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Robert M. La Follette
School of Public Affairs
1225 Observatory Drive
Madison, WI 53706
Telephone: 608.262.3581
Fax: 608.265.3233
Last updated:
August 18, 2011
© Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System
Alumni and Friends: La Follette Notes: Fall 2008
Grad pays dividend to La Follette School in thanks
A desire to understand the practical application of economic theory led Jon Montgomery to enroll at the La Follette Institute of Public Affairs — and to a 15-year career with the U.S. Department of Commerce, where he is an expert on the development of economic and trade policy affecting the U.S. civil aerospace manufacturing sector.
With career taking wing, grad gives back to La Follette School
Jon Montgomery checks out the cockpit of a C-17 military cargo aircraft at the 2007 Paris Air Show. The 1993 alum attends international aerospace trade shows to check out new technology for his job with the U.S. Department of Commerce. He supports the La Follette School financially in part because it helped him follow this career path.
The 1993 La Follette alum hadn’t considered federal service until he spent some time in Madison. “I was inspired by my education — the coursework and conversations with classmates and professors — to use my skills and abilities for the betterment of the nation,” Montgomery says. “My diverse coursework at La Follette gave me a sense of direction and purpose for how to apply my education. In addition to the theory and mechanics of public policy analysis, I learned how that analysis could shape policies and legislation that would, in turn, affect everyday lives.”
While at the La Follette Institute, Montgomery applied his analytical skills as a research assistant to a project that assessed the financial impact of a gas tax on people in different income groups. He won a scholarship that placed him with the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C.
“I saw firsthand how the U.S. government helps companies to build partnerships with businesses in other countries, and how the federal government funds technical and policy exchanges with foreign government officials to share best practices and govern more effectively. I was hooked.”
These experiences are why Montgomery supports the La Follette School financially. “I believe it is important to pay a dividend back to the school that invested in me,” he says. “The Wisconsin Idea encourages a lifelong partnership between the school and the community. Just as the university participates in and contributes to the community, so do alumni have a responsibility to nurture and enable that partnership after graduation.”
“Financial assistance was a critical enabler for me to take an internship in Washington,” he adds. “And I remember what it was like to live on a shoestring budget while at La Follette. Hopefully my contributions will help alleviate at least a small portion of that financial burden for a current La Follette student or provide an activity or resource that would otherwise be unavailable.”
Montgomery is fond of the La Follette School for personal reasons as well: He met his wife, Stephanie, at the 1994 wedding of fellow student Colleen (Prentice) Meiman, who is now a management analyst with the Health Resources and Services Administration in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Montgomerys had their first child, Jack Montgomery, in June 2006.
As for his federal-sector career path, Montgomery has served on U.S. delegations to international negotiations on trade finance and environmental standards for aviation. He organized and developed policy recommendations as a staff member of the Presidential Commission on the Future of the United States Aerospace Industry. He co-developed an integrated plan for modernizing the nation’s air transportation system in partnership with executives from the White House, seven other federal agencies and industry. Most recently, he helped devise the first policy to cover all aspects of national aeronautics research and development.
“My success in each endeavor has been based on the solid foundation of education and experience gained during my time at the University of Wisconsin–Madison,” Montgomery says. “At La Follette, I learned that I have a unique responsibility as a federal employee to provide help to those who need it, to speak for those who don’t have a voice, and to be an effective steward of public money and public trust.”