Frank J. Fahrenkopf, Jr.

Frank J. Fahrenkopf Jr. (born August 28, 1939) is an American attorney, political executive, and lobbyist who was chairman of the Republican National Committee from 1983 to 1989. Fahrenkopf is co-founder, and currently co-chairman, of the Commission on Presidential Debates, which conducts the United States general election presidential and vice presidential debates. In the private sector, Fahrenkopf most recently served as the American Gaming Association's first president, and retired from the position in 2013.

Early life and education Fahrenkopf was born in Brooklyn, New York, on August 28, 1939. He is a 1958 graduate of Reno High School. In 1962, Fahrenkopf graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno, where he was a member of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. In 1965 he graduated from the Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California, Berkeley.

Career

Early legal work After graduating from law school, Fahrenkopf was hired as an associate by the Reno law firm of Breen and Young. In 1967, he left that firm to become a partner in Sanford, Sanford, Fahrenkopf, and Mousel, another Reno law firm, and also taught criminal law at the University of Nevada. He remained a partner in the firm until 1975, when he founded Fahrenkopf, Mortimer, Sourwine, Mousel and Sloane. The new firm's clients included hotels, casinos, liquor vendors, and construction companies. Also in the 1970s, Fahrenkopf was retained by the Washington law firm of Hogan & Hartson.

Fahrenkopf serves as the co-chair of the Commission on Presidential Debates .

Fahrenkopf also sits on the board of directors of six New York Stock Exchange public companies: First Republic Bank, Gabelli Equity Trust, Inc., Gabelli Utility Trust, Gabelli Global Multimedia Trust, Gabelli Dividend and Income Trust, and Gabelli Gold and Natural Resources.

His civic involvement includes service as chairman of the board of governors of the City Club of Washington, a member of the board of trustees of the E.L. Wiegand Foundation, The Economic Club of Washington and the Federal City Council. Fahrenkopf also served as a co-chairman of the Rivlin Commission, which investigated and reported on the government of the District of Columbia. He has been honored for his contributions, receiving the Junior Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Service Award in 1973, the Nevada Lung Association "Man of the Year" Award in 1983 and the National Humanitarian of the Year Award from the National Conference on Christians and Jews in 1985. He is a member of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. He also serves as a trustee of the Culinary Institute of America and is a member of the advisory board of the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA).

He has also been a frequent commentator on political and gaming issues on such news television programs as Crossfire, Inside Politics, Meet The Press, Hardball, Face the Nation, The Today Show, This Week and Good Morning America.

Personal life

Fahrenkopf and his wife, the former Mary Bandoni, have three daughters: Allison, Vice President and Associate General Counsel, PMI North America; Leslie, former associate White House Counsel to President George W. Bush; and Amy, a physician and President of HSS Health at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. He is an avid golfer, tennis player and sports enthusiast.