Oz Griebel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Oz Griebel
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| Born |
Richard Nelson Griebel
June 21, 1949 Camden, New Jersey, U.S.
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| Died | July 29, 2020 (aged 71) Pennsylvania, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Dartmouth College Suffolk University |
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| Political party | Independent (2017–2020) Republican (before 2017) |
| Children | 3 |
Richard Nelson "Oz" Griebel (born June 21, 1949 – died July 29, 2020) was an American banker, lawyer, and political candidate. He was known for trying to become the governor of Connecticut. He ran as a Republican in 2010. Later, he ran as an independent candidate in 2018.
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Early Life and School
Richard Nelson Griebel was born in Camden, New Jersey. His nickname, "Oz", came from his middle name, Nelson. This was like the Nelson family in the TV show The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.
Oz Griebel went to Dartmouth College. He graduated in 1971 with a degree in English. While there, he played baseball and football for the Dartmouth Big Green team. In 1970, he played summer baseball for the Harwich Mariners. He set a league record for how many innings he pitched. Griebel also earned a law degree from Suffolk University in 1977.
Professional Career
Griebel started his career as a teacher and coach at Worcester Academy. From 1993 to 1999, he was the CEO of BankBoston Connecticut.
In 2001, Griebel became the president and CEO of the MetroHartford Alliance. This group works to help the Hartford area's economy grow. He also served on the boards of several companies. The Hartford Courant and Hartford Business Journal named him "Business Person of the Year" in different years.
Political Journey
Oz Griebel decided to run for Governor of Connecticut on January 28, 2010. He met with many Republican supporters and took part in several debates. Some people questioned his loyalty to the Republican party. This was because he had given money to Democratic politicians before.
In the Republican primary election on August 10, 2010, Griebel lost. The nomination for governor went to Tom Foley.
On December 21, 2017, Griebel announced he would run for governor again in 2018. This time, he ran as an independent candidate. His running mate was Monte Frank, a lawyer from Newtown, Connecticut. Griebel had left the Republican party and was registered as Unaffiliated. Frank, a former Democrat, was also Unaffiliated.
In the main election, Griebel came in third place. Ned Lamont, the Democratic candidate, won. Bob Stefanowski, the Republican, came in second. Griebel received 3.89% of the votes. Some people called him a spoiler candidate. This meant his votes might have taken away support from Stefanowski, who lost by a small margin.
Community Involvement
Griebel was very active in his community. He served on the boards of many important organizations. These included the United Way, Bradley International Airport, and the Connecticut Business and Industry Association. He also helped with the Mark Twain House, the University of Hartford, and Yale-New Haven Hospital.
Personal Life
Oz Griebel lived in Hartford and had three children.
On July 21, 2020, Griebel was hit by a car while jogging in Pennsylvania. He passed away on July 29 due to his injuries.
