Dossier
WHO: Peter Valcarce, 39
WHAT: President of Arena Communications, a $3.9-million direct-marketing company based in Salt Lake City. Valcarce owns 60% of Arena; partner James Ohman owns the rest.
WHY: To help Republicans get elected.
ROOTS: Son of orchard owners in Utah.
FIRST VOTE: Pulling the lever for Ronald Reagan in 1980 while an 18-year-old freshman at Brigham Young University.
FIRST POLITICAL JOB: Working in the Utah office of Senator Orrin Hatch.
WHY DEMOCRATS ARE BAD FOR THE ECONOMY: When Democrats took control of the Senate in 1987, Hatch lost his post as Labor Committee Chairman -- so Valcarce lost his job.
STUMPED: Worked on Salt Lake City's first Olympics bid. Managed a losing congressional campaign in Utah.
HOUSE OF UNREPRESENTATIVES: Valcarce launched Arena in 1996. Clinton's easy victory that year meant that few Republican challengers won House seats. But four of Arena's first five clients were elected. The fifth -- Jane Swift, of Massachusetts -- lost her House bid but went on to become the youngest governor in the United States.
MOST CONSERVATIVE CLIENT: Utah representative Christopher Cannon, one of the 13 House managers during Clinton's impeachment.
FAVORITE CLIENT: New Mexico representative Heather Wilson. "You can see her becoming a fast-rising star in the party."
RANKING CLIENT: George W. Bush
WHERE VALCARCE WAS DURING THE FLORIDA RECOUNT: Tahiti, on a cruise booked before the chads hit the fan. "I felt a little out of it because the ship only received a one-page summary of the news each day," he says.
A JANUARY SURPRISE: At a fete Valcarce threw for his clients at a D.C. restaurant during inaugural festivities, an uninvited guest caused a stir: Monica Lewinsky. "She looks just like she does on TV," Valcarce says.
Incubator
Dossier
All the President's Mail
Search
InfoPosse
Main Street
God is in the Detailing
Markets
The Surprise Economy
Seen
Consecrated Commerce
60-Second Business Plan
Veggie-Burger Kings
Business for Sale
Want a Novel Idea?
Please e-mail your comments to editors@inc.com.
