Mark S. Schweiker
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Mark Steven Schweiker (born January 31, 1953) was the governor of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania from 2001 to 2003.
Schweiker, a Republican, become 44th Governor of Pennsylvania on October 5, 2001, when his predecessor, Tom Ridge resigned as Governor of Pennsylvania to assume a the role of Homeland Security director under President George W. Bush. He had served as acting Governor from September 13, 2001 to October 5, 2001 during Ridge's transition into his new post. Schweiker was the only governor to hold the position as a direct result of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States.
Schweiker was born in Levittown, Pennsylvania. He attended Bishop Egan High School in Bucks County and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania. After college he entered the business world and held positions at Merrill Lynch and McGraw Hill. Later, he formed his own management consulting firm.
Schweiker entered politics in 1979 when he successfully ran for supervisor of Middletown Township. In 1987, he was elected Bucks County Commissioner. In 1995, Schweiker successfully ran for the Republican nomination for Lieutenant Governor. Schweiker ran for office alongside Congressman Tom Ridge, the gubernatorial nominee. The Tom Ridge/Mark Schweiker team won the 1994 election, beating the Democratic team of Lt. Governor Mark Singel and State Labor and Industry Secretary Tom Foley by 44% to 42%. Independent candidate Peg Luksik captured 13% of the vote. The Ridge/Schweiker team easily won reelection in 1998.
As Lieutenant Governor, Schweiker chaired the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Council, The Board of Pardons, The Governor's Council on Recycling Development and Waste Reduction, oversaw the Statewide Radio Network, and was involved with Pennsylvania’s anti-terrorism task force and the “Weed and Seed” anti-crime initiative.
Schweiker had decided against a run for the governor's office in 2002 and was preparing to finish out his term when the September 11, 2001 attacks occurred. Ridge resigned as governor on October 5, 2001 and Schweiker became Pennsylvania's 44th governor. By provision of the Pennsylvania Constitution, Robert Jubelirer, the President Pro Tempore of the Pennsylvania State Senate, became Lieutenant Governor. This became a matter of some controversy since Jubelirer retained his position in the state senate.
In the wake of the terrorist attacks, Schweiker moved to secure Pennsylvania’s five nuclear reactors, created the Governor's Task Force on Security, and expanded the ranks of the Pennsylvania State Police. Schweiker also faced budget shortfalls due to the economic collapse following the attacks and a crisis in the School District of Philadelphia.
Schweiker's most famous contribution as governor came in July 2002, during the Quecreek Mine disaster in Somerset County. Governor Schweiker led one of the most successful mine rescues in national history when he personally oversaw the 77-hour operation that saved the lives of nine trapped coal miners from the Quecreek mine. Following the rescue, Governor Schweiker implemented a series of new safety procedures to provide better protection for miners.
Schweiker held to his decision not to stand for the 2002 governor's race and he left office when his term expired on January 21, 2003. Schweiker became President & CEO of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce in February 2003.
Mark S. Schweiker is a distant relative of former U.S. Senator and cabinet secretary Richard S. Schweiker.
| Preceded by: Tom Ridge | Governor of Pennsylvania 2001–2003 | Succeeded by: Ed Rendell |