Terry Neese

Terry Neese (born December 1, 1947)[1] is an American businesswoman and politician. A member of the Republican Party, she was the first woman nominated by a major political party for the office of Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma, in 1990;[1] in 2020 she was a candidate for the Republican nomination in Oklahoma's 5th congressional district.

Terry Neese
Personal details
Born (1947-12-01) December 1, 1947
Walters, Oklahoma, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
EducationUniversity of Oklahoma
WebsiteCampaign website

Neese has spent over 30 years working for non-governmental organizations, founding Terry Neese Personnel Services (TNPS), National Grassroots Network, Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) and the Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women (IEEW).

Neese is a member of the U.S.-Afghan Women's Council,[2] as well as a past national president of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO). She is known as a small business expert and was recognized by Fortune magazine as one of the "Power 30"[3] — the most influential small business persons in Washington, D.C. She has been featured throughout several media outlets including MSNBC, FOX News, CNN,[3] SBTV, The Wall Street Journal, the Washington Examiner, The Washington Times and The Washington Post.

Early life and education

Neese was born in Walters, Oklahoma to Clifford and Vida Mae Farley;[4] she was raised in Cookietown, Oklahoma. She has two sisters. She graduated from Burkburnett High School in Burkburnett, Texas. According to Neese, she briefly attended the University of Oklahoma, studying secretarial science with the intention of being an administrative assistant.[5]

Career

Neese began her career as a secretary and office manager. In 1975, she launched her own business, Terry Neese Personnel Service, which has helped over 34,000 people in Oklahoma get jobs.[5][6] In 2000, she then passed the company to her daughter, Kim Neese-Brown.[6][7]

The impact of Neese's career then took off as she created and led multiple organizations around the world. She co-founded GrassRoots Impact, Inc.[8] with Democratic National Committee member Barbara Kasoff.[9][10] GrassRoots Impact provides a communications strategy for corporations and government agencies to effectively reach out to women and minorities in business.[11] In 1986, she founded a charity called Oklahomans Helping Oklahomans.[12] The next year, she was named a co-chair for Business Partners Inc. in Oklahoma.[13]

Neese is a co-founder of WIPP — Women Impacting Public Policy — which was created in 2001.[14] WIPP currently has over 600,000 members and works to advocate for women in business.[5]

Neese currently serves as the founder and CEO of IEEW.org, the Institute for Educating and Empowering Women All Around the World,[15] which is a business education training and mentorship program for women around the world, most notably in Afghanistan & Rwanda.[16]

In 2001, she created the Terry Neese Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence, which is an SBA Women's Business Center. She served as chairwoman of the board.

Politics

In 1990, Neese became the first woman nominated by a major political party for Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma.[5]

During the 2016 United States Presidential Election, Neese served as the National Finance Chair for the Carly Fiorina 2016 presidential campaign.[17]

In April 2019, Neese announced her candidacy for Oklahoma's 5th congressional district in the 2020 election.[18][19] In the June 30th, 2020, Republican Primary, she placed first among a field of nine candidates, but was then defeated in a runoff election by state senator Stephanie Bice.[20][21]

Controversies

Neese had claimed "Native American (Cherokee) Heritage" membership in the Cherokee Nation. This led to her being appointed by President George H. W. Bush in the 1990s to be a Commissioner to the National Advisory Council on Indian Education, whose members must be Native American. She was reappointed to this Council in 1993 by President Bill Clinton. Similarly, President George W. Bush nominated Neese to lead the U.S. Mint in 2005 at least partly because of her claim to have roots in the Cherokee Indian Community. In an article published at the time (of President George W. Bush), Neese stated that "her roots to the Cherokee Indian Community run deep". A 2020 investigation by KFOR later found Neese to have no membership in the Cherokee tribe.[22]

In 2005, Neese was requested to decline a government appointment from President Bush after training tapes had been uncovered in which she instructed her employees to lie and use unethical behavior. At the time, Neese — who had been a large Bush fundraiser — claimed she was declining her appointment as Director of the U.S Mint for family reasons; the allegation of impropriety was not made until 2019.[23] Neese said the tapes were doctored.[24][25]

Awards and nominations

Neese was inducted into the Enterprising Women Hall of Fame, sponsored by Enterprising Women, in 2004.[26] In 2013, she earned their Enterprising Women Legacy Award.[27]

Neese was inducted into the Oklahoma Women's Hall of Fame in 2007.[7]

In 2006, Neese was named an Outstanding Business Leader by the Northwood University Board of Trustees and received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the university in 2008.

In 2017, Neese was among 24 leaders from the United States and around the globe who were recognized at the 21st annual Global Goddess Artemis Award ceremony (given annually by the Euro-American Women’s Council) at the Acropolis Museum in Athens, Greece. Neese was recognized and honored as a leader, innovator and visionary for impacting and supporting women.[28]

In 2018, Neese was honored as one of 100 Oklahoma Women Trailblazers,[29] by the League of Women Voters of Oklahoma, in commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of Oklahoma women winning the right to vote.

Other notable accolades include NAWBO’s Lifetime Achievement Award.[30]

References
  1. "Our Campaigns - Candidate - Terry Neese".
  2. "USAWC Booklet" (PDF). U.S.-Afghan Women's Council. April 28, 2022.
  3. Overfelt, Maggie (September 1, 2000). "The Power 30 From the SBA to the House floor to the nation's airwaves: our guide to some of the most influential folks in and around the Beltway who talk your talk". CNN.
  4. "VIDA BOWLES Obituary (1921 - 2018) Oklahoman".
  5. Nykolaiszyn, Juliana (August 23, 2007). "Oral History Interview with Terry Neese". Inductees of the Oklahoma Women's Hall of Fame Oral History Project. Retrieved August 1, 2022.
  6. "Terry Neese Personnel Has Open House". The Daily Oklahoman. August 28, 2000. Retrieved August 8, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Oklahoma Women's Hall of Fame Inductees by Year". Oklahoma State University Library. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
  8. "Grassroots Impact Inc. Company Profile".
  9. "Barbara Kasoff – SheSource Expert – Women's Media Center". womensmediacenter.com. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  10. "Terry Neese". www.greateroklahomacity.com. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  11. "Terry Neese". growinokc.com. Greater Oklahoma City Chamber. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
  12. DeFrange, Ann (November 7, 1986). "Fund-Raising Group Hopes to Build State Morale". The Daily Oklahoman. Retrieved August 8, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. "Business Partners Inc. Appoints Co-Chairwomen". The Daily Oklahoman. February 15, 1987. Retrieved August 8, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. Stafford, Jim (October 28, 2006). "State Women to Attend International Conference". The Daily Oklahoman. Retrieved August 8, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. "Institute for Educating and Empowering Women All Around the World". www.ieew.org. IEEW. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
  16. "Dr. Terry Neese CEO/President Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women" (PDF). ieew.org. IEEW. Retrieved April 6, 2015.
  17. "August 1, 2015 - Carly Fiorina Announces Dr. Terry Neese as National Finance Chairman".
  18. Casteel, Chris (April 30, 2019). "Neese says she's now a resident of congressional district she seeks to represent". The Oklahoman. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  19. "Two Republican Women Will File For 5th". OKC Friday. May 3, 2019.
  20. "Live: Oklahoma State Primary Election Results 2020". The New York Times. June 30, 2020. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  21. Pathe, Simone (August 25, 2020). "Stephanie Bice wins GOP primary runoff for competitive US House seat in Oklahoma". CNN. Retrieved August 26, 2020.
  22. "KFOR investigates candidate Terry Neese's claim of having 'deep roots in the Cherokee Nation'". August 22, 2020.
  23. Felder, Ben (August 18, 2020). "White House told Neese to withdraw her name from U.S. Mint position after the discovery of training tapes". The Frontier. Retrieved August 18, 2020 – via readfrontier.org.
  24. "Live:GOP Debate". News 9 Times.
  25. Mock, Jennifer (July 30, 2005). "President Nominates City Businesswoman to Direct Mint". The Daily Oklahoman. Retrieved August 8, 2019 – via Newspapers.com. and "Neese". The Daily Oklahoman. July 30, 2005. Retrieved August 8, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. "Business People". The Daily Oklahoman. May 9, 2004. Retrieved August 8, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  27. "Terry Neese receives 2013 Enterprising Women Legacy Award". newsok.com. NewsOK. Retrieved April 6, 2015.
  28. Clark, Vicki (October 20, 2017). "Global Goddesses: Victoria Woods, Dr. Terry Neese Receive International Artemis Awards". OKC Friday.
  29. "100 Women Trailblazers: League Of Women Voters Celebrate 100th Year Of Voting". OKC Friday. November 23, 2018.
  30. "Neese Honored With Lifetime Achievement Award". OKC Friday. April 20, 2012.
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