Woolson named Vander Plaats campaign manager

Iowa political veteran Eric Woolson, who managed Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee's presidential campaign to victory in the 2008 precinct caucuses, has taken on the role of campaign manager for Sioux City GOP gubernatorial candidate Bob Vander Plaats.

Woolson has been involved in journalism, politics and public relations in Iowa for more than three decades. He was Gov. Terry Branstad's communications director and press secretary during Branstad's final term in office. He served as Iowa communications director to George W. Bush during the 2000 presidential campaign and was the communications director for the Doug Gross for Governor campaign in 2002. 

Woolson, a Norfolk, Va., native who has lived in Iowa since 1972, was also a member of the Iowa press corps for 20 years. He started his newspaper career in Boone in 1976 and worked for newspapers in Madrid, Guthrie Center, Webster City and Keokuk before joining United Press International in 1983. He wrote for the Waterloo Courier for 11 years, including nine as its political reporter/columnist and two years as its editorial page editor.

In 2002, he founded The Concept Works, a West Des Moines firm that provides public and government relations counsel, marketing services and crisis management for corporate, political and individual clients.