Hugh Weber

Current

President and Head Coach at Deep Bench

Past

Campaign Manager at Chris Lien for Congress
Senior Vice President at Bockorny Group State and Local
President and Founder at CommonSense Connections

Strategic Outreach Consultant at Young Voters Strategies
Political & Business Development Director at Vertical Systems, Inc
Grassroots Strategic Consultant at Christian Democrat Union
Deputy Director - Public Liaison at 55th Presidential Inauguration
Political Education Director at Republican National Committee
Campaign Manager at Moore for Governor
Presidential Appointee at USDA Rural Development
Regional Field Director at South Dakota Victory 2002
Political Director at South Dakota Republican Party
Regional Representative at South Dakota Governor's Office of Economic Development
Senate Republican Aide at South Dakota State Senate

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11 more...

Education

The University of South Dakota
The George Washington University
Swarthmore College

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Recommended

32 people have recommended Hugh

Connections

500+ connections

Industry

Marketing and Advertising

Websites

Hugh Weber’s Summary

Hugh is President and Head Coach of Deep Bench, a strategic planning and innovation firm that has helped underdogs become overachievers with a "work. play. do good." approach since March 2006.

Hugh's mission statement is to educate, engage, and empower those he encounters to maximize their personal potential through their church, community, charity and career, in turn maximizing each of these institutions.

Hugh prefers guitars to drums, baseball to basketball, and good home-cooked pasta to just about anything.

Hugh lives in Sioux Falls with his beautiful, intelligent and extremely patient wife, Amy.

Hugh Weber’s Specialties:

Social Media & Online Community Organizing, Thought Leadership, Trendspotting, Strategic Planning and Messaging, Internal Communications & Training, Personal Branding, Creative Talent Recruiting, Emerging Technologies, Business Development, Grassroots Outreach, Campaign Management & General Consulting, Political Technology, Political Education & Training, Young Voters

Hugh Weber’s Experience

President and Head Coach

Deep Bench

(Marketing and Advertising industry)

March 2006 — Present (3 years 5 months)

Deep Bench is a strategic planning and innovation firm that helps underdogs become overachievers with a "work. play. do good." approach.

Whether your need is messaging, strategic planning, training and/or business consulting, we seek to become your partner, recruiting teams of creative extremists that build passionate voices through conversation, content, and community.

Deep Bench highlights include Hugh’s recent designation by Ford Motor Company as a “heavy hitter” in the social media space, thought leadership and general management for award-winning online and social media campaigns, and message development and strategic management for niches including biofuels, insurance, finance, health care, tourism, fatherhood and churches.

- Political Columnist David Kranz [Argus Leader, April 16, 2006]: “In the end, voters talked about [Mayor Munson’s] media message. … Munson’s camp credits Hugh Weber for that.”
Campaign Manager

Chris Lien for Congress

(Political Organization industry)

April 2008 — November 2008 (8 months)
Senior Vice President

Bockorny Group State and Local

(Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Government Relations industry)

November 2006 — August 2007 (10 months)

BGI State and Local provides public affairs and strategic planning for public and private entities.

Highlights included the creation of a coalition called Grow South Dakota which sought to expand economic development in SD, the development of an strategic education effort to expand recycling rates in Sioux Falls, and extensive quantitative and CRM analysis for the region’s leading marketing and advertising firm.
President and Founder

CommonSense Connections

(Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Political Organization industry)

September 2005 — June 2006 (10 months)

CSC develops innovative technology solutions, provides consulting support and manages strategic trainings for political campaigns, corporate clients and non-profit/non-partisan groups. During my tenure with the company, CSC served the Republican National Committee as primary vendor for PDA & Cell Phone Development.

Company was sold to business partner in June 2006.
Strategic Outreach Consultant

Young Voters Strategies

(Non-Profit; 11-50 employees; Political Organization industry)

April 2005 — May 2006 (1 year 2 months)
Political & Business Development Director

Vertical Systems, Inc

(Privately Held; Computer Software industry)

January 2005 — September 2005 (9 months)

VSI sought to maximize corporate productivity and ROI by developing software solutions for mobile devices. Hugh was responsible for the expansion of VSI's political product line and client base.

VSI's Political Division and Intellectual Property were purchased by CommonSense Connections in September 2005.
Grassroots Strategic Consultant

Christian Democrat Union

(Non-Profit; 1001-5000 employees; Political Organization industry)

March 2005 — March 2005 (1 month)

Conservative Political Party in Berlin, Germany

Dr. Johannes von Thadden, General Manager & Chief of Staff, Germany’s Christian Democratic Union: “Weber’s insights and expertise in building a large-scale grassroots infrastructure were extremely valuable as we prepared for our national elections in 2005.”
Deputy Director - Public Liaison

55th Presidential Inauguration

(Non-Profit; Political Organization industry)

December 2004 — February 2005 (3 months)
Political Education Director

Republican National Committee

(Non-Profit; 51-200 employees; Political Organization industry)

January 2004 — November 2004 (11 months)

- Developed curriculum and coordinated logistics for trainings preparing more than 500,000 activists for 72 Hour Get-Out-The-Vote efforts.

- Managed five, intensive seven-day training sessions covering all aspects of campaign management, consultant oversight and strategic plan execution. Trained 132 campaign managers and finance directors who were sent to manage or play significant roles in races targeted by the RNC, NRSC or NRCC.

- Served on the three-person Executive Team that worked with 25 states to review and revise 72 Hour plans, which have been credited with providing the margin of victory for many of the Presidential target states.

- Managed the innovative 72 Hour Wireless program which used 3,627 devices to report 760,528 votes in 11 target states. This program is the first nationwide to use wireless technology to track Election Day voting (real-time) and convert information to immediately mobilize supporters.
Campaign Manager

Moore for Governor

(Political Organization industry)

September 2003 — January 2004 (5 months)
Presidential Appointee

USDA Rural Development

(Government Agency; 5001-10,000 employees; Government Administration industry)

January 2003 — September 2003 (9 months)

Appointed by President George W. Bush to serve Undersecretary of Agriculture for Rural Development.

- Assumed Chief of Staff role for an agency responsible for over 7,000 staff and a loan portfolio of over $86 billion. Received Top Secret Security Clearance.

- Included in executive-level consultations on all matters of concern in agency and subsidiary programs.

- Served as critical editor on memos, releases, and speeches issued by the Under Secretary.

- Represented agency on Secretary Veneman’s Committee on Office Restructuring and Relocation.
Regional Field Director

South Dakota Victory 2002

(Non-Profit; 51-200 employees; Political Organization industry)

June 2002 — November 2002 (6 months)

Adapted and implemented 72-Hour Task Force Plan in six critical swing counties on behalf of John Thune for Senate, Mike Rounds for Governor and other Republican candidates for statewide office.

- Recruited and managed professional staff as well as over 500 volunteers that identified, persuaded, and turned out voters. Organized several large-scale public events and press conferences to highlight coalition work.

- Efforts led to 74.9% regional turnout (statewide 71.5%) and victories in 19 of 21 competitive races statewide.
Political Director

South Dakota Republican Party

(Non-Profit; 1-10 employees; Political Organization industry)

June 2001 — June 2002 (1 year 1 month)

- Campaign Management. Developed campaign plans, fundraising efforts, direct mail and radio copy, and 72 Hour efforts for legislative races. Served as research support for Constitutional and Federal candidates.

- Legislative Affairs Coordinator. Coordinated weekly caucus press conferences. Developed talking points and weekly columns for Republican legislators. Participated in the recruitment of 105 Legislative Candidates in 2002.

- Communications. Designed and maintained www.southdakotagop.com and weekly e-campaigns. This outreach to activists and donors was recognized by national trade magazine, “Campaigns & Elections.”
Regional Representative

South Dakota Governor's Office of Economic Development

(Government Agency; Government Administration industry)

June 2000 — June 2001 (1 year 1 month)

Responsible for assisting communities in 11 counties with development projects aiding in business expansion and retention.
Senate Republican Aide

South Dakota State Senate

(Government Agency; Government Administration industry)

January 2000 — March 2000 (3 months)

Assigned to Education, Agriculture, and State Affairs Committees. Personal aide to President Pro Tempore and Assistant Majority Leader.

Hugh Weber’s Education

The University of South Dakota

PhD , Political Science , 2008 — 2012 (expected)

Expected Completion - Spring 2014
The George Washington University

MA (Political Management) , Campaign Management, Strategic Message Development, Party Development, and Polling. , 2003 — 2005

The New York Times referred to the GSPM as "The West Point of the Political Wars".
Swarthmore College

BA , Political Science, Public Policy, Black Studies , 1996 — 2000

Activities and Societies:

McCabe Scholar. Council Co-Chairman. Board of Managers (Student Member). Senior Class President. Alumni Council and Class Fundraising Agent. Reunion Chair. Sixteen Feet

Additional Information

Hugh Weber’s Websites:

Hugh Weber’s Interests:

Political Memorabilia, South Dakota History, Weber/Dahle/Hyde Family Trees, Genocide Prevention, Autographs

Hugh Weber’s Groups:

American Political Science Association, American Association of Political Consultants, Sioux Falls Downtown Rotary, South Dakota Communicators Network