Terry Lierman
Alum Terry Lierman is returning to the private sector after a second stint on Capitol Hill. He stepped down as chief of staff for U.S. House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland.
“Terry Lierman has been a key part of the success of this office for over four and a half years,” Hoyer said when he announced the change in personnel in December. “When he came to our office, he brought unparalleled experience and a passion for helping people. I have worked closely with him for over 30 years to promote and support Democratic ideals, and I am pleased that he will continue to work with me by serving as the Treasurer of Hoyer for Congress and the Chair of AMERIPAC, my leadership PAC. I am very appreciative of all that Terry has done to assure the success of our efforts and look forward to working closely with him in the coming years.”
Lierman is now starting a new venture capital company, Health Ventures International. In addition, he will be chair of CSGI Inc., the parent company of CTIS, a health information technology company with businesses around the world.
Lierman came to the University of Wisconsin–Madison after earning a bachelor’s degree in political science in 1969 from Winona State University in Minnesota. He earned a master’s degree from the Center for the Study of Public Policy and Administration in 1971 and headed for Washington, D.C., to work for the National Institutes of Health.
From 1975 to 1979, Lierman worked as a staff member on the Senate’s Health and Human Services Labor subcommittee, eventually becoming the subcommittee's staff director. He became the youngest staff director of any House or Senate standing committee in 1979 when he joined the staff of the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations led by Warren Magnuson.
After Republicans took control of the Senate in 1981, Lierman started the health-care lobbying and public relations firm Capitol Associates Inc., which he sold in 2001. He served as president of Employee Health Programs, which provides medical reviews of drug tests, employee assistance programs and drug-testing program administration. At the same time, he served as vice chair of TheraCom, a mail-order pharmaceutical company as well as the executive director of the National Coalition for Cancer Research and the Federal Drug Administration Council. Lierman also served on the board of visitors the La Follette School shared with the Department of Political Science from 2001 to 2008.
A candidate for Congress in 2000, Lierman served as finance co-chair for Howard Dean’s presidential campaign from 2003 to 2004 and as chair of Maryland’s Democratic Party from 2004 to 2007. “The party had great success under his leadership, helping to elect Martin O’Malley governor, senator Cardin to the Senate and putting the Maryland Democratic Party on a strong financial footing,” Hoyer’s December 13 media released notes.
Lierman joined Hoyer’s staff in 2007 and became one of the most powerful House staffers, according to Roll Call, collaborating with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s chief of staff. Roll Call recognized Lierman in 2008 as one of Capitol Hill’s “Fabulous Fifty,” a prestigious list of the most powerful Hill aides.
As chief of staff, Lierman managed Hoyer’s personal and leadership offices, as well as hisMaryland staff. “The best part of the job is the combination of policy with politics and management,” Lierman told the Almanac of the Unelected in 2008. “There’s very few jobs in the world where you can do all three.”
Hoyer Announces New Chief of Staff, December 13, 2011, Office of Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer
Terry Lierman: Why He Matters, March 8, 2011, WhoRunsGov, the Washington Post
— posted December 21, 2011