Kevin W. Techau
Kevin Techau | |
|---|---|
| United States Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa | |
| In office February 21, 2014 – March 10, 2017 | |
| President | Barack Obama Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Sean Berry (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Peter Deegan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Kevin Wayne Techau[1] December 6, 1958 Iowa City, Iowa, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Stephanie Glenn (m. 1997) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | University of Iowa (BBA, JD) |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | United States Air Force |
| Years of service | |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Unit | U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate General's Corps |
| Commands | |
| Awards | Legion of Merit |
Kevin W. Techau (born December 6, 1958)[3] is an American attorney and retired military officer who served as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa from 2014 to 2017.[2][4] He previously held senior roles in Iowa state government and served as a colonel in the United States Air Force.
In 2025, Techau announced his candidacy as a Democrat in the 2026 U.S. House of Representatives election for Northeast Iowa's 2nd district, which includes Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, Dubuque and Mason City.[5]
Early life and education
Techau was born in Iowa City and raised in Marion.[6] His family has lived for six generations in Iowa.[7] He went to Marion High School and then earned a business degree and a Juris Doctor from the University of Iowa.[6] During his studies, he worked on an assembly line making circuit breakers and as a track laborer on the Chicago North Western Railroad to help pay for his education.[5]
Military career
Following law school, Techau served in the United States Air Force for seven years[7][6] including two deployments in Europe as a judge advocate.[2] Upon leaving active duty, he joined the Iowa Air National Guard[8] and served with the 185th Fighter Wing in Sioux City, 132nd Fighter Wing in Des Moines and the Iowa Air National Guard Joint Forces Headquarters at Camp Dodge.[2] He retired as a colonel with 27 years of military service and he received the Legion of Merit.[7][6]
Legal career
Techu, after leaving active duty military service, worked in private practice at the Des Moines law firm Grefe & Sidney and then as an assistant federal public defender.[8][9] He later served in the administration of Governor Tom Vilsack and Lieutenant Governor Sally Pederson,[6] first as the director of the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals from 1999 to 2002, and then as commissioner of the Iowa Department of Public Safety from 2002 to 2007.[8]
From 2007 until his appointment as U.S. Attorney, Techau worked as associate general counsel at American Equity Investment Life Insurance Company.[8]
U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa
In November 2013, President Barack Obama nominated Techau to be U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa, following a recommendation by Iowa Senator Tom Harkin.[8] Republican Senator Chuck Grassley also spoke in favor of his nomination.[5] He was unanimously confirmed by the Senate in February 2014.[10] As U.S. Attorney, he led prosecutions in a 52-county region[7] on matters including drug trafficking, firearm offenses, white-collar crime, and child exploitation, and represented the federal government in civil litigation.[10] He served until March 2017, stepping down after the Trump administration requested the resignations of all Obama-era U.S. Attorneys.[6]
U.S. House of Representatives campaign
On April 17, 2025, Techau announced his candidacy for the United States House of Representatives for Iowa's 2nd congressional district as a Democrat.[7] The district includes Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, Dubuque and Mason City.[5]
Personal life
Techau lives in Cedar Rapids with his wife, Stephanie Glenn, who is an attorney. They married in 1997 and have two children.[6][11]
See also
References
- ^ https://kevintechau.com/
- ^ a b c d "Meet the U.S. Attorney". Justice.gov. 19 February 2015. Archived from the original on 2017-02-11. Retrieved 2017-07-05.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndia/pr/kevin-w-techau-sworn-new-united-states-attorney
- ^ Mehaffey, Trish (2014-02-21). "Kevin Techau sworn in as U.S. Attorney for Northern District of Iowa". The Gazette. Retrieved 2017-05-22.
- ^ a b c d Barton, Tom (April 17, 2025). "Former U.S. attorney launches bid to unseat Iowa's Ashley Hinson". The Gazette.
- ^ a b c d e f g Brennan, Paul (2025-04-17). "Former U.S. Attorney Kevin Techau becomes the first Democrat to challenge Rep. Ashley Hinson in 2026: 'Our state deserves better'". Little Village. Retrieved 2025-04-24.
- ^ a b c d e Pfannenstiel, Brianne (April 17, 2025). "Ex-US Attorney, Democrat Kevin Techau announces campaign against US Rep. Ashley Hinson". Des Moines Register.
- ^ a b c d e Mehaffey, Kevin (February 21, 2014). "Kevin Techau sworn in as U.S. Attorney for Northern District of Iowa". The Gazette.
- ^ "President Obama Nominates Kevin W. Techau to Serve as U.S. Attorney". The White House, Office of the Press Secretary. November 7, 2013.
- ^ a b "Kevin W. Techau, Northern District of Iowa | USAO | Department of Justice". web.archive.org. 2016-01-23. Archived from the original on 2016-01-23. Retrieved 2025-04-24.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ "Keven Techau wedding engagement". The Des Moines Register. 1997-02-26. p. 127. Retrieved 2025-04-26.