Republicans Name CEO of 2024 Convention

The 2024 Republican National Convention host committee has a new full-time leader that’s as familiar as they come with political conventions and Wisconsin politics.

Stephen B. King, Sr., 81, is serving as CEO of the Milwaukee convention. King, a former US ambassador and businessman long involved in Wisconsin GOP politics, has been formally involved in every convention but one since 1990.

“There’s no person better for this role than Steve King,” says Reince Priebus, host committee chair for the 2024 RNC, in a statement. “King has held key roles in the 2008, 2012 and 2016 conventions and knows what it takes to host the most successful Republican National Convention yet, which is exactly what this will be.”

King was a Wisconsin delegate at the 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 2000, 2004 and 2012 conventions, co-chair of the 2008 platform committee, sergeant of arms for the 2012 convention and chair of the convention arrangements committee for the 2016 Cleveland convention. From 2007 to 2017 he served as Republican National Committeeman from Wisconsin on the national committee. He was chair of the state party in the 1980s. He attempted unsuccessfully to run for U.S. Senate in 1988.

“I’m thrilled to be able to advocate for Milwaukee and the great state of Wisconsin through the Host Committee and ensure that Milwaukee is seen around the world as an amazing place to live, work, and visit,” said King in a statement. “The chance to represent the interests of the community for a convention I’ve been proud to be involved with for most of my life is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I’m so grateful to have.”

The new CEO most recently lived in North Carolina after serving as the U.S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic under President Donald Trump. But prior to his temporary European residency, King was a longtime resident of the Janesville area. He was an executive at chemical manufacturer Tomah Products in Milton for approximately 15 years before purchasing the company in 1994 and selling it in 2006. He then led an investment firm before being named ambassador in 2017. King’s career experience, according to a press release, also includes teaching high school political science, working as an FBI special agent, serving as a special assistant to U.S. Senator Edward Gurney (R-FL), working as a U.S. Senate staff investigator, three years as an assistant to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and a stint as director of alumni programs at Western Illinois University.

King also has a connection to the Watergate scandal. He worked as a security agent for the Committee for the Re-Election of the President and was allegedly involved in detaining the wife of the U.S. Attorney General from talking to the press. King has disputed parts of this publicly, and the U.S. Senate confirmed his appointment without objection.

Priebus served as the first chief of staff during Trump’s presidency. The former president is a potential candidate for the 2024 nomination.

The host committee is responsible for raising up to $65 million to host the convention. A $50 million federal grant is intended to cover security costs. The host committee is the entity liable for overruns. In addition to Priebus, other host committee members include Kathryn Burke, state party first vice chair Gerard Randall, businessman and philanthropist Ted Kellner, VISIT Milwaukee CEO Peggy Williams-Smith, Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce President Tim Sheehy and Uline Corp. operations analyst Tony Povkovich.

Before the pandemic decimated Milwaukee’s effort to host the 2020 Democratic National Convention, the local host committee fired president Liz Gilbert and chief of staff Adam Alonso as part of a February 2020 investigation into a “toxic” and “unstable” work environment.

The final dates of the 2024 convention have yet to be announced.