Dwight Laing Rogers was a U.S. Representative from Florida. Born near Reidsville, Georgia, Rogers attended the public schools and Locust Grove Institute at Locust Grove, Georgia. He graduated from the University of Georgia in 1909 and from the law department of Mercer University in Macon, Georgia in 1910. He was admitted to the bar the same year and began commenced practice in Ocilla, Georgia. He moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in 1925 and continued the practice of law.

Rogers served as member of the Florida House of Representatives from 1930 to 1938, serving as speaker pro tempore in 1933. Rogers was elected as a Democrat to the Seventy-ninth and to the four succeeding Congresses and served from January 3, 1945, until his death. He died in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 1954, and was interred in Lauderdale Memorial Park. He was the father of Paul G. Rogers.

In Paul Rogers’ early career, he joined the U.S. Army, serving in World War II from 1942 to 1946, to which he rose to the rank of Major and earned a Bronze Star Medal. Rogers also worked as a lawyer in private practice and was a member of the board of directors for Merck & Co. and Mutual Life Insurance Co. of New York.

Rogers’ political career began by his election to the 84th Congress in a special election to replace the vacancy of this father, caused by death. Rogers was then reelected to the eleven succeeding congresses from 1955 to 1979. During his time in the House, Rogers was nicknamed “Mr. Health” for his service of the Subcommittee on Health and the Environment and his work behind the adoption of the National Cancer Act of 1971, the Medicare-Medicaid Anti-Fraud and Abuse Amendments of 1977 and the Clean Air Act of 1970.

David Rouzer developed his work ethic working the summers on his family’s farm just outside of Four Oaks, North Carolina; his moral values growing up in a Christian home and attending Sunday school and church; and his legislative acumen under former U.S. Senators Jesse Helms and Elizabeth Dole.

David currently serves in the United States Congress representing North Carolina’s 7th Congressional District. His most recent work was primarily focused on helping small businesses with marketing and sales through his consulting business, The Rouzer Company. He also formed R&C Distributors, LLC, as a side business and umbrella for fleet-related products.

Prior to those endeavors, David had been involved in public policy development and implementation, public relations, and legislative strategy for more than a decade through his work in the Legislative and Executive branches of the Federal government, as well as in his work for NC State University where he served as assistant to the dean for the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences. As a senior level appointee of the President at USDA Rural Development, David helped manage the administration of a program level budget of more than $1.2 billion along with a loan portfolio of $5 billion in investments in rural America.

In his work on Capitol Hill, David was a senior staffer for former U.S. Senator Jesse Helms and U.S. Senator Elizabeth Dole where he helped write numerous federal statutes and developed a distinct reputation among members and their respective staffs for his advice and work.

As a member of the North Carolina Senate, David consistently ranked as one of the most effective pro-business legislators during his two terms (2009 – 2012) representing Johnston and Wayne County. During his tenure, he was co-chairman of the Agriculture and Environment Committee, co-chairman of the Joint Regulatory Reform Committee, and chairman of the Senate Environmental Review Commission.

Stephen J. Ruda is a 30-year veteran of the Los Angeles Fire Department. Upon graduation Steve was accepted into Officer Candidate School for the United States Marine Corps. Commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in August of 1975, he was assigned as a Platoon Commander and later selected to serve as the Aide De Camp to General David M. Twomey. Steve attained the rank of Captain of Marines before his honorable discharge from active duty in 1978.

As a Fire Officer for the Los Angeles City Fire Department, Captain Ruda has served in the busiest stations in the city. He received from the California State Firefighters Association’s the Medal of Valor. He also holds three commendations for bravery, including the Medal of Merit. This award is one of the Fire Department’s highest award for valor. Captain Ruda was selected as “Firefighter of the Year” for 2005.

Captain Ruda has served two tours as the Commander of the Public Information Office for the LAFD. Steve’s experience and dedication to the Department and its image has won him honors by the news industry. The Radio, Television News Association awarded his unit a special “Golden Mike Award”. During his watch he and his staff handled the Los Angeles Civil Unrest of 1992, the Great Floods of 1993 and the destructive Fire Storms of 1993. He was involved in the 6.7 Northridge Earthquake as both a departmental spokesperson and a member of the LAFD’s elite Urban Search and Rescue Team. As the Task Force Commander of Fire Station 27 in the “Heart of Hollywood”, Ruda leads one of the largest fire stations west of the Mississippi River.

John Thomas “Tom” Schieffer was sworn in as the 27th U.S. Ambassador to Japan on April 1, 2005 and presented his credentials to the Emperor on April 11, 2005. Prior to his Jan. 15, 2009 departure from Japan, he worked to strengthen the U.S.-Japan alliance, increase trade, and facilitate the realignment of U.S. forces stationed in Japan, among other issues.

Before coming to Japan, Ambassador Schieffer served as the U.S. Ambassador to Australia from July 2001 until February 2005. During his tenure in Canberra, he coordinated closely with the Government of Australia on efforts to fight global terrorism and helped to deepen cooperation on rebuilding efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq. He was also heavily involved in the conclusion of a free trade agreement between the U.S. and Australia in May 2004.

Prior to his diplomatic service, Ambassador Schieffer was an investor in the partnership that bought the Texas Rangers Baseball Club in 1989, with George W. Bush and Edward W. “Rusty” Rose. He served as team President for eight years, responsible for day-to-day operations of the club as well as overseeing the building of The Ballpark in Arlington, Texas. Ambassador Schieffer has also had a long involvement in Texas politics. He was elected to three terms in the Texas House of Representatives and has been active in many political campaigns.

Ambassador Schieffer attended the University of Texas, where he earned a B.A., a M.A. in international relations, and studied law. He was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 1979. He is married to Susanne Silber of San Antonio, Texas, and they have one son, Paul.

Jouett Shouse was an American lawyer, newspaper publisher, and leading Democratic politician. A conservative, he was best known for opposing the liberal New Deal in the 1930s.

Born in Midway, Kentucky, his family moved to Mexico, Missouri in 1892 where he attended public school. After studying at the University of Missouri at Columbia he returned to his native Kentucky where he served on the staff of the Lexington Herald from 1898 to 1904 and eventually became the owner/editor of The Kentucky Farmer and Breeder. In 1911, Jouett Shouse moved to Kinsley, Kansas where he married. He became involved in agricultural and livestock businesses and served on the Board of Directors of the director of the Kinsley Bank.

Shouse was elected a state senator in 1913 then in 1915 was elected to the United States Congress where he served until 1919 when President Woodrow Wilson appointed him as Assistant Secretary of the Treasury. At the Treasury Department he was in charge of customs, internal revenue and reorganized the War Risk Insurance division until November 15, 1920 when he resigned “in order to adjust his personal affairs.”

Shouse was very active in the Democratic Party and was appointed chairman of the executive committee of the Democratic National Committee in May 1929. His powerful position in Washington politics led to him being on the cover of the November 10, 1930 issue of TIME magazine. He opposed the nomination of Franklin D. Roosevelt as the Democratic Party’s candidate for president and along with John J. Raskob supported the candidacy of Alfred E. Smith.

Garner E. Shriver worked for a drug company in Wichita from 1934 to 1936 before he was a high school teacher till 1937. He was then admitted to the bar in Wichita in February of 1940. He served three years in the U.S Navy and then was elected state representative from 1947 to 1951 and state senator from 1953 to 1960. Thereafter he was elected as a Republican to the Eighty-seventh and to the seven succeeding Congresses (1961 to 1977). After his time in Washington, he resumed the practice of law.

Alfred C. Sikes practiced law in Missouri from 1964 to 1968. Then he became assistant Missouri Attorney General from 1969 to 1972. In this position, Sikes directed Missouri’s Department of Community Affairs from 1973 to 1974, and the state’s Department of Consumer Affairs, Regulation, and Licensing from 1974 to 1976.

From 1977 to 1985, Sikes worked in the media industry, co-owning and managing radio properties and providing consulting services. In 1986, he was nominated by President Reagan to become the Assistant Secretary of Commerce and director of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. Subsequently, then President George W. Bush nominated Sikes to be a member of the Federal Communications Communication (FCC) in June of 1989. He became the commission’s chairperson after being confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

In his tenure at the FCC, Sikes supported deregulation and established the framework for digital high-definition television. Sikes resigned in early 1993, worked for Hearst Corporation to manage the company’s New Media & Technology Group.

Edward Lewis Sittler, Jr. was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania. Upon graduation Edward Lewis Sittler, Jr. began his career as an ice cream salesman. After a few years he was elected to the Uniontown School Board and then served as president of the school board.

From school board he became a field underwriter for Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York. In February 1943, he enlisted as a private in the United States Army. He served in the Ordnance Corps in the European Theatre of World War II until 1946.

Sittler returned to his hometown and became mayor of Uniontown from 1948 to 1951. In 1950, he was elected to the 82nd United States Congress in the Pennsylvania 23rd district. After his term on Capitol Hill, he served as Republican State committeeman for Fayette County, Pennsylvania from 1960 to 1972 and was the minority Fayette County Commissioner from 1968 to 1971.