Dennis F. Rasmussen

American politician

Dennis F. Rasmussen (born June 14, 1947) is an American politician from the state of Maryland. A member of the Democratic Party, he has served as Baltimore County Executive, a Delegate within the Maryland House of Delegates as well as a Senator within the Maryland Senate. He ran unsuccessfully in the 2006 Maryland U. S. Senate election.

Rasmussen graduated from Kenwood High School in Essex, Maryland. He used to attend Essex Community College but ended up holding bachelor's degree in economics from Loyola College in Baltimore, Maryland in 1970.

Rasmussen established and later served as President of The Rasmussen Group, a political lobbying group. His career includes both political offices and entrepreneurial experience in the fields of lobbying, association management, banking and marketing services, as well as the directorships on various boards of major corporate entities and community nonprofits. He developed and operated several businesses in the fields of information development, alternative energy and real estate. As a lobbyist, Rasmussen has worked at local, state and federal government levels. Additionally, Rasmussen is a Principal in consulting firms such as Chesapeake Renewable Energy, LLC, Chesapeake Ventures, LLC, and Rasmussen/Swanzey Strategic Partners, LLC.

Prior to his advocacy career, Rasmussen served as Chairman of the Maryland Senate Finance Committee as a State Senator from 1978 to 1986. Rasmussen held a variety of key positions, ranging from Majority Whip, Chairman of the Joint Budget and Audit Committee to Chairman of the Finance Committee. Rasmussen served a single term as Baltimore County Executive between 1986 and 1990. Two decades later, he ran unsuccessfully for the junior Maryland seat in the 2006 U. S. Senate election.