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'{{Infobox candidate | honorific-prefix = | name = Dumarsais Simeus | honorific-suffix = | image = Dumarsais Simeus01.jpg | alt = | caption = Dumarsais Mécène Siméus Photo VOA News | candidate = President of Haiti | party_election = | election_date = 2006 | runningmate = | opponent = | incumbent = }} '''Dumarsais Mécène Siméus''' (also '''Dumas Siméus'''; born<!---date---> 1939) is a [[Haiti]]an-born and U.S. [[naturalized]] businessman from [[Texas]]. Simeus returned to [[Haiti]] to be a candidate in the 2006 presidential elections. ==Early life== Siméus was born in [[Pont-Sondé]] in [[Haiti]]'s [[Artibonite Valley]], the son of peasant [[rice]] farmers who never had a chance to get a school education. He grew up helping his parents work the land in Haiti to feed himself and his 11 siblings. In 1961, his family sold some land so he could fly to the United States to pursue a college education at [[Florida A&M University]]. Siméus transferred to [[Howard University]] in Washington, DC, where he earned a degree in [[electrical engineering]].<!--- and graduated in ??Date?? ---> In 1970, he became a US citizen.<ref>[http://www.boston.com/news/world/latinamerica/articles/2005/10/19/would_be_candidate_fights_for_chance_to_change_haiti/ "Would-be candidate fights for chance to change Haiti"], ''Boston Globe'', October 19, 2005 </ref> In 1972, he earned an [[MBA]] from the [[University of Chicago]] Graduate School of Business.<ref>[http://www.chicagogsb.edu/about/gsbnews.aspx University of Chicago Business School] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080518073302/http://www.chicagogsb.edu/about/gsbnews.aspx |date=May 18, 2008 }}</ref> <!--- Did he miss the US draft between 1972 and 1975, or did he serve in the military? ---> ==Career== He worked his way up the corporate ladder. He was a financial analyst at [[Rockwell International]] and [[KB Home]], a director of Latin American operations for [[Bendix Corporation|Bendix]], general manager of Hartz Pet Food, France, and vice president of international business development at [[Atari]].<ref>[http://www.atarimagazines.com/v2n12/atariinternational.html "Profits (and perils) abroad"] ''ANTIC'' Vol. 2, No. 12, March 1984, p14</ref><ref>[http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/columnists/bob_ray_sanders/12798931.htm+simeus+bendix&hl=en&client=firefox-a]{{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> <!--- Need exact dates for the above career moves between 1975 and 1984 ---> He quickly rose in the corporate world, becoming president of Beatrice Foods, Latin America, and eventually president and chief operating officer of TLC Beatrice International Foods. In 1984, Siméus started working for [[Beatrice Foods|TLC Beatrice International Holdings Inc.]], the $2.1 billion, black-owned food processing and distribution company. He served as president and CEO for two years before leaving in 1992 to buy and run his own business. In 1996, with $55 million financing, Siméus bought Portion-Trol Foods from [[Flagstar Corp]] in [[Mansfield, Texas]], and renamed it Siméus Foods International Inc. Siméus Foods, based south of [[Fort Worth, Texas|Fort Worth]], manufactures value-added food products for national multichain restaurants and large institutions such as [[El Pollo Loco]], [[Denny's]], [[T.G.I. Friday's]], and [[Burger King]] in the United States and Canada.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pacesettercapital.com/manufacturing_invesments.htm |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2005-11-01 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050728100553/http://www.pacesettercapital.com/manufacturing_invesments.htm |archivedate=2005-07-28 }}</ref> Siméus Foods Intl. now generates $155 million a year. In 1999, Siméus established [[Org. Sové Lavi]] www.sovelavi.org, a nonprofit foundation to provide medical care, education, and clothing to Haitians. Between October 2004 and February 2005, he served on [[Florida]] Governor [[Jeb Bush]]'s advisory board for Haiti. The group made a series of recommendations for Haïti's security, economic development, and disaster preparedness.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.myflorida.com/myflorida/pdfs/final_haiti_advisory.pdf |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2005-11-02 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20051104020109/http://www.myflorida.com/myflorida/pdfs/final_haiti_advisory.pdf |archivedate=2005-11-04 }}</ref> <!--- Date? This has to be after the coup --->A group of about 40 U.S.-based Haitian business and civic leaders has urged him to run for president.<ref>[http://ap.washingtontimes.com/dynamic/stories/H/HAITI_ELECTIONS?SITE=DCTMS&SECTION=HOME]{{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> ==Run for Haitian presidency== After months of speculation, Siméus decided to contest the Haitian presidency in August 2005.<ref>[https://www.usatoday.com/money/companies/2005-08-17-haiti-prez-usat_x.htm "Businessman returns to Haiti to run for president"], ''USA Today'', 17 August 2005</ref> Siméus' political platform includes making it easier for companies to invest in Haiti, promoting jobs, and rooting out corruption by making government accountable. Siméus said, "I want to create a Haiti where people are proud to stay because there are opportunities." ..."I want a Haiti where there is access to capital for the average guy, for the poor guy who was born in a hut like I was born in."<ref>[http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/news/world/12444729.htm]{{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> During his campaign, he ran into a few challenges. His status as a dual citizen became a challenge. Siméus said that he still has Haitian citizenship, despite taking the US oath of allegiance. The Haitian Electoral Board disagreed. Eventually, this matter was taken to the [[Supreme Court of Haiti]], which recently ruled that Siméus could place his name on the ballot, but he still faces election council challenges to his candidacy and a threat of prosecution alleging false candidacy claims on election papers. Article 135 of The current 1987 Constitution of the Republic of Haiti states a presidential candidate must "be a native-born Haitian and never have renounced Haitian nationality" and have resided in the country for five consecutive years before the election., it also prohibits the elected president from the request of foreign troops or occupation thereof, only the National Assembly which must be elected and composed of two bodies, a chamber for the Senate, and one for the Deputies, has the power to make these decisions, but it was circumvented by former U.S. led Presidential Council nominated president Boniface Alexandre. Another challenge is his public acceptance. Siméus was essentially unknown in Haiti prior to 2004 and many viewed him as an outsider. At a campaign rally, he was cordially received in Solino, a crumbling and crime-plagued neighborhood of the Haitian capital [[Port-au-Prince]], but when his tour reached the Bel Air neighborhood, a stronghold for supporters of ex-president Aristide, dozens of angry men and women rushed onto the streets, hurling rocks and chunks of concrete at Siméus' car, forcing him to flee.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/30/international/americas/30haiti.html "A Bitterly Divided Haiti Is Lurching Toward an Election"], ''New York Times'', 30 Oct 2005</ref> On September 27, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, on a 6-hour visit to Haiti, publicly and pointedly called on Haiti's interim government to hold "inclusive" elections. Rice reportedly pressed Prime Minister [[Gérard Latortue]] for Siméus to be readmitted to the race. On October 11, the Supreme Court ruled in Siméus’ favor, ordering the CEP to put the Texan back on the ballot. A day after the ruling, half of the members of the Supreme Court were forced into retirement by the orders of Gerard Latortue, and his justice minister.<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4515870.stm</ref> ===Family=== Siméus is married and a father of three. He has brought 40 relatives to the United States, but his parents remain in Haiti.<ref>[http://www.sptimes.com/2005/10/20/Worldandnation/Texas_businessman_ret.shtml "Texas businessman returns to Haiti for presidential run"], ''St Petersburg Times'', 20 Oct 2005</ref> ==See also== *[[Haiti]] *[[2006 Haitian elections]] *[[Constitution of Haiti]] ==External links== ===Press releases=== *[http://www.keepmedia.com/ShowItemDetails.do?itemID=1028648&extID=10030 Simeus Welcomes Dr. Rice, Calls for International Inquiry Into 'Abuse of Power' By Political Insiders to Control Ballot]{{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} September 27, 2005 *[https://web.archive.org/web/20070929111446/http://sev.prnewswire.com/government/20051003/DAF04230092005-1.html Dumarsais Simeus Addresses Haïti - Haitian-Born Reformer Offers Proof of Citizenship and Haitian Nationality] ''PRNewswire'' September 30, 2005 *[http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/10-11-2005/0004165965&EDATE= Simeus Wins Ballot Fight in 'A Victory for Change in Haïti'] ''PRNewswire'' September 30, 2005 *[http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/051018/datu041.html?.v=29 Simeus Applauds Kofi Annan and UN, Addresses Nation to Decry Prime Minister as a Threat to Free, Fair Elections in Haïti]{{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} October 18, 2005 ===News articles=== *[https://www.usatoday.com/money/world/2004-04-29-haiti_x.htm Haïti's first investment bank to focus on projects for poor] James Cox, ''USA TODAY'', April 29, 2004 *[https://www.usatoday.com/money/companies/2005-08-17-haiti-prez-usat_x.htm Businessman returns to Haïti to run for president] Danna Harman (The Christian Science Monitor), ''USA Today'', August 17, 2005 *[https://web.archive.org/web/20051014054550/http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2005-08/2005-08-19-voa4.cfm Wealthy Haïti Expatriate Plans to Run for President] ''VOA News'', August 19, 2005 *[https://www.theguardian.com/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5282014,00.html U.S. Businessman Joins Crowded Haïti Field], Alfred De Montesquiou, ''[[The Guardian|Guardian Unlimited]]'', September 16, 2005 *[https://web.archive.org/web/20090414051458/http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2005-09/2005-09-25-voa20.cfm Businessman Appeals Decision Barring Run for Haïti's Presidency] ''VOA News'', September 25, 2005 *[http://www.sptimes.com/2005/10/20/Worldandnation/Texas_businessman_ret.shtml Texas businessman returns to Haïti for presidential run] David Adams, ''St Petersburg Times'', October 20, 2005 *[https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=1242179 Texas Businessman Seeks Haitian Presidency] Steve Quinn ''The Associated Press'' October 23, 2005 ===Interviews=== *[http://www.potomitan.info/vedrine/dumarsais.php Ayiti "LE COIN DE CARL" Edition Speciale] September 8, 2005 ==References== {{reflist}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Simeus, Dumarsais}} [[Category:1939 births]] [[Category:Candidates for President of Haiti]] [[Category:Haitian emigrants to the United States]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Howard University alumni]] [[Category:University of Chicago Booth School of Business alumni]] [[Category:American chief executives of food industry companies]] [[Category:Naturalized citizens of the United States]]'