Committee Officers
Kevin J. Kelly - Chairman
Major Kevin Kelly is an F-16C+ Fighter pilot, currently flying with the New Jersey Air National Guard. After graduating with a B.S. degree in Accountancy from Villanova University, he entered Navy Flight training at Pensacola Naval Air Force Base and received his wings of gold as a Naval Aviator. Kevin has served multiple tours of duty in the Middle East, most recently returning from Iraq in April 2006.
In Spring of 2005, Kevin was elected as Chairman of the Philadelphia Young Republicans and is also founder and organizer of the Philadelphia Republican Meetup Group. He is a speaker and consultant with Afterburner Seminars, a group of young men and women fighter pilots who teach Fortune 500 and other outstanding companies the tools and techniques used by combat aviators. Kevin is the owner of a real estate development company in Philadelphia, currently overseeing the construction of 60 new homes, and plans to open the largest Spa / Salon / MedSpa in Philadelphia right here in the 5th Ward early next year. He holds his Pennsylvania Real Estate License with Coldwell Banker. A graduate of Monsignor Bonner high school, Kevin is also a member of the Union League of Philadelphia and resides in the Northern Liberties section of the city.
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Sharder is a resident of Ward 5, Division 17. This young man is engaged to a teacher at KIPP Philadelphia Charter School. He also recieved his BA in Political Science from Thiel College in 2003 and his MS in Political Science from Suffolk University in 2007. He is also striving for his PhD in Temple University’s Political Science Department.
Nathan works as a Research Assistant at Temple University in the Political Science Department, a Columnist at www.PATownHall.com and a Correspondent of Philadelphia Public Record. He is also a former Legislative Aide for VA General Assembly/Republican Caucus, Project Consultant for Abrams Learning & Information Systems, and Aide for the Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor. Sharder is even a past Political Director for the Westmoreland County Republican Party and a past Elected Member of the Westmoreland County Republican Committee.
Sharder has been active in politics since age 13; when he worked as consultant, staffer, volunteer on over 20 political campaigns. He also hs exiperience in being the author of numerous op/eds in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Philadelphia Daily News, McKeesport Daily News, Greenville Record Argus, and Norwin Star.
Nathan favors limited government, low taxes, and individual liberties. He is a member of the NRA, Republicans for Environmental Protection, Commonwealth Foundation, Loyal Opposition, Campaign for Liberty, Young Conservatives of Pennsylvania, Robert A. Taft Club of Washington DC, Temple Univ. Graduate Student Association, Haller Enterprise Institute Advisory Board, American Association of Political Consultants and Pennsylvania Political Science Association. He is very supportive of open primaries for all state and local races. You can find more out about him on his website.http://www.nathanshrader.com/
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Thomas D. Stoner - First Vice Chairman
Tom was born and raised in Solebury, Pa and attended Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Tom and his wife Lisa moved to Philadelphia in 1999 and Tom became involved in Republican City Committee as a volunteer/committeeperson for Sam Katz during his run for Mayor. In 2000 Tom joined the 5th Ward Executive Committee as outreach coordinator and became the 5th Ward leader in the spring of 2002. He was a member of the 2004 Bush/Cheney campaign staff in Southeastern Pennsylvania and worked for the Republican National Committee as a regional director of election day operations from 2005-2007. He is currently employed as campaign manager for Montgomery County District Attorney candidate Risa Vetri Ferman.
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Karen N. Chizeck - Second Vice Chairman
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John Featherman - Secretary
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Dwight E. Bechtel - Treasurer
Dwight Bechtel grew up in Abington and is a 1960 graduate of Abington High School. In 1964 He graduated from American University in Washington, DC with a B.S. in Business Administration. While in college Dwight was very active in the campus Young Republican organization.
Following his National Guard service Dwight joined the Insurance Company of North America in 1965 and worked for INA and its successor CIGNA Corp. until his retirement in the 1990’s. He has been a Society Hill resident since 1990, served the Society Hill Civic Association as a block captain, and is currently a “graffiti remover” in his area. He has also been actively involved in service to his condominium association at St. James Court. He was an active volunteer at the 2000 Republican National Convention.
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Kevin P. Cauley - Sergeant at Arms
Kevin Cauley is graduate of Temple University and Father Judge High School in Philadelphia. He currently works for Schiffrin, Barroway, Topaz & Kessler, LLP, in Radnor where he works in the firm’s business development and institutional relations department. Mr. Cauley has also done political consulting in coordinating and directing various aspect of field operations with emphasis on ballot fraud and voter integrity for local, state, and national campaigns in Southeastern Pennsylvania. He is also an active member of Vesper Boat Club, The Pennsylvania Future Fund, A.O.H. Division 88 “Officer Danny Boyle Chapter”, The Clover Club of Philadelphia, The Foreign Policy Research Institute, The Princeton Committee on Foreign Relations, and is an elected member to The Pennsylvania Society and The Union League of Philadelphia, where he serves on the Armed Services Committee.