Boschwitz, Rudy, 1930-

BOSCHWITZ, Rudolph Eli (Rudy), a Senator from Minnesota; born in Berlin, Germany, November 7, 1930; attended the public schools in New Rochelle, N.Y., and The Pennington School in Pennington, N.J.; attended Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md., 1947-1949; graduated, New York University School of Commerce, New York City, 1950, and New York University Law School 1953; admitted to the New York bar in 1954 and the Wisconsin bar in 1959, and commenced practice in New York City in 1956; served in the United States Army Signal Corps 1954-1955; founder, in October 1963, and chairman of Plywood Minnesota, Inc. (renamed Home Valu Interiors, Inc., 1994) 1963-; Republican National Committeeman from Minnesota 1971-1978; elected as a Republican to the United States Senate in November 1978 for the term commencing January 3, 1979; subsequently appointed on December 30, 1978, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Wendell B. Anderson for the term ending January 3, 1979; reelected in 1984 for the term ending January 3, 1991; unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1990 and in 1996; chairman, National Republican Senatorial Committee (One Hundredth Congress); continued civic activities and membership on various advisory boards, including state chair of the American Cancer Society Crusade, Upper Midwest Kidney Foundation, campaign chairman for Minneapolis Federation for Jewish Service; received Citizen's Medal in 1991 for efforts in Ethiopia as President George H.W. Bush's emissary; finance chair in Minnesota for President George W. Bush 2000, 2004; is a resident of Minneapolis, Minn.

<p>Rudolph Ely Boschwitz (born November 7, 1930) is an American politician and former Independent-Republican United States Senator from Minnesota. He served in the Senate from December 1978 to January 1991, in the 96th, 97th, 98th, 99th, 100th, and 101st congresses. In 1990 he was defeated by Paul Wellstone.</p>

<p>Boschwitz was born November 7, 1930 in Berlin, Weimar Germany, the son of Lucy (née Dawidowicz) and Eli Boschwitz. In 1933, when he was three years old, his Jewish family fled from Nazi Germany to the United States, settling in New Rochelle, New York, where he grew up. A graduate of The Pennington School, he attended Johns Hopkins University and graduated from the New York University Stern School of Business in 1950 and the New York University School of Law in 1953.</p>

<p>He was admitted to the New York State bar in 1954 and the Wisconsin bar in 1959. He served in the United States Army Signal Corps in 1954–55. He was the founder and chairman of a plywood and home improvement retailer, Plywood Minnesota, which later became Home Valu Interiors.</p>