Thomas A. Loftus
Thomas A. "Tom" Loftus is an American diplomat and politician from Wisconsin. Loftus, a Democrat, served as United States Ambassador to Norway from 1993 to 1998 and as Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly from 1983 to 1991.Biography
Loftus was born in Stoughton, Wisconsin. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and his master's degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1976, Loftus served as a state representative until 1991. In 1982, Loftus was elected speaker of the Assembly, a position he held until he left the Assembly in 1991. In the 1990 Wisconsin gubernatorial election, Loftus was the unsuccessful Democratic nominee against incumbent Republican governor Tommy Thompson. On November 4, 1993, President Bill Clinton appointed Loftus United States Ambassador to Norway and he served until December 22, 1997. Governor Jim Doyle appointed Loftus to the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents in 2005.
