{{short description|American businessman and politician (born 1951)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2018}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Fred Hubbell |image = Fred Hubbell (cropped).jpg |caption = Hubbell in 2017 |birth_name = Frederick Shelton Hubbell |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1951|4|25}} |birth_place = Des Moines, Iowa, U.S. |death_date = |death_place = |party = Democratic |spouse = Charlotte Beyer |children = 3 |education = University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (BA)<br>University of Iowa (JD) }} '''Frederick Shelton Hubbell''' (born April 25, 1951)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/2018/09/27/fred-hubbell-emphasizes-policy-over-personality-politics/1303168002/|title = Fred Hubbell, scion of Iowa royalty, puts policy over personality in his race for Iowa governor|website = Des Moines Register|date = September 27, 2018|accessdate = October 11, 2018|last = Hardy|first = Kevin}}</ref> is an American attorney, businessman and politician. He was the Democratic nominee for Governor of Iowa in the 2018 election.<ref>{{cite news|agency=Associated Press|title=Hubbell wins Iowa Democratic primary|url=http://www.wowt.com/content/news/Hubbell-wins-Iowa-Democratic-primary-484649621.html|accessdate=June 6, 2018|language=en}}</ref> Before running for office, Hubbell served as Chair of the Younkers retail department stores in the 1980s and President of Equitable of Iowa. He served as Acting Director of the Department of Economic Development of Iowa and as Chair of the Iowa Power Fund in the 2000s.
==Biography== Hubbell was born and raised in Des Moines, Iowa. He received a bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Juris Doctor from the University of Iowa College of Law.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/2018/09/27/fred-hubbell-emphasizes-policy-over-personality-politics/1303168002/ |title=Fred Hubbell, scion of Iowa royalty, puts policy over personality in his race for Iowa governor |website=Des Moines Register |language=en |accessdate=2018-11-06}}</ref> While attending law school, Fred met his wife, Charlotte. They reside in Des Moines and have three married adult children and nine grandchildren. He is descended from the Hubbell family, a prominent business family in the early history of Des Moines. The Hubbell family mansion is now Terrace Hill, the official residence of the Governor of Iowa.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://siouxlandnews.com/news/beyond-the-podium/profile-fred-hubbell-09-13-2018 |title=PROFILE: Fred Hubbell |publisher=Siouxland News |accessdate=2026-05-10}}</ref>
After graduating from law school, Hubbell worked as an attorney in New York City. In 1981, Hubbell and his wife were held hostage during the 1981 Pakistan International Airlines hijacking.<ref>{{cite news |title=Hijacked Pakistan Jet Flies to Syria |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/03/09/world/hijacked-pakistan-jet-flies-to-syria-after-a-six-day-standoff-in-kabul.html |work=New York Times |date=March 9, 1981 |language=en}}</ref>
==Private career== Hubbell began working for Equitable of Iowa Companies in 1983. Equitable was a life insurance company originally founded by his great-great grandfather, Frederick M. Hubbell, in the 1860s. In 1985, Hubbell became Chairman of Equitable's Younkers retail department store subsidiary.<ref>{{Cite web| title = What does Fred Hubbell's Younkers experience say about how he would run Iowa?| work = Des Moines Register| accessdate = October 22, 2018| url = https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/2018/08/18/fred-hubbell-kim-reynolds-iowa-governor-race-business-record-fact-check-younkers/872250002/}}</ref> In 1987, he became President of Equitable. While at Equitable, he led day-to-day operations and strategic initiatives and was given credit for "orchestrating a revival of the once sleepy corporation." He continued as president until the company was acquired by ING Group in 1997.<ref>{{cite news |title=Dutch Giant ING to Buy Insurer Equitable of Iowa |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-jul-09-fi-10938-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |date=July 9, 1997}}</ref>
In 2009, Governor Chet Culver appointed Hubbell as Acting Director of the Department of Economic Development of Iowa to help clean up hundreds of millions of dollars in waste related to a film tax scandal.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bleedingheartland.com/2009/09/23/fred-hubbell-to-serve-as-interim-director-of-ided/|title=Fred Hubbell to serve as interim director of IDED - Bleeding Heartland|date=September 23, 2009|publisher=}}</ref> During his tenure, Hubbell helped conduct a Tax Credit Review Panel, identifying $160 million in tax credits and incentives that were producing little return for Iowa that could be eliminated or repurposed to better serve the state. Additionally, Hubbell served as Chair of the Iowa Power Fund Board of Directors from 2007 to 2010, tasked with investing $100 million in wind and renewable energy across Iowa.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://globegazette.com/news/governor-signs-power-fund-law/article_0e31b34a-07ac-5a99-a624-037a56f2228c.html|title=Governor signs Power Fund law|first=DAN GEARINO, Globe Gazette Des Moines|last=Bureau|publisher=}}</ref>
In February 2019, Hubbell was injured in a bicycle crash in Arizona, according to a statement from his wife Charlotte. Hubbell made a full recovery.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kcci.com/article/fred-hubbell-injured-in-arizona-bicycle-crash/26395811|title=Fred Hubbell injured in Arizona bicycle crash|last=Fodor|first=Cynthia|date=2019-02-18|website=KCCI|language=en|access-date=2019-02-18}}</ref>
==Philanthropic work== Hubbell has worked and served with a large variety of nonprofits and philanthropic organizations. He served on the Des Moines Mercy Hospital Medical Center Board of Trustees from 1982 to 1989, on the Planned Parenthood of Mid-Iowa Board of Directors from 1982 to 1988 and as Chair of the Board in 1985, as Iowa Chair of the United Negro College Foundation in 1988, as Chair of the Iowa College Foundation Board from 1995 to 1996, as Co-Chair of the Des Moines Branch NAACP Freedom Fund Banquet in 1996, as Chair of the United Way of Central Iowa Campaign in 1998, on the Simpson College Board of Trustees from 1984 to 2016 and as Chair from 2007 to 2013, as a Member of the University of Iowa College of Business Board of Visitors, and on the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines Board of Directors beginning in 2007 and as Chair beginning in 2016.
Following the 2008 flood in Eastern Iowa, Hubbell helped lead a disaster relief campaign, The Embrace Iowa - 2008 Iowa Disaster Fund, donating nearly $8 million for local organizations aiding flood victims.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.radioiowa.com/2008/12/23/governor-to-celebrate-flood-support-in-cedar-rapids/|title=Governor to celebrate flood support in Cedar Rapids|date=December 23, 2008 |language=en}}</ref> Fred and Charlotte Hubbell also helped Broadlawns Medical Center in Des Moines to expand their mental health facility, helping to increase their number of mental health beds by fifty percent and add two new psychiatrists.{{citation needed|date=June 2018}}
==2018 campaign for Governor of Iowa== {{Main|2018 Iowa gubernatorial election}}
On July 17, 2017, Hubbell announced his candidacy for Governor of Iowa.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/2017/07/17/fred-hubbell-officially-running-governor/485245001/|title=Fred Hubbell is officially running for governor|website=The Des Moines Register |publisher=}}</ref> On July 24, his campaign announced it had raised more than $1 million, a record total for any Democratic gubernatorial candidate for Iowa Governor, and on January 18, 2018, announced he had raised more than $3 million<ref name="auto1">{{cite web|url=http://qctimes.com/news/iowa/hubbell-raises-million-for-gubernatorial-run/article_73f5179b-95b6-5d19-99e3-967060b2d45a.html|title=Hubbell raises $3 million for gubernatorial run|first=Erin|last=Murphy|publisher=Quad City Times|date=January 18, 2018}}</ref> since launching his campaign. Hubbell was widely seen as a front-runner<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=http://qctimes.com/democrats-poised-to-choose-candidate-for-governor/article_2fad39f2-a236-5330-856d-3bbdf752bbed.html|title=Democrats poised to choose candidate for governor|first=Erin|last=Murphy|publisher=Quad City Times|date=April 13, 2018}}</ref> in the Democratic primary, polling at the top in the field and fundraising more than twice<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/2018/01/19/iowa-governor-candidates-raise-11-m-record-breaking-haul-2018-campaign-iowa-candidates-governor-rais/1050388001|title=Iowa candidates for governor raised $11 million in 2017, foreshadowing expensive 2018 race|publisher=Des Moines Register}}</ref> as much as his primary opponents.
On November 14, 2017, Iowa Starting Line released a poll showing Hubbell leading the Democratic primary earning 22% support, 9% more than any other candidate. The poll also showed Hubbell leading the field in favorability (50% favorable, 7% unfavorable). A later poll by ''The Des Moines Register'' showed similar results,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/iowa-poll/2017/12/09/iowa-poll-most-approve-governor-kim-reynolds-half-want-someone-new/931997001|title=Iowa Poll: Most approve of job Reynolds is doing, but nearly half want another governor|publisher=Des Moines Register}}</ref> with Hubbell earning the highest favorability of any Democratic candidate. On January 18, 2018, Hubbell's campaign announced it had raised<ref name="auto1"/> more than $3 million in 2017, receiving a contribution from all of Iowa's 99 counties, and 99.8% of the contributions coming from individual donors. The more than $3 million fundraising total set an off-election year record in the Democratic primary for Governor of Iowa.
Hubbell received 55% of the vote in the Democratic primary to become the party's nominee for Governor of Iowa.<ref>{{cite web |title=Iowa Primary Election Results |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/06/05/us/elections/results-iowa-primary-elections.html |website=The New York Times |accessdate=June 6, 2018 |date=June 5, 2018}}</ref> He faced the Republican incumbent, Kim Reynolds and the Libertarian candidate, Jake Porter, in the general election, which was held on November 6, 2018. He narrowly lost to Reynolds.
{{Election box begin |title=Iowa gubernatorial election, 2018}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link |candidate = Kim Reynolds (incumbent) |party = Republican Party (United States) |votes = 667,275 |percentage = 50.26% |change= -8.73% }} {{Election box candidate with party link |candidate = Fred Hubbell |party = Democratic Party (United States) |votes = 630,986 |percentage = 47.53% |change= +10.26% }} {{Election box candidate with party link |candidate = Jake Porter |party = Libertarian Party (United States) |votes = 21,426 |percentage = 1.61% |change= -0.19% }} {{Election box candidate with party link |candidate = Gary Siegwarth |party = Independent (United States) |votes = 7,463 |percentage = 0.56% |change= N/A }} {{Election box candidate with party link |candidate = Write-ins |party = n/a |votes = 488 |percentage = 0.04% |change= -0.05% }} {{Election box total | votes = '''1,327,638''' | percentage = '''100.0%''' |change = N/A }} {{Election box hold with party link no swing |winner = Republican Party (United States) }} {{Election box end}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-ppo}} {{s-bef|before=Jack Hatch}} {{s-ttl|title=Democratic nominee for Governor of Iowa|years=2018}} {{s-aft|after=Deidre DeJear}} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hubbell, Fred}} Category:1951 births Category:American people taken hostage Category:Businesspeople from Des Moines, Iowa Category:Iowa Democrats Category:Iowa lawyers Category:Lawyers from New York City Category:Living people Category:Politicians from Des Moines, Iowa Category:University of Iowa College of Law alumni Category:University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill alumni Category:Hijacking survivors Category:Candidates in the 2018 United States elections Category:Hubbell family