Randy Best

Randy Best is an American education entrepreneur and conservative political donor.

Early life Best was born and raised in Beaumont, Texas, the son of a hardware store owner and a teacher. In 1967, Best graduated from Lamar University, where he majored in political science after switching from pre-law. After selling the business, Best pursued several different ventures, including art galleries, clinics, cattle yards, oil and gas, defense and aerospace, and Girl Scout-cookie manufacturing. Best hired former Florida Governor Jeb Bush as an adviser to Academic Partnerships, and the two co-wrote a 2013 Inside Higher Ed op-ed promoting online education.

Best has served on the boards of Best Associates, ProQuest, Voyager Learning Company, Mason Best, the Education Commission of the States, the NEA Foundation, the National Urban Alliance Board of Columbia University, the Smithsonian Institution, and the National Foundation For The Improvement of Education. Best was a major bundler for Jeb Bush's 2016 run for president.

Other activities Best donated money to George W. Bush's successful 1998 campaign for re-election as Governor of Texas,