Tanner Ainge | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Tanner Ainge | |
| Member of theUtah County Commission | |
| Assumed office January 7, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Greg Graves |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1983-12-15)December 15, 1983 (age 41) Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Heidi Ainge |
| Children | 5 |
| Parent | Danny Ainge |
| Education | Juris Doctor,Northwestern University School of Law;Bachelor of Arts, International Studies,Brigham Young University |
| Website | Utah County Commission |
Tanner Ainge (born December 15, 1983) is an American businessman and politician who formerly served as a UtahCounty Commissioner. Ainge is the founder and CEO of Banner Capital Management.[1][2] Currently, Ainge serves on the governor’s economic development board and has been actively involved in Utah politics.[3] Ainge is also a member of theUtah Army National Guard. He ran an unsuccessful primary race for the U.S. House 3rd Congressional District of Utah against formerProvo mayorJohn Curtis in 2017, but he won the Utah County Commissioner election the following year.[4][5]
Ainge was born December 15, 1983, to Michelle andDanny Ainge, a professional basketball and baseball player.[6]
He attendedBrigham Young University where he earned a BA in international studies, and later ajuris doctor fromNorthwestern University School of Law.[7][8]
Prior to his political career, Ainge worked in private equity and law with national firmsHGGC andKirkland & Ellis and studiedMandarin while living in China.[9] Ainge has also served in the Utah Army National Guard as aJAG officer.[10]
Ainge was a volunteer forMitt Romney's 2008 presidential campaign for one year.[11]
Ainge and his wife, Heidi, have five children, one of whom was born inBeijing. Their children attend Chineseimmersion schools.[9]
In 2017, a special election was held in the 3rd Congressional District of Utah for the U.S. House of Representatives to replaceJason Chaffetz, who resigned on June 30, 2017.[12] Ainge received a quarter of the Republican primary votes, but placed third against Provo mayor John Curtis andChristopher Herrod.[13] It was suggested by Republican operative, Chuck Warren, and others on Twitter, that Ainge's congressional race could have been negatively influenced by his father, the general manager of theBoston Celtics, convincingGordon Hayward to leave theUtah Jazz as a free agent and sign with the Celtics.[14][15]
In 2018, Utah commissioner Greg Graves was called to resign for sexual harassment allegations, but completed his term under tenuous circumstances.[16] In the race for Graves’s seat, Ainge beat fellow Republican Tom Sakievich in the primary election[17] and had no Democratic opposition in the general election. His main opponent was third-party candidate, Teri McCabe, whom he beat with 82% of the vote.[18] In light of the Graves controversies, Ainge said he would run a campaign focused on restoring ethics and transparency to the county commission.[5]
During his two years on the commission, Ainge worked towards balancing the county budget, preserving and creating new recreational areas in the county and enhancing the county’s standards of ethics and good governance.[19] In 2021, Ainge was appointed by Utah governorSpencer J. Cox to serve on the Governor’s Economic Development Board.[20]
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