Mike Connell

Mike Connell is a leader in the Internet strategy and communications field and specializes in putting the latest technology to work for public affairs, issue advocacy, and political clients. Connell is founder and CEO of New Media Communications, as well as several other successful enterprises. Connell is internationally recognized for his groundbreaking work and his predominance in online campaign politics.

Connell has provided Internet strategy and website development services for dozens of high-profile political candidates and national organizations including the Republican National Committee, the National Rifle Association, National Federation of Independent Businesses, National Crime Prevention Council, American Tort Reform Association, Americans for Civil Law & Justice, International Dairy Foods Association, Small Business Survival Committee, Internet Tax Fairness Coalition and many more.

In the realm of campaign politics, Connell's firm services the Bush-Cheney campaign, designing the award-winning www.georgewbush.com website in 2000, as well as the site and online tools of the 2004 campaign. In the 2002 campaign cycle, he served as the Internet consultants to the Senate races of Sen. Gordon Smith (WA), Elizabeth Dole (NC), Lamar Alexander (TN) and Sen. Ted Stevens (AK) and the gubernatorial campaigns of Gov. Jeb Bush (FL), Gov. Mike Huckabee (AR), and Gov. Bob Taft (OH). Beyond the Bush-Cheney campaign and the Republican National Committee, New Media's 2004 clients include The Republican National Convention 2004 Host Committee, John Thune for Senate (SD), David Vitter for Senate (LA) and more.

Connell has coordinated governmental projects for the Bush-Cheney Presidential Transition and the White House. Other governmental clients have included House Majority Leader Dick Armey, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, Sen. Rick Santorum, Sen. Jim Talent, Sen. Saxby Chambliss, and over thirty other Members of Congress.

Connell has emerged as an international leader in the field of political website development and has been engaged for international projects by USAID, International Republican Institute, International Democratic Union, and Freedom House.

Connell has also coordinated numerous online public affairs campaigns for Fortune 500 companies and beyond, including AT&T, BASF, Charles Schwab, Delta Airlines, EDS, Hill & Knowlton, Microsoft, and Nortel to name a few.

Under Connell’s leadership, his companies have won dozens of awards recognizing its innovations and effective business practices. In 2002, New Media Communications placed as number 171 on the INC 500. Other recognitions include the TechKnow Award for innovation and creativity in information technology, as well as the WebAward from the Web Marketing Association, and three Golden Web Awards from the International Association of Webmasters and Designers.

After the last cycle, The George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management honored Connell’s New Media Communications with the “Best Statewide Internet Campaign” award for its work on the Bush-Brogan ’02 campaign. Additionally, the American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC) has recognized Connell’s work for the “Best Use of New Technology” pioneering the use of text messaging via cell phones for youth voter turnout in the October 2000 parliamentary elections in Slovenia. Additionally, the Bush-Cheney campaign website was honored as the “Best Presidential Website” in 2000, and Connell designed the “Best GOP Website of ‘1998” as selected by Politics Online.

Under Connell’s leadership, New Media Communications has emerged as the most decorated firm building political websites. It has received a total of twenty-nine Pollie awards from the AAPC since they began recognizing excellence in online campaigning and six Golden Dot awards from George Washington University’s Graduate School of Political Management -- more than any other firm, Republican or Democrat.

Numerous organizations and publications have recognized Mike for his achievements. Named one of “25 Internet Pioneers Changing the World of Politics” by Harvard’s Institute of Politics , he has also been profiled by Interactive Week as an “Internet Pioneer.” Mike has been the subject of articles in The New York Times, Crain’s Cleveland Business, Inside Business and Microcomputer Solutions and has been named by Campaigns & Elections as a “Political Rising Star.” In 2003, Connell was elected to the board of the American Association of Political Consultants and he speaks regularly on the topic of Internet campaigning in countries including Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Sweden.

Mike is married to Heather and is the proud father of four children.