Douglas Bennett

Douglas F. Bennett joined Southern Utah University in 2014 after a long and successful career in Washington D.C. Bennett now chairs the Department of Political Science and Criminal Justice at SUU.

Prof. Bennett began his D.C. career as Minority Counsel to the Committee on Energy and Commerce in the U.S. House of Representatives. As both Minority and Majority Counsel, Bennett managed a broad portfolio of legislative issues including interstate and foreign commerce, trade, product liability, insurance and automobile safety standards. Upon leaving Capitol Hill, Bennett joined Public Strategies Washington in D.C as Vice President, later moving to Timmons and Company as Executive Vice President. At both firms, Bennett represented world-renowned companies and universities developing and executing government relations and crisis management programs.

Bennett joined the Liberty Mutual Group of Boston, MA in 2004, and opened the company’s Office of Federal Affairs and International Affairs. Bennett directed Liberty Mutual's legislative and regulatory advocacy in Washington--including the successful re-authorization of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act. Bennett’s international successes with Liberty Mutual included securing a license for Liberty Mutual to conduct business in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, lowering barriers to entry in the People's Republic of China and leading efforts to secure a license allowing Liberty Mutual to market third party liability insurance in China, the first such license issued to a non-Chinese company.

Bennett’s diverse experience enriches his classroom and students are eager to take a variety of political science courses from one with experience in politics, legislation, trade, foreign investment, and product liability throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia. Bennett earned two bachelor’s degrees from the University of Utah, one in political science and the other in philosophy, both magna cum laude. He also hold a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Utah.