Jim Guest
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Jim Guest is president of Consumers Union (CU), a position he has held since February 2001, after a unanimous vote by CU's board of directors. From 1980 through October 2000, Guest served as chair of CU's board of directors.
During Guest's service as chairman, he led the CU board in exercising strategic and fiduciary oversight, investing in a program of new product development that resulted in additional publications and information services, and starting a fundraising program that now raises more than $12 million a year. He has also helped bring new members to the board with expertise important to CU's growth and development.
Guest has had a lengthy career in public service as chief executive of several non-profit organizations and government agencies. Just prior to becoming CU's president, he was the founding executive director of the American Pain Foundation, a national consumer information, education, and advocacy organization for pain prevention and management. Under his guidance, the Foundation developed programs to increase consumer access to practical information and advice about effective pain control. These programs include a comprehensive Internet Web site for people with pain, a patient action guide and bill of rights that are now widely used in the pain management community, information and support for greater media attention on pain, and advocating for the interests of people with pain before Congress.
Guest has also been the chief executive officer of Handgun Control Inc. and the Center to Prevent Handgun Violence (1996-1997), Planned Parenthood of Maryland (1989-1995) and the Vermont Development and Community Affairs Agency (1985-1987). Prior to that, he hosted a public affairs radio program at WJOY in Vermont (1983-1984).
Guest was elected twice as secretary of state in Vermont, serving from 1977 to 1981. Under his direction, the agency became Vermont's ombudsman for citizen service and information. He has also been commissioner of the Vermont Banking and Insurance Department (1973-1976), and a legislative assistant to Sen. Edward Kennedy (1968-1971).
Guest is a graduate of Amherst College and Harvard Law School. He was also a Woodrow Wilson Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he studied economics at the graduate level. |
