Simmons, Jonathan

Johnathan Simmons was born in 2316 in the town of Boise, Idaho Province, Earth. His early life was distinguished only by the disappearance of his alcoholic father at a young age. Simmons was the youngest of three boys, who all went to work in the local copper mines to help support the family. At age 24, Simmons organized a buyout of the failing mines by a coalition labor unions and banks. He was soon elected as a provincial representative to the government of Earth.

After joining the Imperial Industrialist Party in 2343, Simmons became the leading force behind that party's recovery in the Parliament of Planets. Simmons resigned his seat on the Earth Congress to devote himslef full-time to the reconstruction of the party. Frequented by Members of Parliament from far abroad, he earned a reputation as a hard-driving power broker. When Emperor John Paul Windsor decided to retire from active participation in government in 2351, he appointed Simmons as Prime Minister. Today Simmons is arguably the most powerful man in the United Imperial Worlds, next to the Emperor himself. His service as Prime Minister has been noted for its nearly unbiased service to the Emperor, despite his personal politics.