ABOUT JIM'S STAUDENrAUS

For more than twenty-five years Jim Staudenraus has established a hard earned reputation as a problem solver and well informed advocate for the public interest.  Born in Madison, Wisconsin and raised in Setauket, New York, the son of public school educators, Jim learned early on value of critical thinking. A graduate of Ward Melville High School, Jim earned a Bachelors degree from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University in 1977.

Jim’s corporate career includes executive sales and marketing positions in communications, international trading and commercial insurance.  Since the 1980’s, Jim has been a successful grassroots specialist on a wide range of international, Federal and state issues.   

Jim is especially proud of his role in the 1990 landmark “Dolphin-tuna” project.  For two years, he was a key advisor in the common sense campaign to protect marine mammals while respecting the legitimate needs of the tuna industry.  The end result was the acclaimed “Dolphin Safe” canned tuna program which resulted in a 97% reduction in dolphin deaths.

Jim understands the needs of small businesses.  Since 1984 he has helped his wife grow a family-owned luxury linen business that has successfully met the challenge of low cost imports from Asia.

His advocacy work has garnered Jim the respect of policy specialists involved in a wide variety of issues from energy and transportation, to homeland and border security to wetlands preservation, and groundwater protection.

In recent years, Jim has turned his focus to the pressing issues affecting the security of our nation.  Jim’s expertise in the area of Border Security and Homeland Security made him a regular guest of talk radio and television shows in both the U.S. and Canada. 

Terrorism struck home for Jim in 1988 when 35 of his fellow college alumni were killed aboard Pan Am Flight 103. His commitment to a strong national and homeland security policy began at that time. Immediately after the 2001 terrorist attacks, Jim began his ongoing work with 9/11 family members, legislators, and law enforcement agencies to advance policies that can help prevent future attacks.

In 2005, Frank Gaffney, Jr. director of the Center for Security Policy, asked Jim to join a highly distinguished group of experts as a contributing author for the acclaimed book “War Footing”, 10 Steps America Must Take to Prevail in the War for the Free World. 

Since 2003, Jim has played an active role in regular meetings of the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services Division, helping foster better and faster information sharing between Federal, State and local law enforcement. Jim has also worked closely with the National Fraternal Order of Police on a wide range of State and Federal issues that impact officer safety, public safety and Homeland Security.

In the Fall of 2007, Jim worked full time to defeat then-Governor Spitzer’s roll-back of New York Driver License security. Jim testified at public hearings, and appeared nationally on FOX TV and CNN. He was also the plaintiff in a key lawsuit filed against former Governor Spitzer. curity.

In June of 2008, Jim was appointed to the New York State Sea Level Rise Task Force.

Jim and his wife of more than twenty years, the former Melissa Jane Lee, have two daughters, one in high school and the other in college.  They reside year round on Shelter Island.