By early 1999, the event was $379 million in debt.  It was announced that Frank Joklik, president and CEO of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee (SLOC), and Dave Johnson, vice president, along with others had been involved in perks, benefits, and bribes that enabled Salt Lake City to be the host city for the 2002 Olympic Games.  Joklik resigned of his own free will.  Johnson, however,  was forced.

Then, on February 11, 1999, Mitt Romney left a successful entrepreneur career to be hired as the new CEO and president of the SLOC.

Romney has a history of rescuing large organizations from financial disaster (Bain and Company, 1990).  The salvation of the 2002 Games was no different.

In his three years at the helm in Salt Lake, Romney erased a $379 million operating deficit, organized 23,000 volunteers, galvanized community spirit and oversaw an unprecedented security mobilization just months after the September 11th terrorist attacks, leading to one of the most successful Olympics in our country’s history. (http://www.freestrongamerica.com/pa/ge/55/learn-about-mitt).

Thus, instead of being $279 million deficit, the event ended up with a profit of $100 million.  Romney spent a million dollars of his own money on the Olympics, and donated the $825,000 salary he earned as president and CEO of the SLOC to charity (http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/005/672kwvro.asp).

Mitt Romney’s wife, Ann Romney, converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints before they were married in 1969. They have five sons together and have been touted as having a strong marriage, based on Christian values taught by the Mormon Church.

Mitt Romney has also served in the Church as a part-time lay minister (Bishop and Stake President). Due to his religious beliefs, which include adhering to what is referred to as the Word of Wisdom, Mitt Romney abstains from drinking alcohol, using tobacco, and any illegal drug use. He also pays a full tithe to the Church which means he donates 10% of his income to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He also attends the temple of the Mormon Church and recommends that people learn more about the temple by visiting The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The LDS Church teaches first and foremost that there’s a God who is our Heavenly Father, that all the children of the world are his, that humanity is one great family, that we have a duty to serve one another and that we should try and live better lives. Believing in humanity as one great family is why the members refer to one another as “brother” and “sister”.

Being a member of the Mormon Church can be difficult at times due to the extreme beliefs that the members are held to. They are to attend church services every week, attend the temple on a regular basis, donate 10% of their earnings to the church, have a food storage system in place, love thy neighbor, be financially sound, help others, avoid caffeinated drinks such as coffee and tea, and more. There are of course benefits to being a member of the Mormon Church. They believe in life after death, families forever, the ability to become a God, repentance, Christ-like love, salvation, and more.