Question: Facts: - president: george w. bush george w. bush - party: republican - predecessor: position established position established robert casey donald bailey - lieutenant: mark schweiker - birth date: 26 august 1945 - branch: united states - birthname: thomas joseph ridge - order: 43rd governor of pennsylvania - spouse: michele ridge - office: 1st homeland security advisor united states secretary of homeland security united states - district: pennsylvania 21 21st - term end: february 5 , 2001 january 3 , 1995 1 , 2005 january 24 , 2003 october - awards: bronze vietnam campaign medal vietnam gallantry cross combat infantryman badge star national defense service medal vietnam service medal - unit: 15px 23rd infantry division - name: tom ridge - birth place: munhall , pennsylvania , u.s. - successor: michael chertoff john gordon mark schweiker phil english - state: pennsylvania - alma mater: harvard university dickinson school of law -lrb- j.d. -rrb- - battles: vietnam war - children: lesley tommy - term start: january 17 , 1995 january 3 , 1983 24 , 2003 october 5 , 2001 january - image: tom ridge.jpg border - religion: roman catholicism - rank: 15px staff sergeant Based on these bullet points, write a short biography describing the life of tom ridge .
Answer:
thomas joseph '' tom '' ridge -lrb- born august 26 , 1945 -rrb- is an american politician who served as a member of the united states house of representatives -lrb- 1983 -- 1995 -rrb- , the 43rd governor of pennsylvania -lrb- 1995 -- 2001 -rrb- , assistant to the president for homeland security -lrb- 2001 -- 2003 -rrb- , and the first united states secretary of homeland security -lrb- 2003 -- 2005 -rrb- .he is a member of the republican party .since re-entering the private sector , ridge has served on the boards of the home depot , the hershey company and exelon corporation and as a senior advisor to deloitte & touche , and techradium .ridge is also the founder and ceo of ridge global , llc , a washington , d.c. based security consulting firm .ridge spent time campaigning with senator john mccain during his 2008 bid for the presidency and was believed by some to have been in the short list of potential running mates .