26 Facts About Gerald Baliles

Gerald Lee Baliles was an American lawyer and Democratic politician from the Commonwealth of Virginia whose career spanned great social and technological changes in his native state.

Gerald Baliles then earned a bachelor's degree in government from Wesleyan University in Connecticut.

In 1967, Gerald Baliles received a JD from the University of Virginia School of Law in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Gerald Baliles received a promotion to Deputy Attorney General of Virginia during his final three years on that office's staff.

Gerald Baliles had become the secretary of Richmond's Democratic committee in 1971, and ran for office on his own behalf in 1975, and become one of the delegates representing Richmond and Henrico County, Virginia, in the Virginia General Assembly, Re-elected as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates thru 1981.

Gerald Baliles was active in the American Bar Association, the Virginia Bar Association, and the Richmond Bar Association, and chaired the Virginia Model Judiciary Program from 1975 to 1977.

Gerald Baliles was admitted to practice before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and the Supreme Court of the United States.

Gerald Baliles ran for statewide office as attorney general in 1981 on a ticket led by Chuck Robb, who became Virginia's 64th Governor.

Gerald Baliles resigned his office in order to campaign for governor, so his chief deputy, William Gray Broaddus briefly became Virginia's Attorney General until voters elected Mary Sue Terry, to that office.

Since Virginia's state constitution limits governors to non-consecutive single terms in office, Gerald Baliles ran to succeed Robb and won both the Democratic primary and general election.

Gerald Baliles served as the 65th Governor of Virginia from 1986 to 1990, and became known as an advocate for transportation, education, and economic development.

Gerald Baliles appointed the first woman, Elizabeth B Lacy, to the Virginia Supreme Court, expanded the state prison system, and sought to strengthen the state's environmental protections, including cleaning the Chesapeake Bay.

Gerald Baliles long emphasized the need for workers to continually acquire new skills and training throughout their lives and careers.

Gerald Baliles's administration increased faculty salaries, making pay for the state's higher-education teachers the highest in the South and within $400 of the national average.

Gerald Baliles chose against pursuing the Democratic nomination for President in 1992.

Gerald Baliles specialized in aviation and international law, negotiating agreements between airlines and airports, worked on strategic alliances between carriers, and led coalitions to expand market access and protect environmental standards.

Gerald Baliles accepted some public service assignments, including as chair of the Commission to Ensure a Strong Competitive Airline Industry Commission for President Bill Clinton and Congress.

Gerald Baliles sat on the boards of the Norfolk Southern Corporation and Altria Group.

Gerald Baliles served two terms as the chairman of the board of the Public Broadcasting System.

An avid fisherman, throughout most of his professional life Gerald Baliles helped preserving the Chesapeake Bay.

In 2004 Gerald Baliles served as chair of a blue-ribbon panel to raise money for the Bay cleanup, and in 2005 the Chesapeake Bay Foundation named him conservationist of the year.

Gerald Baliles founded the Patrick County Education Foundation and served as chairman of the Commission on the Academic Presidency and for the Task Force on the State of the Presidency in Higher Education, for the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges.

Gerald Baliles became the Miller Center's fifth director in April 2006, and before his retirement on December 31,2014, developed the "American Forum" television program.

Gerald Baliles had two children, Laura and Jonathan, with his first wife, Jeannie Baliles.

Gerald Baliles succumbed after a four-year battle with renal cell carcinoma and pulmonary fibrosis.

Gerald Baliles died in Charlottesville on October 29,2019, while surrounded by his family.