Norfolk
High School in 1992 and then attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln on a Naval ROTC scholarship. After graduating in 1996 with a degree in statistics and actuarial science
, Osborn entered flight school for the United States Navy
and was eventually assigned to the "World Watchers" Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron One.
In 2005, Osborn separated from the Navy as a Lieutenant after nine years of active duty.
in disputed airspace when it collided with a Chinese J-8IIM
fighter jet. The EP-3E's propeller cut the J-8 in half. The fighter's nose section cartwheeled upward, smashing into the EP-3E's nose and tearing off the radome
. The impact sent Osborn's plane into an inverted dive, dropping 8,000 feet in 30 seconds and falling another 6,000 feet before Osborn had the EP-3E's nose up and wings level. In a September 2003 article in the Naval Aviation News, Osborn told Jim Turnbull that once he regained control of the plane he "called for the crew to prepare to bail out." They donned parachutes and initiated an emergency plan, which included destroying intelligence equipment and sensitive documents on board.
After an unauthorized emergency landing, without airspeed data or flaps, at the Lingshui Air Base on Hainan Island, Osborn and his crew were taken to a Chinese military barracks where they were detained and interrogated for 10 days. The aircraft was dismantled by the Chinese and returned to the US in boxes after months of scrutiny by Chinese officials. On April 11, 2001 the crew were released from Chinese custody and returned to the United States. After the Hainan Island incident
, Osborn was awarded the istinguished Flying Cross (United States)|Distinguished Flying Cross].
. In the Nebraska Republican Primary, Osborn took 63 percent of the more than 233,000 votes cast, and Ross 36 percent. In the General Election, Osborn defeated John H. Gaithings of the Nebraska Party
, 76 percent to 23 percent.
In 2007, the Aspen Institute selected Osborn to be a part of their Aspen-Rodell Fellows Program in Public Leadership and was also elected Vice President of the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators.
He is also a shareholder with the SilverStone Group, a financial services firm in Omaha, Nebraska
.
In September 2009, Osborn announced he would not seek reelection for Nebraska State Treasurer.
During his tenure in office, Osborn has been committed to bringing transparency to the state treasurer's office and has been recognized by his commitment to returning unclaimed property to Nebraskans. While Nebraska's state government has grown by an average of 4.75% per year, Osborn has reduced the state treasurer's budget by 12.8 percent since he took office. Recently, in response to state budget concerns, Osborn cut two positions from his office and has frozen the salaries of his top seven managers.
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
until he was succeeded by Don Stenberg
Don Stenberg
Don Stenberg is a Republican politician and attorney from Nebraska. He served as Attorney General of Nebraska from 1991 to 2003 and currently serves as State Treasurer of Nebraska to which he took office in 2011. He also served as legal counsel to Governor Charles Thone from 1979 to 1983.-Stenberg v...
on January 6, 2011.
Osborn graduated from Norfolk
Norfolk, Nebraska
Norfolk is a city in Madison County, Nebraska, United States, 113 miles northwest of Omaha and 83 miles west of Sioux City at the intersection of U.S. Routes 81 and 275. The population was 24,210 at the 2010 census, making it the ninth-largest city in Nebraska. It is the principal city of the...
High School in 1992 and then attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln on a Naval ROTC scholarship. After graduating in 1996 with a degree in statistics and actuarial science
Actuarial science
Actuarial science is the discipline that applies mathematical and statistical methods to assess risk in the insurance and finance industries. Actuaries are professionals who are qualified in this field through education and experience...
, Osborn entered flight school for the United States 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...
and was eventually assigned to the "World Watchers" Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron One.
In 2005, Osborn separated from the Navy as a Lieutenant after nine years of active duty.
Hainan Island incident
On April 1, 2001, Osborn was piloting an EP-3E airplane with a 23 member crew about 70 miles away from the Chinese island of HainanHainan
Hainan is the smallest province of the People's Republic of China . Although the province comprises some two hundred islands scattered among three archipelagos off the southern coast, of its land mass is Hainan Island , from which the province takes its name...
in disputed airspace when it collided with a Chinese J-8IIM
Shenyang J-8
The Shenyang J-8 is a high-speed, high-altitude Chinese-built single-seat interceptor fighter aircraft.-J-8:...
fighter jet. The EP-3E's propeller cut the J-8 in half. The fighter's nose section cartwheeled upward, smashing into the EP-3E's nose and tearing off the radome
Radome
A radome is a structural, weatherproof enclosure that protects a microwave or radar antenna. The radome is constructed of material that minimally attenuates the electromagnetic signal transmitted or received by the antenna. In other words, the radome is transparent to radar or radio waves...
. The impact sent Osborn's plane into an inverted dive, dropping 8,000 feet in 30 seconds and falling another 6,000 feet before Osborn had the EP-3E's nose up and wings level. In a September 2003 article in the Naval Aviation News, Osborn told Jim Turnbull that once he regained control of the plane he "called for the crew to prepare to bail out." They donned parachutes and initiated an emergency plan, which included destroying intelligence equipment and sensitive documents on board.
After an unauthorized emergency landing, without airspeed data or flaps, at the Lingshui Air Base on Hainan Island, Osborn and his crew were taken to a Chinese military barracks where they were detained and interrogated for 10 days. The aircraft was dismantled by the Chinese and returned to the US in boxes after months of scrutiny by Chinese officials. On April 11, 2001 the crew were released from Chinese custody and returned to the United States. After the Hainan Island incident
Hainan Island incident
On April 1, 2001, a mid-air collision between a United States Navy EP-3E ARIES II signals intelligence aircraft and a People's Liberation Army Navy J-8II interceptor fighter jet resulted in an international dispute between the United States and the People's Republic of China called the Hainan...
, Osborn was awarded the istinguished Flying Cross (United States)|Distinguished Flying Cross].
Political career
In 2006, Osborn won the Republican nomination for the office of Nebraska State Treasurer by defeating Republican incumbent Ron Ross, who had been appointed to the position on January 6, 2004 by Governor of Nebraska Mike JohannsMike Johanns
Michael Owen "Mike" Johanns is an American Republican politician who has been the junior United States Senator from Nebraska since 2009. Previously he was the 38th Governor of Nebraska from 1999 to 2005 and was U.S. Secretary of Agriculture from 2005 to 2007, becoming the fourth Nebraskan to hold...
. In the Nebraska Republican Primary, Osborn took 63 percent of the more than 233,000 votes cast, and Ross 36 percent. In the General Election, Osborn defeated John H. Gaithings of the Nebraska Party
Nebraska Party
The Nebraska Party is the Nebraska affiliate of the Constitution Party. Like its national counterpart, the Nebraska Party is a strongly right-wing party affiliated with the Christian right movement in American politics. The party claims to be the spiritual descendant of the political ideals...
, 76 percent to 23 percent.
In 2007, the Aspen Institute selected Osborn to be a part of their Aspen-Rodell Fellows Program in Public Leadership and was also elected Vice President of the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators.
He is also a shareholder with the SilverStone Group, a financial services firm in Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
.
In September 2009, Osborn announced he would not seek reelection for Nebraska State Treasurer.
During his tenure in office, Osborn has been committed to bringing transparency to the state treasurer's office and has been recognized by his commitment to returning unclaimed property to Nebraskans. While Nebraska's state government has grown by an average of 4.75% per year, Osborn has reduced the state treasurer's budget by 12.8 percent since he took office. Recently, in response to state budget concerns, Osborn cut two positions from his office and has frozen the salaries of his top seven managers.
External links
- Nebraska State Treasurer Official site
- Shane Osborn for Treasurer campaign site
- Random House author profile