Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Mitt Romney
Discover the career path of Mitt Romney, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.
Mitt Romney is an American businessman and former politician. He served as a U.S. Senator for Utah (2019-2025) and as the 70th Governor of Massachusetts (2003-2007). A member of the Republican Party, he was the party's nominee for President of the United States in 2012, losing to incumbent Barack Obama. Prior to his political career, Romney had a successful business career, including co-founding Bain Capital, a private equity investment firm.
1960: Referenced Speech
During his "Faith in America" speech on December 6, 2007, Mitt Romney echoed Senator John F. Kennedy's famous speech during his 1960 presidential campaign.
1977: Joined Bain & Company
In 1977, Mitt Romney joined Bain & Company in Boston as a management consultant.
1978: Became Vice President at Bain & Company
In 1978, Mitt Romney became a vice president of Bain & Company.
1984: Co-founded Bain Capital
In 1984, Mitt Romney co-founded Bain Capital, a private equity investment firm.
1986: Bain Capital's Investment in Staples
In 1986, Bain Capital made its first significant investment by helping to start Staples Inc., after Thomas G. Stemberg convinced Romney of the market size for office supplies. Bain Capital eventually reaped a nearly sevenfold return on its investment, and Romney sat on Staples's board of directors for over a decade.
1990: Bain & Company Faces Financial Collapse
In 1990, Bain & Company faced financial collapse and asked Romney to return to lead the company.
January 1991: Romney Becomes CEO of Bain & Company
In January 1991, Romney became the CEO of Bain & Company, drawing a symbolic salary of one dollar, while remaining managing general partner of Bain Capital. He led an effort to restructure the company's finances and governance, bringing it back to profitability within about a year.
December 1992: Romney Returns to Bain Capital
In December 1992, after successfully leading Bain & Company back to profitability, Romney turned the company over to new leadership and returned to Bain Capital.
November 1993: Romney Takes Leave to Run for Senate
In November 1993, Romney took a leave of absence from Bain Capital to run for U.S. Senate.
1993: Served on Marriott International Board
From 1993 to 2002, Mitt Romney served on the board of directors of Marriott International, a company founded by his namesake J. Willard Marriott.
February 1994: Romney Announces Senate Candidacy
In February 1994, Romney formally announced his candidacy to challenge incumbent Democratic U.S. senator Ted Kennedy.
May 1994: Wins 68% of Vote at State Convention
In May 1994, Romney won 68% of the vote at the Massachusetts Republican Party convention, eliminating Janet Jeghelian.
September 1994: Wins Republican Primary
In September 1994, Romney defeated John Lakian in the Republican primary with more than 80% of the vote.
November 1994: End of Leave of Absence From Bain Capital
In November 1994, Romney's leave of absence from Bain Capital ended.
1994: Lost U.S. Senate Election
In 1994, Mitt Romney ran as the Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate in Massachusetts, but lost to Ted Kennedy.
1994: Attempt to Overcome Damaged Image
In 1994, Mitt Romney's campaign staged "work days" to overcome the image of a wealthy corporate buyout specialist. He performed blue-collar jobs, but TV ads highlighting these efforts received a poor public response.
1995: Donates Inheritance to BYU
In 1995, after his father's death, Mitt Romney donated his inheritance to BYU's George W. Romney Institute of Public Management.
February 11, 1999: Hired as CEO of Salt Lake Olympics
On February 11, 1999, the Salt Lake Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games of 2002 hired Romney as its president and CEO.
February 1999: Romney Takes Leave for Salt Lake Olympics
In February 1999, Romney took a paid leave of absence from Bain Capital to serve as the president and CEO of the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Games Organizing Committee.
1999: Bain Capital's Growth
By 1999, Bain Capital had become a leading private equity firm, increasing its number of partners, employees, and assets under management, achieving high annual returns on investments.
August 2001: Romney Announces Departure from Bain Capital
In August 2001, Romney announced that he would not return to Bain Capital.
March 19, 2002: Swift Withdraws and Romney Declares Candidacy
On March 19, 2002, Jane Swift announced she would not seek her party's nomination for governor and hours later Romney declared his candidacy.
November 5, 2002: Election Win
On November 5, 2002, Mitt Romney won the Massachusetts gubernatorial election with 50% of the vote, defeating Shannon O'Brien.
2002: Stewardship
During the 2008 presidential campaign, the campaign emphasized Mitt Romney's highly profitable career in the business world and his stewardship of the 2002 Olympics.
2002: Served on Marriott International Board
From 1993 to 2002, Mitt Romney served on the board of directors of Marriott International, a company founded by his namesake J. Willard Marriott.
2002: CEO of Salt Lake Organizing Committee
In 2002, Mitt Romney served as the president and CEO of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee for the Winter Olympics.
2002: Salt Lake City Olympics
In 2002, Romney served as the CEO of the Salt Lake City Olympic Games Organizing Committee.
2002: 2002 Winter Olympics and Paralympics
In 2002, the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics and Paralympics Games where held, during which Mitt Romney was the CEO of the organizing committee.
2002: Romney's Separation from Bain Capital Concludes
In early 2002, Romney's separation from Bain Capital concluded. He transferred his ownership to other partners and negotiated an agreement that allowed him to receive a share of the profits as a retired partner.
January 2, 2003: Sworn in as Governor
On January 2, 2003, Mitt Romney was sworn in as the 70th governor of Massachusetts. He faced a state legislature with large Democratic majorities and declined a governor's salary of $135,000 during his term.
2003: Fiscal Actions
In 2003, Mitt Romney had a 61 percent job approval rating after his initial fiscal actions.
2004: Health Insurance Measure
In 2004, Mitt Romney formed a team to create a new Massachusetts health insurance measure that wouldn't raise taxes or resemble "Hillarycare."
2004: Spent Effort
In 2004, Mitt Romney spent considerable effort trying to bolster the state Republican Party, but it failed to gain any seats in the legislative elections that year. Given a prime-time appearance at the 2004 Republican National Convention, he began to be discussed as a potential 2008 presidential candidate.
2004: Publishes Book About Olympics Turnaround
In 2004, Romney wrote a book about his experience with the Salt Lake City Olympics, titled Turnaround: Crisis, Leadership, and the Olympic Games.
December 14, 2005: Announcement
On December 14, 2005, Mitt Romney announced that he would not seek reelection as governor.
2005: Positions Were Moderate
In 2005, Romney maintained that his positions were moderate.
April 12, 2006: Signing of "Romneycare"
On April 12, 2006, Mitt Romney signed the Massachusetts health reform law, commonly called "Romneycare", which required nearly all Massachusetts residents to buy health insurance coverage or face tax penalties.
2006: Public Crisis
In 2006, Mitt Romney dealt with a public crisis of confidence in Boston's Big Dig project by wresting control of the project from the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority.
2006: Focused on Presidential Campaign
In 2006, Mitt Romney did not seek reelection as governor, and instead focused on his campaign for the Republican nomination in the 2008 presidential election.
January 4, 2007: Term Ended
Mitt Romney's term as governor ended on January 4, 2007. On his penultimate day in office, he filed to register a presidential campaign committee.
February 13, 2007: Candidacy Announcement
On February 13, 2007, Mitt Romney formally announced his candidacy for the 2008 Republican nomination for president in Dearborn, Michigan.
December 6, 2007: "Faith in America" speech
On December 6, 2007, Mitt Romney gave his "Faith in America" speech, addressing questions about the role of religion in his life.
2007: Republican Candidates
For the first half of 2007, Mitt Romney was little-known nationally, and hovered around 10% support in Republican preference polls.
2007: Romney Discusses Layoffs at Bain Capital
In 2007, Romney addressed the layoffs that sometimes occurred due to Bain Capital's leveraged buyouts, stating that while the "medicine is a little bitter," it's necessary to save the enterprise and that his job was to try and make the enterprise successful.
2007: Financial Crisis
Mitt Romney supported the Bush administration's Troubled Asset Relief Program in response to the 2007–2008 financial crisis, later saying that it prevented the U.S. financial system from collapsing.
January 3, 2008: Iowa Republican Caucuses
On January 3, 2008, Mitt Romney took second place in the Iowa Republican caucuses, losing to Huckabee.
2008: Potential Presidential Run
After the 2008 election, it was suggested that Romney was already planning his presidential run.
2008: Potential Candidate
In 2004, Mitt Romney began to be discussed as a potential 2008 presidential candidate.
2008: Lost Republican Presidential Nomination
In 2008, Mitt Romney lost the Republican nomination in the presidential election to Senator John McCain.
2008: Laid Groundwork for 2012 Presidential Campaign
In 2008, after the election, Mitt Romney began preparing for a potential 2012 presidential campaign. He used his PAC to raise money for Republican candidates and pay his political staff. This built a network of supporters and former staff who were eager for him to run again in 2012.
2008: Run for President
On February 13, 2007, Mitt Romney formally announced his candidacy for the 2008 Republican nomination for president in Dearborn, Michigan.
2009: Served on Marriott International Board
From 2009 to 2011, Mitt Romney served on the board of directors of Marriott International, a company founded by his namesake J. Willard Marriott. He had previously served on the board from 1993 to 2002.
January 2010: Predicted to Be 2012 Nominee
In January 2010, a National Journal survey of political insiders found that a majority of Republican insiders predicted Mitt Romney would be the party's 2012 nominee.
March 2010: Released "No Apology: The Case for American Greatness"
In March 2010, Mitt Romney released his book, "No Apology: The Case for American Greatness", and promoted it with an 18-state book tour. The book focused on his views on American exceptionalism, economics, and geopolitics.
2010: Automotive Industry Crisis
During the U.S. automotive industry crisis of 2008–2010, Mitt Romney opposed a bailout of the industry in the form of direct government intervention.
April 11, 2011: Formed Exploratory Committee for Presidential Run
On April 11, 2011, Mitt Romney announced that he had formed an exploratory committee for a run for the Republican presidential nomination.
June 2, 2011: Announced Start of Presidential Campaign
On June 2, 2011, Mitt Romney formally announced the start of his presidential campaign in Stratham, New Hampshire. He focused on the economy and criticized Obama's handling of it.
September 2011: Poll Surge by Rick Perry
In September 2011, Rick Perry experienced a poll surge after entering the race the month before, during Mitt Romney's campaign.
October 2011: Settling of the Field of Candidates
In October 2011, the decisions of Palin and Chris Christie not to run effectively settled the field of candidates for the Republican nomination.
2011: Presented More Relaxed Image
Beginning in early 2011, Mitt Romney presented a more relaxed image, including more casual attire.
2011: Served on Marriott International Board
From 2009 to 2011, Mitt Romney served on the board of directors of Marriott International, a company founded by his namesake J. Willard Marriott. He had previously served on the board from 1993 to 2002.
February 2012: Won Multiple Contests, Received Trump's Endorsement
In February 2012, Mitt Romney won five contests, including a closely fought one in Michigan, and received Donald Trump's endorsement.
July 2012: Visited the United Kingdom, Israel, and Poland
In July 2012, Mitt Romney visited the United Kingdom, Israel, and Poland to raise his credibility as a world statesman. He met with leaders including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
August 11, 2012: Announced Paul Ryan as Running Mate
On August 11, 2012, the Romney campaign announced Representative Paul Ryan of Wisconsin as his running mate.
August 28, 2012: Nominated for President at Republican National Convention
On August 28, 2012, Mitt Romney was officially nominated for president at the 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida. He became the first LDS Church member to be a major-party presidential nominee.
December 2012: Joined Marriott International Board Again
In December 2012, Mitt Romney joined the board of Marriott International for a third stint as a director.
2012: Republican Presidential Nominee
In 2012, Mitt Romney was the Republican nominee in the presidential election, but lost the election to President Barack Obama.
2012: Presidential Primaries Campaign
In 2012, Romney led or placed in the top three with Palin and Huckabee.
2012: Presidential Campaign Preparations
In 2012, Romney was preparing to launch his presidential campaign after laying the groundwork since 2008.
2012: Presidential Election Debates
The first of three 2012 presidential election debates took place on October 3, in Denver. Media figures and political analysts widely viewed Romney as having delivered a stronger and more focused presentation than Obama.
March 2013: Reflective Interview on Fox News Sunday
In March 2013, Mitt Romney gave a reflective interview on Fox News Sunday, expressing regret at not being in the White House and at the "47 percent" remark.
July 2014: CNN Poll Lead Over Obama
A July 2014 CNN poll showed Mitt Romney with a 53% to 44% lead over Obama in a hypothetical election "redo".
August 2014: Iowa Poll Lead
In August 2014, a poll of Iowa Republicans showed Mitt Romney with a large lead there over other potential 2016 candidates.
2014: Reemerged onto the Political Scene
Romney reemerged onto the political scene in the run-up to the 2014 U.S. midterm elections, endorsing, campaigning, and fundraising for a number of Republican candidates, especially those running for the U.S. Senate.
January 30, 2015: Announced He Would Not Run for President in 2016
On January 30, 2015, Mitt Romney announced that he would not run for president in 2016, stating that he believed another Republican leader would be better positioned to win the general election.
March 3, 2016: Romney's Scathing Attack on Donald Trump
On March 3, 2016, Mitt Romney delivered a speech at the Hinckley Institute of Politics, launching a strong attack on Donald Trump's character, business record, and policy stances, calling him a "con man" and a "phony".
2016: Presidential Election
By early 2014, the lack of a clear mainstream Republican candidate for the 2016 presidential election led some supporters, donors, and pollsters to suggest that Romney stage a third run.
2016: Did Not Vote For Trump
In 2016, Mitt Romney did not vote for Donald Trump in the presidential election.
February 2017: Romney Acknowledged Trump's "Strong Start"
In February 2017, Mitt Romney stated that Donald Trump was "off to a very strong start" in fulfilling his campaign promises, despite his earlier criticisms.
October 2017: Reports Said Romney Would Run for Senate
In October 2017, press reports stated that should U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch retire, Mitt Romney would run for that seat in 2018.
January 2, 2018: Romney Changed Twitter Location to Utah
On January 2, 2018, Mitt Romney changed his Twitter location from Massachusetts to Holladay, Utah, fueling speculation about a potential Senate campaign.
February 16, 2018: Romney Launched Senate Campaign
On February 16, 2018, Mitt Romney formally launched his campaign for U.S. Senate with a video message posted on Facebook and Twitter.
April 21, 2018: Romney Finished Second at State Convention
On April 21, 2018, at the state Republican nominating convention, Mitt Romney received 1,585 delegate votes (49.1%), finishing second to Mike Kennedy.
2018: Trump Endorsed Romney's Senate Campaign
In 2018, Donald Trump endorsed Mitt Romney's campaign for the U.S. Senate seat.
2018: Elected to U.S. Senate
In 2018, Mitt Romney was elected to the U.S. Senate representing Utah.
November 9, 2019: Romney Declined to Co-Sponsor Resolution Opposing Impeachment Inquiry
On November 9, 2019, Mitt Romney was one of the few Republican senators who declined to co-sponsor a resolution opposing the impeachment inquiry process into President Trump.
February 5, 2020: Romney Voted to Convict Trump
On February 5, 2020, Mitt Romney broke with the Republican party and voted to convict President Trump in his first impeachment trial, becoming the first U.S. Senator to vote to convict a president of the same party.
June 7, 2020: Romney Participated in Black Lives Matter Protest
On June 7, 2020, Mitt Romney became the first Republican senator to participate in a Black Lives Matter protest, expressing support for the movement against racism and police brutality.
2020: Romney Did Not Endorse Trump's Re-election
In 2020, Mitt Romney did not endorse Donald Trump's reelection campaign and stated that he did not vote for him. He also congratulated Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on their victory, being the first Republican senator to do so.
2020: Did Not Vote For Trump
In 2020, Mitt Romney did not vote for Donald Trump in the presidential election.
2020: Romney's Stance on Global Warming
In 2020, Romney opposed the use of mandatory limits on greenhouse gas emissions to deal with global warming. He was a proponent of increased domestic oil drilling and nuclear power plants.
January 13, 2021: House Voted to Impeach Trump a Second Time
On January 13, 2021, the House voted to impeach Trump a second time for incitement of insurrection.
February 13, 2021: Romney Voted to Convict Trump in Second Impeachment Trial
On February 13, 2021, Mitt Romney voted to convict Donald Trump for the second time along with six of his Republican colleagues.
May 27, 2021: Romney Voted for Bipartisan Commission
On May 27, 2021, Mitt Romney voted with a group of Republicans and all present Democrats to establish a bipartisan commission to investigate the January 6 attack on the Capitol. The vote failed.
2021: Voted to Convict Trump in Second Impeachment Trial
In 2021, Mitt Romney voted to convict Donald Trump in his second impeachment trial.
2021: Romney Condemned Capitol Attack
In 2021, during the attack on the U.S. Capitol, Mitt Romney rebuked President Trump and condemned the actions of the attackers, stating, "This is what you've gotten, guys!"
2023: Romney Confronted George Santos
In 2023, Mitt Romney confronted Representative George Santos, stating that he "shouldn't be in Congress" due to ethics concerns.
2023: Announced Retirement
In 2023, Romney announced he would not run for reelection in 2024.
June 2024: Proposed Framework for Artificial General Intelligence
In June 2024, Romney, along with other senators, proposed a framework to mitigate risks from artificial general intelligence, suggesting regulations to restrict actions that could lead to existential or serious consequences.
July 21, 2024: Statement on Biden's Withdrawal from 2024 Presidential Election
On July 21, 2024, Romney released a statement following President Biden's decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential election, respecting Biden's decision and stating it was in the best interest of the country.
2024: Legislative Achievement Award
In 2024, Romney received the annual Legislative Achievement Award from the National Emergency Management Association for his efforts in creating the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission in Utah.
2025: Retired from Senate
In 2025, Romney retired from the Senate when his term expired.
