Dave Hunt (businessman)

David M. "Dave" Hunt (born November 30, 1965) is a McLean, Virginia businessman and was the Republican nominee for delegate in the 34th district of Virginia in the 2007 Virginia general election. The 34th District was previously represented by Republican Vince Callahan for forty years and has also been represented by Republican Congressman Frank Wolf since 1980.

Dave Hunt lives in McLean, Virginia with his wife, Amy, and their two young children. Prior to McLean, Hunt and his wife lived in Great Falls, Virginia for 10 years. Dave Hunt moved to Fairfax County in 1979 as a teenager with his parents and two brothers.

Education and career

Hunt entered the College of William and Mary in 1983 and graduated with a B.A in Government in 1987. In 1993, Hunt completed his M.B.A. at William and Mary's Graduate School of Business with an emphasis in corporate finance. Hunt is a 1983 graduate of Oakton High School in Vienna, Virginia. In addition, Hunt attended Sidney Lanier Intermediate School in Fairfax, Virginia.

Dave Hunt served as a senior manager in corporate strategy, market research, and competitive intelligence at Freddie Mac in McLean, Virginia. In 1998, Hunt purchased the patent search firm Landon & Stark Associates (renamed Landon IP, Inc in 2004) with $5,000 in personal savings and external financing. Under Hunt's leadership, Landon IP grew its employee base from 8 people to 160 people and opened an office in Southfield, Michigan on June 1, 2007. The company owns the professional patent law training subsidiary, Patent Resources Group in Charlottesville, Virginia, which was purchased by Hunt in 2006 from the legendary patent attorney Irving Kayton. Landon IP has customers in 39 states and 44 countries. Hunt is widely respected in the patent community.

From 2001 to 2003, Dave Hunt worked in the Virginia House of Delegates as the chief legislative assistant for appropriations to Delegate Vince Callahan, who was the Chairman of the Virginia House Appropriations Committee.

In addition to his position at Landon IP, Dave Hunt has also served the community in a variety of positions. He served as an appointed member of a 2001 land use task force in the northern part of Fairfax County. He was the Vice President for Community Relations at Forestville Elementary School PTA, a mentor at Hunter Woods Elementary School, a member of Reston Jaycees, a youth leader at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church and chairman of the Dranesville District of the Fairfax County Republican Committee. Hunt has also served on transportation and education policy committees at several chambers of commerce and community groups in Northern Virginia. Hunt organized the the McLean chapter of Celebrate Virginia, which was created to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Jamestown. Hunt is a weekly volunteer to children with disabilities.

Politics

In 2003, Dave Hunt mounted an unsuccessful bid for the Virginia State Senate seat in the 32nd District held by 12 year Incumbent Janet Howell. However, he was widely credited with running an effecive campaign against the three-term incumbent. In the voting precincts of the 34th Delegate seat, Hunt lost to Howell by only 12 votes. Hunt beat Howell in the 34th District precincts that were also part of the Dranesville Magisterial District.

2007 Election

On March 13, 2007, Dave Hunt announced his run for the Virginia House of Delegates and will be running for the seat being vacated by Appropriations Chairman Vince Callahan in the 34th District. Hunt has defined himself as a strong supporter of a tunnel through Tysons Corner as the only option that should be followed during construction of metrorail to Dulles Airport. It is not clear whether Hunt will succeed in his push for underground rail, however, he continues to press for that option despite a recent vote by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors (by a margin of 8-2) to proceed with the overhead alignment.

Hunt has received the endorsements of a number of prominent Virginia lawmakers including Congressmen Tom Davis and Frank Wolf, Virginia House Speaker William J. Howell, Delegates Vince Callahan, Tom Rust, Dave Albo as well as Dranesville District Supervisor Joan DuBois, Delegate Tim Hugo, former Supervisor Stu Mendelson and Herndon Mayor Steve J. DeBenedittis.

Hunt also has received the endorsements of the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce, the Northern Virginia Technology Council, the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the Virginia Automobile Dealers Association (VADA), the Virginia Farm Bureau and the Sun Gazette newspaper.

Election Results

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