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Meet Rand Knight

Rand Knight is a Democratic candidate running for U.S. Senate in Georgia challenging incumbent Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss.
     
Franklin Randolph “Rand” Knight Jr. was born in Atlanta, GA as the first son of Judy Mozen and Randy Knight. His roots in Georgia go back more than fifteen generations on his father’s side, and his mother’s family can be traced all the way back to the Jamestown settlement in Virginia.

Truly a son of Georgia, Rand developed a love for nature swimming and fishing in Georgia’s lakes and marshes and hiking and camping in the mountains and forests.

Rand’s upbringing and family history also instilled in him the value of education, public service, and hard work. With the help of loans and financial aid, he attended The Westminster Schools in Atlanta from kindergarten through graduation. Rand spent his school breaks working as a carpenter’s apprentice, camping with his family, or visiting family in Brunswick, where his grandfather ran a butcher’s shop and delivered milk.
           

After graduating from Westminster, Rand attended Middlebury College in Vermont, but first he spent a summer interning under the vice president of Environmental Policy at Turner Productions while also selling clothes at Rich’s and working as a cook at Applebees.

While attending Middlebury, Rand continued working several jobs in order to help pay his way through school. He worked more than 30 hours a week for Apple Computer, was a spokesperson for Middlebury at recruiting events, and was active in student government all while earning B.A. with Honors in Environmental Studies. Rand completed his Master’s of Science at the University of Washington in Seattle in 1997, and it was during this time that he had his first taste of entrepreneurship, building a sustainable development in real estate business.

After working for several years as an ecologist with the US Forest Service and as a manager and businessman in the private sector, Rand continued his formal education and earned a Ph.D. in Ecosystems Analysis at the University of Washington in 2003. Rand has served as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the American Institute of Biological Sciences in Washington, D.C., and as a Scientist who helped get line-item legislative approval for the $1 billion National Ecological Observatory Network from the Executive branch and Congress.

Currently, Rand is a director at QL2, working in National Security technology and consulting.  In his years as a businessman in technology and consulting, Rand has developed a skill for diagnosing difficult problems and proposing innovative solutions.  Of all the skills he’s gained through his many years of education and business experience, Rand counts listening as the most important.  Listening carefully and thoughtfully is absolutely a key trait for him to truly grasp the problem, craft the solution, and understand how to implement it in the most beneficial way for everyone.  Now, Rand is ready to use his expertise and problem-solving experience in the service of his home state, following in the footsteps of his political heroes, Sam Nunn and Richard Russell

Like many Georgians, Rand Knight is frustrated by the constant bickering and divisive fighting in Washington, D.C.  These days, politicians in Washington seem more interested in scoring points and taking positions than taking a stand and solving problems for their constituents.  Knight knows that Georgia’s representatives need to do better.  He draws inspiration from Senator Nunn, who reached across party lines and focused on making Georgia and America stronger.  Just like Senator Nunn, Rand Knight knows that the government’s first responsibility is a strong defense.  Dr. Knight has a healthy respect for America’s fighting men and women because that’s how he was raised.  We need a Senator who recognizes that strength at home is a function of many things, like clean environment, access to education and quality, affordable health care.  These are tough problems, and we need a person who isn’t just another politician – a man like Rand Knight, who has experience tackling difficult problems as both a Ph.D. scientist and as a businessman with a strong background in National Security and large-deal negotiations.

Rand currently lives in his Atlanta, GA, with his wife, Linda, and their two children – Ellie Lu and Thomas.