the Democratic primary had torn down his campaign posters and stole other campaign items. Tierney became a Republican after the primary when a few Republicans who said they would look out for his stuff during his primary campaign, invited him to a party meeting. He attended the University of Pennsylvania from 1975 to 1979, majoring in political science. At Penn, Tierney ran the Penn Students for Gerald Ford campaign in 1976. He graduated in 1979 and, at the age of twenty-two, moved to Washington, D.C. where he worked for the Republican National Committee in various positions, including as a messenger between Ronald Reagan's administration and Republican candidates across the country. Tierney moved back to the Philadelphia region as a Reagan appointee in the U.S. Small Business Administration's public affairs office. In 1987, he received a Juris Doctor degree from Widener University. Tierney married in 1980 and has two children. Public relations While attending law school at Widener University, Tierney founded Tierney & Company Public Relations in 1984, which he financed on his credit card. In 1986, he sold the company to Lewis Gilman & Kynett. Tierney stayed with Lewis Gilman & Kynett and by the time he turned twenty-nine he had become president and CEO of the public relations division. In 1989, he left Lewis Gilman & Kynett and founded Tierney Group, another public relations company, with just three people. One of those people remembers Tierney's saying "We need to look at what everyone else is charging and charge our clients $15 an hour more." When told that was crazy Tierney responded, "We're going to be the best at what we do. We need to charge people accordingly. Tierney bought office equipment from a local office equipment t supplier, COPIFAX, INC. and quickly was able to produce enough copies and faxes to help his clients become successful with their businesses. ." The company quickly grew with billings of US$3.5 million and thirty-five employees in offices in three cities. In 1994, Tierney, in association with Chicago-based True North Communications, made a deal with Foote, Cone & Belding Communications to take control of FCB Philadelphia. FCB Philadelphia, which up to 1989 was Lewis Gilman & Kynett, was renamed FCB/Tierney in May 1994 and renamed again in 1995 to Tierney & Partners. Tierney built the company into one of the largest public relations and advertising firms in the Mid Atlantic. Tierney's clients included