Jim Rettew

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Jim Rettew is a communication strategist, political consultant, and TV producer who splits his time between Boulder Colorado and Melbourne Australia.

Education
Jim received a BA in political science and communication from the University of Pennsylvania and a Masters in Public Policy from Duke University.

Career
Political and Public Policy Advisor

Jim began his career by electing qualified candidates to public office. In 1998, he ran the campaign for Bernie Buescher for Lieutenant Governor, winning his primary with 80 percent of the vote. Previously, he served as the interim campaign manager to Congressman Pete Peterson, the campaign coordinator to Florida Agriculture Commissioner Bob Crawford, the campaign press secretary to Congressman Wayne Owens for U.S. Senate, and as a regional print press secretary to the 1992 Clinton Inaugural Committee. Jim was also a delegate to the 2000 Democratic National Convention , and he was a candidate for Boulder City Council in 2003 and the Colorado State Legislature in 2006. He was a semi-finalist to the White House Fellowship Program in 2001.

From 2000 to 2006, Jim was a member of the Transportation Advisory Board for the City of Boulder, and was Chair from 2003 to 2006. During his tenure, Boulder won a number of transportation awards including 'Best Bicycle City', 'Best Transit System', and 'Best Prepared for Rising Gas Prices.'

Jim continues to be quoted an an expert source for news artciles and panels.

Non-Profit Consultant
In 1999, Jim started his own consulting business that mixed responsible policy positions with political campaign techniques to help non-profits become more effective organizations. For his largest client, the Colorado Energy Assistance Foundation, he designed a national public service campaign with Ad Council to educate children about the importance of conserving energy. Ad Council is the same organization that designed the campaigns “This is your brain on drugs,” and “Don’t let friends drive drunk.” Other clients included Denver Head Start, Rocky Mountain Head Start, and the Daniels Fund.

TV Reporting
Knowing that the media can also have a powerful positive effect on creating an informed public, Jim created the Colorado Regional Report (CRR), a non-profit organization that provided televised news reports showing how political events from the State Capitol in Denver affected people in rural Colorado. During the 2001 legislative session, Jim filed over 60 news packages, 100 reports, and 5 live shots to network stations in Colorado Springs, Grand Junction, and Cheyenne.

Educational TV
Jim is the head writer, producer, and host for a new televised PBS show called the “Guerrilla Guide to Politics”. With a fun, energetic, light-hearted manner, the show teaches teenagers about the basics of voting. During the 2004 fall presidential campaign, the show won numerous awards and aired on PBS stations across the country including Philadelphia, San Francisco, Atlanta, Denver, Buffalo, and Austin.

Socially Responsible TV
Jim is the creator, producer, and co-host of X-Travel, a pilot program on international volunteer vacations. The pilot was filmed in 2005 in Khoa Lak Thailand, seven months after the tsunami. Jim's group helped build fishing boats for villagers who had lost their source of livelihood. During the filming, Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans. Upon his return, Jim helped raised three semi-trucks worth of needed supplies and worked with American Airlines to ship all the goods to the affected region.

Jim was also the co-organizer of the Metro Denver Volunteer-a-thon. The Volunteer-a-thon was a live television show, similar to a Jerry Lewis telethon, but instead of raising money, it raised volunteer hours for all local non-profits. In 2005, the event raised over 2 million volunteer hours, becoming the largest in the country. For his work, Jim was awarded the Boulder County Community Foundation’s award for “Best Civic Project”.

Academics
From 2003 to 2006, Jim taught political communication as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Colorado. During the 2004 presidential elections, he helped set up a series of political debates among students, and he has arranged numerous internships with elected officials.

Communication Strategist
Currently in Melbourne Australia, Jim is a Strategy Director for Royce Communication, a PR firm that specializes in government, corporate, and non-profits "below-the-line" campaigns. Jim is one of only three individuals to utilize the "Perception Analyzer" in Australia. The Perception Analyzer tracks audiences moods second-by-second through the use of wireless dials. The results are quantifable, instantaneous, and graphical.

Interests
Football
In 2007, Jim was the game day head coach and full-time assistant coach of the Western Crusaders, a semi-pro football (gridiron) league in Melbourne Australia. The team went 14-0 and won the Victoria State Gridiron Championship. Jim is now the assistant coach and defensive coordinator for the Victorian Eagles, a state team that will compete in the Australia Super Bowl (Aus Bowl) in 2008.

Adventure
Jim is a certified PADI divemaster. Between running campaigns, Jim taught at the St. Thomas Dive School in the Virgin Islands. He was also on the dive team of Colorado's Ocean Journey, now known as the Denver Aquarium. In addition, Jim was a white water raft guide for Blazing Paddles in Snowmass, Colorado and wrangled horses in the Teton Wilderness of Wyoming.

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