President and CEO
Business-Industry Political Action Committee
Former Co-Chair Congressional Ukrainian Caucus, Former U.S. Congressman

Starting from June 2015 Honorable James“Jim” Gerlach as its new president and chief executive officer of Business-Industry Political Action Committee which iscomprised of more than 7,300 businesses and associations and is dedicated to increasing thepolitical effectiveness of America’s business community.Former U.S. Congressman Gerlach joins BIPAC from an extensive career in public service andthe private sector. 

As a Congressman to Pennsylvania's Sixth Congressional District for 12 years, Mr. Gerlach worked closely on a variety of issues directly affecting his constituents including matters related to related to biotechnology, healthcare, environment and tax reform. Splitting his time between Venable's Washington, DC and Wilmington, DE offices, Mr. Gerlach is uniquely positioned to counsel clients on a variety of top public policy issues, as well as guide them through various legislative hurdles.

While in Congress, Mr. Gerlach most recently served on the influential House Ways and Means Committee and was a member of the Subcommittees on Health and Select Revenue. He was considered by many to be the lead Republican on Ways and Means Manufacturing Working Group. Throughout his tenure in the House, Mr. Gerlach also served on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Financial Services Committee and the Small Business Committee. Prior to Congress, he also served four years in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and eight years in the Pennsylvania Senate, and was a leader on welfare reform, healthcare and local government issues.

Mr. Gerlach began his career as a legislative aide in the Pennsylvania State Senate before joining a Pennsylvania law firm to develop a private practice. He later served two terms in both the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and the Pennsylvania State Senate.

ACTIVITIES

Active in his community, Mr. Gerlach served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Brandywine Health Foundation. He previously served on the Board of Directors of MECA (Mission for Educating Children with Autism), the Board of Trustees of Dickinson College, the Chester County Agricultural Development Council, the West Brandywine Township Zoning Hearing Board and the Board of Directors of the Brandywine Hospital.