About Ed

While serving as Senate Majority Leader, Vice Chair of the Finance Committee and member of other standing committees, Ed developed an extensive knowledge of utility, technology and banking issues.  He co-chaired the joint Senate and House committee that developed the first comprehensive reorganization of state government in over twenty years.  His efforts led to the consolidation of several state agencies, including the creation of a new Department of Environmental Services.

In 1990, Ed was elected President of the Senate.  As such, he established and chaired the first standing legislative committee on economic development in New Hampshire history.  Under his leadership, the Legislature adopted initiatives to stimulate capital formation, establish the state economic development fund, provide research and development assistance for emerging companies, and reform the state Business Profits Tax (BPT) to include tax credits for jobs creation and capital investments.

Ed attended the University of New Hampshire (UNH).  After finishing his studies, Ed founded Strafford Fuels, a distributor of petroleum products and services located in Rochester.

Ed has served on the boards of a number of organizations, and is currently on the Board of Managers at MerchantBanc, a venture capital firm based in Manchester.  In May 2013, Governor Maggie Hassan named Ed to the Commission on Innovation, Efficiency and Transparency in State Government.

Recently, Ed stepped down as Chair of the University System of New Hampshire (USNH) Board of Trustees after serving four terms.  and served on the Board of Directors for UNH School of Law.

Ed has had a life-long interest in aviation and is an instrument rated private pilot, as well as a competitive, regionally ranked water skier.  He lives with his wife Andrea in Durham.