California: Marc Andreessen

February 19, 2009 - 03:24 pm
NEWS FEED: Sacramento Bee

Whitman names gubernatorial finance team

Silicon Valley billionaire Meg Whitman might not be expected to worry much about the hassles of campaign fundraising in her exploratory bid to become the next governor of California.

But the former eBay CEO, who faces a Republican primary clash with state insurance commissioner and fellow wealthy tech entreprenuer Steve Poizner, is moving quickly to set up a campaign cash raking machine.

Whitman's finance leadership team, announced today, includes Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz, Cisco Systems chairman John Chambers and a giant in the weight loss business -- Jenny Craig.

Other notables include Scott McNealy, chairman of Sun Microsystems, Netscape Communications co-founder Marc Andreessen, former Northwest Airlines chairman Gary Wilson and E. Floyd Kvamme, partner emeritus of the Kleiner, Perkins, Caulfield and Byers venture capital firm.

Whitman earlier named exploratory campaign co-chairs, including former Gov. Pete Wilson and Reps. Kevin McCarthy and Mary Bono Mack.