Kevin Nicholson (businessman)

Kevin Michael Nicholson (born November 1, 1977) is an American businessman, Founder and Volunteer CEO of the nonprofit, No Better Friend Corp., and a United States Marine Corps veteran . Nicholson was previously the Republican candidate for the 2018 United States Senate election in Wisconsin in 2018 . Nicholson served in Iraq and Afghanistan and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for his combat service in Afghanistan. 
Nicholson is a candidate in the 2022 Wisconsin gubernatorial election. 
== Early life and education ==
Kevin M. Nicholson was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He attended Homestead High School, graduating in 1996. Nicholson then attended the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in 2003 . Nicholson was elected National President of the College Democrats of America, served as President of the nation's largest student-run newspaper, the Minnesota Daily . 
Following graduation, Nicholson served in the United States Marine Corps from 2004-2009 and then completed a joint master's degree program in 2012 between the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College where he received a Master of Business Administration, and the Harvard Kennedy School, where he received a Master of Public Administration. 
== Career ==
===Military service===
Nicholson served five years on active duty in the United States Marine Corps from 2004-2009, attaining the rank of captain. He deployed as a platoon commander to Al Anbar Province, Iraq, in 2007 as part of the Iraq War troop surge of 2007. In 2008-2009, Nicholson led a Combined Combined Joint Task Force Paladin Counter-Improvised Explosive Device Team in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan near the village of Maiwand, a region with one of the highest known saturation rates of IEDs in Afghanistan at the time . Nicholson was awarded the Bronze Star Medal in recognition of his service in Afghanistan. 
===Private sector career===
Following completion of his service in the Marine Corps in 2009 and a joint master's degree program in 2012, Nicholson joined McKinsey & Company, where he worked until 2015. He then joined the management consulting firm ghSMART in 2015. He continues to work for ghSMART representing private equity firms such as New York-based American Securities, Boston-based Berkshire Partners, and Los Angeles-based Ares Management, LLC among others. 
===No Better Friend Corp=== 
In 2019, Nicholson founded No Better Friend Corp, a 501 (c)(4) nonprofit with a focus on promoting conservative ideas and approaches in the areas of economic growth, education, health care, promoting a culture of life, and national defense. No Better Friend Corp. operates throughout Wisconsin with ongoing programming initiatives .
Nicholson and his wife, Jessie Nicholson, both volunteer their time at the organization with Kevin Nicholson serving as Volunteer CEO and Jessie serving as Vice President and Special Advisor .
On January 28, 2020, No Better Friend Corp., along with Hispanics for School Choice, School Choice Wisconsin, Wisconsin Federation for Children, Americans for Prosperity hosted an event in support of school choice programs at the Wisconsin State Capitol that was attended by Mike Pence and students from throughout Wisconsin. 
On May 30, 2020, No Better Friend Corp launched a podcast titled “The Right Idea” . The Right Idea hosts discussion centered around the five pillars of No Better Friend Corp, including promoting policies that drive economic growth; strengthening education for all Americans; promoting market forces in health care; creating a culture that embraces and protects innocent life; and the promotion of a strong national defense to stop wars before they start.
==Political History==
===College years===
Nicholson was elected National President of the College Democrats of America in 1999 and served a one-year term ending in 2000. During his tenure Nicholson spoke at the 2000 Democratic National Convention stating that, "we care about a woman's right to choose" in reference to abortion rights . Nicholson would later oppose abortion and was endorsed by the pro-life group Wisconsin Right to Life during his 2018 Senate Campaign . 
Nicholson later ended his affiliation with the Democratic Party (United States), citing the Party's embrace of "identity politics” and its "leftward lurch on cultural issues” as reasons for his departure .
===Wisconsin Board of Veterans Affairs===
On February 20, 2013, Nicholson was appointed by Wisconsin’s Republican Governor Scott Walker (politician) to serve on the Wisconsin Board of Veterans Affairs until May 1, 2013. He was reappointed by Governor Walker to serve on the Board of Veterans Affairs until May 1, 2017 . 
===2018 U.S. Senate Republican Primary===
In July of 2017, Nicholson declared his candidacy as a Republican Party (United States) running for the 2018 United States Senate election in Wisconsin . 
During the Republican Primary election, Nicholson was criticized because his parents donated to Wisconsin's incumbent Democrat United States Senator, Tammy Baldwin . Nicholson lost the primary on August 14, 2018, by five percentage points to Wisconsin State Senator Leah Vukmir, but won 57 of Wisconsin's 72 counties. Vukmir lost the 2018 United States Senate election in Wisconsin to the incumbent United States Senator Tammy Baldwin by 10 percentage points on November 6, 2018. 
===Political Future===
Nicholson declined the opportunity to run for a seat in the United States House of Representative, in Wisconsin's 5th congressional district in 2020, stating that he was "focused on growing the conservative movement in Wisconsin and preparing for a statewide race in three years ." Nicholson was mentioned as a potential candidate for both Governor of Wisconsin and U.S. Senate in the 2022 Midterm election . 
===2022 gubernatorial campaign===
On January 27, 2022. Nicholson announced that he would seek the Republican nomination for 2022 Wisconsin gubernatorial election, challenging incumbent Tony Evers 
== Personal Life ==
Kevin Nicholson is married to Jessie Nicholson. They have three children and reside in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. . 
Category:1977 births
Category:American businessmen
Category:American military personnel
Category:People from Milwaukee, Wisconsin