Thomas A. Loftus

Thomas A. "Tom" Loftus (born April 24, 1945)[1] is a retired American diplomat and politician from Wisconsin. A member of the Democratic Party, he was United States Ambassador to Norway from 1993 through 1998, during the presidency of Bill Clinton.

Tom Loftus
United States Ambassador to Norway
In office November 18, 1993 – December 22, 1997
President	Bill Clinton
Preceded by	Loret Miller Ruppe
Succeeded by	David B. Hermelin
70th Speaker of the Wisconsin Assembly
In office January 3, 1983 – January 7, 1991
Preceded by	Edward Jackamonis
Succeeded by	Walter Kunicki
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
In office January 7, 1985 – January 7, 1991
Preceded by	James C. Holperin
Succeeded by	Rudy Silbaugh
Constituency	46th district
In office January 3, 1983 – January 7, 1985
Preceded by	John M. Young
Succeeded by	John M. Young
Constituency	99th district
In office January 3, 1977 – January 3, 1983
Preceded by	David D. O'Malley
Succeeded by	James C. Holperin
Constituency	46th district
Personal details
Born	Thomas A. Loftus April 24, 1945 Stoughton, Wisconsin, U.S.
Political party	Democratic

Prior to his diplomatic service, he was the 70th Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly (1983–1991) at the culmination of a 14-year career in the Wisconsin Legislature, and was the Democratic nominee for Governor of Wisconsin in the 1990 election.

Biography

Loftus was born in Stoughton, Wisconsin. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater and his master's degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1976, Loftus served as a state representative until 1991. In 1982, Loftus was elected speaker of the Assembly, a position he held until he left the Assembly in 1991.[1] In the 1990 Wisconsin gubernatorial election, Loftus was the unsuccessful Democratic nominee against incumbent Republican governor Tommy Thompson. On November 4, 1993, President Bill Clinton appointed Loftus United States Ambassador to Norway and he served until December 22, 1997.[2][3] Governor Jim Doyle appointed Loftus to the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents in 2005.[4]

Notes

1. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau (comp.). State of Wisconsin 1989-1990 Blue Book. Madison: Wisconsin Department of Administration, 1989, p. 53.
2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-09-17. Retrieved 2009-11-06.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
3. "Office of the Historian". www.state.gov.
4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-05-27. Retrieved 2009-11-06.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)