Kim Olson

{{short description|American military officer, non-profit executive, and politician}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Kim Olson

| caption = Kim Olson at a town hall event in Nacogdoches Texas

| image = Col. Kim Olson (cropped).jpg

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|October 24, 1957}}

| birth_place = Waukegan, Illinois, U.S.

| party = Democratic

| spouse = Kent

| children = 2

| education = {{ubl|Ohio State University (BA)|Naval War College (MA)|National Defense University (MA)|Webster University (MBA)}}

| allegiance = {{flag|United States}}

| branch = {{flag|United States Air Force}}

| serviceyears = 1979–2005

| rank = Colonel

}}

Kimberly D. Olson (born October 24, 1957){{Cite web|title=2008 – Kimberly D. Olson {{!}} Iowa Aviation Museum|url=http://flyingmuseum.com/hall-of-fame/2008-olson/|access-date=July 15, 2020|language=en-US}} is an American non-profit executive, politician, and retired military officer from the state of Texas. She served in the United States Air Force for 25 years, reaching the rank of colonel. She was the Democratic Party nominee for Texas Agriculture Commissioner in the 2018 elections and a candidate in the 2020 elections seeking to represent {{ushr|TX|24}} in the United States House of Representatives.

Early life and education

Olson was born in Waukegan, Illinois. Her parents were teachers in the United States Department of Defense. Olson grew up on her family's farm in New Hampton, Iowa, and lived on military bases in Germany, Bermuda, and the Philippines. She graduated from Ohio State University in 1979 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in education.{{Cite web|url=https://www.texastribune.org/2018/07/30/kim-olson-democrat-agriculture/|title=On the campaign trail, Democrat running for agriculture commissioner reckons with her past|first=David|last=Yaffe-Bellany|date=July 30, 2018|website=The Texas Tribune|access-date=July 14, 2020}} She also earned Master of Arts degrees in national security and strategic studies from the Naval War College and in national security strategy from the National Defense University, as well as Master of Business Administration from Webster University.{{cite web|url=https://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/education/stories/DN-olson_16met.ART.State.Edition2.4320071.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070519073515/https://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/education/stories/DN-olson_16met.ART.State.Edition2.4320071.html|title=DISD hires HR director: She left Air Force under cloud, but her account satisfies Hinojosa|date=May 16, 2007|first=Kent|last=Fischer|work=The Dallas Morning News|archive-date=May 19, 2007|access-date=July 16, 2020}}

Career

= Military service =

Olson joined the United States Air Force in 1979. She was the first woman to go through flight training at Laughlin Air Force Base and became one of the first female pilots in the Air Force.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/575220933/?terms=kim%2Bolson|title=Pilot breaks the gender barrier|first=Virginia|last=de Leon|work=The Spokesman-Review|location=Spokane, Washington|page=A1|date=April 23, 1998|access-date=July 14, 2020|via=Newspapers.com}} She served as a squadron commander of the 96th Air Refueling Squadron out of Fairchild Air Force Base, becoming one of only eight female squadron commanders.{{cite web|url=https://products.kitsapsun.com/archive/1998/04-24/0045_air_force_commander_breaks_gender.html|title=Air Force Commander breaks gender barrier|date=April 24, 1998|work=Kitsap Sun|access-date=July 16, 2020}} Olson reached the rank of colonel in 2000, and was assigned to the comptroller's office in The Pentagon in early 2003.

In 2003, General Jay Garner, the director of the Office for Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance, selected Olson to be his executive officer in helping to rebuild Iraq after Operation Iraqi Freedom. Three months into the role, Garner was replaced by Paul Bremer, and the Department of Defense charged Olson with providing improper assistance to a private security firm from South Africa. Though she denies the allegations, Olson accepted a non-judicial punishment rather than face a potential court martial by pleading guilty to administrative violations and accepting a written reprimand. She was allowed to retire with an honorable discharge without a reduction in rank,{{cite web|title=Pilot turns nightmares of Iraq into therapeutic writing|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/649429166/?terms=kim%2Bolson|page=6B|work=Fort Worth Star-Telegram|date=November 26, 2006|access-date=July 14, 2020|via=Newspapers.com}} which she received in May 2005.{{cite web|first=Jonathan|last=Tilove |url=https://www.statesman.com/news/20180721/how-texas-democrat-kim-olsons-military-career-crashed-in-iraq |title=How Texas Democrat Kim Olson's military career crashed in Iraq |work=Austin American-Statesman |date=July 21, 2018 |access-date=May 7, 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-apr-19-na-meteoric19-story.html|title=A Bright Career Unravels in Iraq|date=April 19, 2006|first=T. Christian|last=Miller|author-link=T. Christian Miller|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=July 14, 2020}}

After her discharge, Olson founded Grace After Fire, a nonprofit organization that aids female military veterans when they return to civilian life. She also wrote a memoir, Iraq and Back: Inside the War to Win the Peace, which was published in 2006.

=Politics=

In 2007, Olson became the Director of Human Resources for the Dallas Independent School District.{{cite web|url=https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/if-nothing-else-disds-new-hr-director-has-a-fascinating-story-7126936|title=If Nothing Else, DISD's New HR Director Has a Fascinating Story|first=Robert|last=Wilonsky|work=Dallas Observer|date=June 29, 2007|access-date=July 16, 2020}} That year, she was elected to the school board of the Weatherford Independent School District (WISD), representing Place 3.{{cite web|url=https://www.weatherforddemocrat.com/gallery/news/olson-sworn-in-as-new-wisd-board-trustee/article_80a69dcc-6988-5206-b455-02c24ce6d075.html |title=Olson sworn in as new WISD board trustee |first=Galen |last=Scott |work=Weatherford Democrat |date=May 22, 2007 |access-date=May 7, 2020}} She resigned her seat, effective September 1, 2011, because she and her husband decided to move out of Weatherford, which made her ineligible to serve on the WISD school board.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/648476203/?terms=kim%2Bolson|title=Olson resigns seat on WISD Board|first=Melissa|last=Winn|work=Fort Worth Star-Telegram|date=August 24, 2011|access-date=July 14, 2020|via=Newspapers.com}}

In the 2018 elections, Olson ran as a Democrat against Sid Miller for Texas Agriculture Commissioner. Miller defeated Olson in a close election.{{cite web|author=Andrea Zelinski |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Agriculture-Commissioner-Sid-Miller-in-tight-race-13368914.php |title=Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller wins re-election |publisher=HoustonChronicle.com |access-date=May 7, 2020}} Olson ran for the United States House of Representatives in {{ushr|TX|24}} in the 2020 elections. She advanced to a runoff election against Candace Valenzuela for the Democratic nomination.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/elections/2020/03/04/texas-24th-congressional-district-beth-van-duyne-has-wide-lead-kim-olson-and-candace-valenzuela-headed-to-runoff/|title=Texas 24th Congressional District: Beth Van Duyne wins GOP primary; Kim Olson and Candace Valenzuela headed to runoff|date=March 4, 2020|website=Dallas News|access-date=July 14, 2020}} Olson was defeated by Valenzuela in the runoff, earning 39.6% of the vote compared to Valenzuela's 60.4%.{{Cite news|title=Texas Democratic Primary Runoff Election Results: 24th Congressional District|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/07/14/us/elections/results-texas-house-district-24-democrat-primary-runoff-election.html|access-date=July 16, 2020|issn=0362-4331}}

Following the run-off, Olson spent the rest of the election season raising money for women running for office in Texas. Through her PAC, WomenWin,{{Cite web|title=Texas Ethics Commission|url=http://204.65.203.5/public/100800032.pdf}} Olson donated funds to dozens of women running for state house, county commissioner and judicial races.

Personal life

Olson met her husband, Kent, while they both served as flight instructors for the Air Force in Arizona. They have an adult son and daughter and one grandchild,{{cite web|url=https://www.weatherforddemocrat.com/gallery/news/kim-olson-vying-for-open-wisd-seat/article_d0083a4d-67f7-586f-ba48-43832dd958c3.html |title=Kim Olson vying for open WISD seat |work=Weatherford Democrat|date=May 1, 2007 |access-date=May 7, 2020}} and live on a farm in Mineral Wells, Texas.

Olson is a Master Gardener.{{cite web|url=https://www.weatherforddemocrat.com/news/local_news/former-wisd-trustee-olson-seeks-office/article_534835ea-5659-535a-b368-ca25578b2bbd.html |title=Former WISD trustee Olson seeks office |work=Weatherford Democrat |date=May 19, 2017 |access-date=May 7, 2020}} In 2014, she was inducted into the Texas Women's Hall of Fame.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/648519544/?terms=kim%2Bolson|title=Holiday recognizes both men and women for service to their country|first=Melissa|last=Winn|work=Fort Worth Star Telegram|page=A1|date=May 28, 2014|access-date=July 14, 2020|via=Newspapers.com}}