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William Harrison "Bill" Binnie is a New Hampshire businessman who currently serves as president of Carlisle Capital Corporation and was formerly chairman of Carlisle Plastics, Inc until Carlisle Plastic Plastics was sold to Tyco International in Sept, 1996.

Binnie currently resides in Rye, New Hampshire.

Early years and education

Binnie was born in Scotland and immigrated to the United States at the age of 5. Binnie attended Harvard University on a scholarship. As a student, Bill served as a research fellow for the Accounting Review, a journal on finance and accounting. Upon graduation from Harvard College, Binnie attended Harvard Business School. where he served president of the Management Consulting Club. Upon graduation, Binnie began his business career as a consultant at McKinsey & Co.

Business career

Over the years, Binnie has founded a number of corporations large and small. Until September 1996, Binnie was the chairman of Carlisle Plastics, Inc., a manufacturer of plastic trash bags, coat hangers and plastic sheeting. Binnie served as the chairman of the board of Carlisle Plastics from 1985 onwards and as Chief Executive Officer and President from 1985 to 1994. In 1996, Binnie owned 62.5% of Carlsisle's class B shares making him the majority and controlling owner. In September 1996, Binnie sold his controlling interest to Tyco International.

Binnie built Carlisle Plastics into a large plastics products manufacturer which employed thousands of workers. Carlisle Plastics was voted one of Walmart’s “Vendors of the Year”. During Binnie's tenure, Carlisle Plastics expanded significantly, employed thousands of workers and opened facilities throughout the United States, Europe, Latin America and Asia.

Binnie is currently the President of Carlisle Capital Corporation, an investment and venture capital company in New Hampshire.

Controversy

A&E Plastics, Plásticos BajaCal

According to The Children of NAFTA: Labor Wars on the U.S./Mexico Border by journalist and self proclaimed member of the Communist party of the USA David Bacon (University of California Press), a book which received the Gustavus Myers Award, Carlisle Plastics closed a factory located in Santa Ana named A&E Plastics in 1989 that employed 450 workers and transferred its production to a Carlisle-owned factory located in Tijuana, Mexico, a maquiladora named Plásticos BajaCal. Bacon claims that A&E Plastics was closed partly in response to attempts by A&E Plastics employees to form a union.

Similarly, Carlisle encountered unionizing efforts at Plásticos BajaCal. Factory workers there also attempted to establish a new union to replace the extant ineffective union. Carlisle fired numerous workers at Plásticos BajaCal for attempting to organize an independent union at Plásticos BajaCal. Carlisle's anti-union actions are documented in letters from Plásticos BajaCal to fired employees that cite their handing out of union leaflets as the cause for their termination. These and various other incidents led to an investigation by the U.S. Congress. Such terminations, though illegal in the U.S., appear to have been permitted by Mexican labor law.

In the end, the Mexican government mandated a vote at Plásticos BajaCal that resulted in the workers at Plásticos BajaCal choosing to remain part of the then-existing union rather than creating a newly formed independent union. Allegations have been made that threats and blacklisting of workers influenced the outcome of that vote.

During Binnie's 2010 Senate campaign, Binnie stated that Carlisle Plastics' labor relations with employees under his tenure had been excellent and that Carlisle's holdings had included a number of unionized U.S. facilities, that there had never been a strike at Carlisle during his tenure as the CEO, and that it is incorrect to say that the operations of A&E Plastics were moved to Mexico. Binnie claims, "We didn't just shut it down; the employees were retained, they were doing different things."

Rebutting Binnie's campaign claims that A&E Plastics operations had not been moved to Mexico, journalist Gary Rayno of the New Hampshire Union Leader pointed to Carlisle's 1991 Annual Report that had been signed by Binnie as CEO and filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Carlisle's 1991 annual report states in three places that Carlisle Plastics had closed a California plastics factory in order to move operations to Tijuana, Mexico. In one instance the term "relocation" is used to describe the move. John Distaso, Senior Political Reporter for the Union Leader has raised additional questions about Binnie's tenure at Carlisle Platics. "Critics of his record in the plastics industry say the wealthy U.S. Senate candidate had a long list of labor, safety and environmental protection issues." Distaso's August 15, 2010 article discusses working conditions in Carlisle's Mexican plant,

"Mexican working conditions

In Tijuana, Mexico, workers at the Carlisle's Plasticos Bajacal "maquiladora" factory complained of poor conditions.

The non-profit Human Rights Watch, in a report on working conditions in U.S.-owned foreign plants in 1996, described conditions faced by pregnant women.

Binnie's Plasticos Bajacal was prominently mentioned. It was among many such factories in which women "were required either to reveal their pregnancy status on a job application or during an interview with maquiladora (factory) personnel," the report :stated.

The report also detailed a worker's contention that, while pregnant, she was forced to stand on her feet and work for long hours without a break.

According to the Human Rights Watch report the woman began bleeding, but a supervisor refused to allow her to go to the hospital.

She said that when her shift ended, she went to a doctor, "but I had hemorrhaged so much that I had lost the fetus."

The woman was later featured in a Washington Post story in which Carlisle Plastics officials said she actually had the miscarriage at home.

Binnie said he did not recall the incident, but said, "Our facilities were world-class. They were bright and spacious and terrific.

"If you know anything about my history, you know that this sort of thing is simply not true," Binnie said, noting that because his father was injured in an industrial accident, "My first priority has always been safety."""

Campaign contributions to democratic candidates

While Binnie himself recently competed as a Republican for New Hampshire's U. S. Senate seat, he previously made at least one campaign contribution to Democratic New Hampshire state Senator Martha Fuller Clark.

Binnie and his wife have a history of making political donations to both Democrats and Republicans across the Northeast, having donated a total of $5000 to Ronald DiNicola, a Democrat in Pennsylvania; $1000 to Marty Meehan, a Democrat in Massachusetts; $3850 to Bill Zeliff, a Republican in New Hampshire; and $2400 to Tom Foley, a Republican in Connecticut.

Racing career

A lifetime driver and mechanic, Bill drives for Binnie Motorsports, two-time class winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, once as a driver and once as a team owner. The Team Binnie car is emblazoned with the Saint Andrew's Cross, the national flag of Scotland, which also adorns the side of their garage building.

Binnie is a collector of vintage cars. He once drove around the world in a 1928 Bentley.

Philanthropy

After the death of his long-time friend George Jackson, Binnie became a co-founder of the George Jackson Academy in New York City, NY which serves underprivileged youth. Binnie claims to have made a number of large anonymous charitable contributions which he refuses to publicly disclose.

Unsuccessful candidacy for United States Senate

Binnie unsuccessfully ran as a Republican for the United States Senate seat currently held by Judd Gregg. The primary was held on September 14, 2010. Binnie ran for the Republican nomination against Hollis businessman Jim Bender, former State Board of Education chair Ovide Lamontagne, and former state Attorney General Kelly Ayotte, who won the contest. Ayotte will now compete against the Democrat candidate in the senatorial race, incumbent Congressman Paul Hodes.

Binnie announced his candidacy in November 2009, stating that his political beliefs were modeled after the former President Ronald Reagan's vision of a limited government that fostered economic growth.

Individuals working on the Binnie campaign included Republican consultant Arthur J. Finkelstein, based in New York, former NHGOP executive director Paul Collins, and Sheri M. Keniston, formerly a congressional staffer for John E. Sununu.

The New Hampshire Union Leader raised questions about Binnie's business ethics in several articles discussing Binnie's candidacy.

Positions on the issues

Economic issues

Federal government stimulus plan

Binnie publicly stated that he would have voted "no" on the stimulus plan had he been in office at the time. Binnie also publicly stated he would have fired CEOs on Wall Street had they had taken public monies because their companies had failed and it was therefore time for new management to be brought in.

Jobs

As an immediate solution for unemployment, Binnie stated that "he would advocate proposals for a job tax credit to aid the unemployed get jobs and by helping help employers afford their salary."

Spending

After announcing to the Rye Republican Party that he would be filing for the US Senate, Binnie stated that he would make holding Washington spending accountable one of the key platforms of his campaign.

Health care

Binnie proposed building new public medical schools for doctors, dentists, and nurses to handle the expected increase in demand for medicial services. He also said that he likes portions of the new health-care law. Binnie also said he would work to repeal the recently passed health care legislation, which he says is ineffective because it does not address affordability.

Social issues

Same-sex marriage

In 2009 Binnie told reporters that he personally believes the term marriage applied only to a union between a man and a woman, but took no issue with the settled law in New Hampshire. New Hampshire law allows both same sex and heterosexual couples to marry.

Abortion

Binnie identifies himself as pro-choice.

Illegal immigration

Binnie, himself a legal immigrant, said he favors a path to legal citizenship for illegal aliens. He stated during a debate that he opposes Arizona SB 1070 but subsequently released a radio advertisement saying that he understood why Arizona passed it.

In a video campaign advertisement, Binnie stated that if elected he would insist that immigrants learn English.

In the same advertisement Binnie stated that Americans "should have one flag." However, in Binnie's auto racing career, Binnie prominently displays the flag of Scotland on his racing cars and garages.

References

1. http://www.manta.com/company/mm42n0p
2. ^ http://www.business.com/directory/industrial_goods_and_services/industrial_supplies/plastics/carlisle_plastics,_inc/profile/
3. ^ McCord, Michael (2009-11-04), "Rye's Binnie makes official his run for U.S. Senate", The Portsmouth Herald, retrieved 2009-11-11 Cite error: The named reference "seacoast20091104" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
4. ^ Schoenberg, Shira (2009-11-05), "Binnie: Senate needs businessman", Concord Monitor, retrieved 2009-11-06
5. Schedule 14A Filing by Carlisle Plastics, 1996-03-15, retrieved 2009-11-11
6. Krauss, Adam D. (2009-09-22), "Rye businessman explores GOP run for U.S. Senate", Foster's Daily Democrat, retrieved 2009-11-11
7. ^ Bacon, David (2004), The Children Of NAFTA: Labor Wars On The U.S./Mexico Border, Berkeley, California: University of California Press, p. 64, ISBN 9780520244726, OCLC 52757356 {{citation}}: More than one of |pages= and |page= specified (help)
8. "Carlisle Capital Corp". Article. Manta.com. Retrieved 2009-11-11.
9. http://www.keywiki.org/index.php/David_Bacon
10. Rotella, Sebastian (1996-12-23), "Worker Vote Tests Labor Rights in Mexico - Labor: Election at maquiladora goes the company's way. But for the first time in 13 years, a rival union takes part.", Los Angeles Times, retrieved 2009-11-06
11. Maquiladora detention : Mexican treatment of trade unionists : hearing before the Employment, Housing, and Aviation Subcommittee of the Committee on Government Operations, House of Representatives, One Hundred Third Congress, first session, September 29, 1993, Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office, 1993, ISBN 0160432359, OCLC 29593384, Lua error in Module:LCCN at line 53: Template:LCCN: You must provide an ID..
12. Bacon, David (2004), The Children Of NAFTA: Labor Wars On The U.S./Mexico Border, Berkeley, California: University of California Press, p. 67, ISBN 9780520244726, OCLC 52757356 {{citation}}: More than one of |pages= and |page= specified (help)
13. Shields, Janice (1995-04), ""Social Dumping" in Mexico Under NAFTA", Multinational Monitor, 17 (4), retrieved 2009-11-06 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
14. "From the Desk of Bill Binnie (campaign advertisement)", New Hampshire Sunday News, p. A5, 2010-08-18, retrieved 2010-08-18
15. Rayno, Gary (2010-08-29), "Binnie defends record on Calif. jobs; says workers retained", New Hampshire Sunday News, retrieved 2010-09-06
16. http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100911/GJNEWS_01/709119912/-1/FOSNEWS
17. Rayno, Gary (2010-08-22), "Binnie report detailed jobs move to Mexico", New Hampshire Sunday News, retrieved 2010-08-23
18. http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100911/GJNEWS_01/709119912/-1/FOSNEWS
19. "Binnie move might have cost U.S. jobs" http://www.theunionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Binnie+move+might+have+cost+U.S.+jobs&articleId=d45cc8e4-9aa0-4416-b4de-bebd8d4f2167
20. "Binnie move might have cost U.S. jobs" http://www.theunionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Binnie+move+might+have+cost+U.S.+jobs&articleId=d45cc8e4-9aa0-4416-b4de-bebd8d4f2167
21. ^ Landrigan, Kevin (2009-11-05), "Binnie files for Sen. seat", Nashua Telegraph, retrieved 2009-11-11
22. "Open Secrets Donor Lookup". The Center for Responsive Politics. Retrieved 21 January 2010.
23. Portos, Gabriel (2007-09-15). "Planetlemans talks to Bill Binnie". Retrieved 2010-01-13. (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/5mkIqtuTE)
24. ^ Nick Candee. "NEAT GARAGE: BILL BINNIE CAN GIVE TIDINESS POINTERS TO ROGER PENSKE" (PDF). The Vantage Point. Aston Martin Owners Club: 355–377.
25. http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20100905-OPINION-9050307
26. ^ http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091105/GJNEWS_01/911059930/-1/FOSNEWS
27. www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100911/GJNEWS_01/709119912/-1/FOSNEWS
28. http://findarticles.com/p/news-articles/concord-monitor/mi_8038/is_20100829/club-binnie-battled/ai_n54954969/. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
29. ^ Binnie, Bill, Bill Binnie Addresses Rye Republican Party
30. ^ Murray, Shailagh (2010-04-26). "Voter anger fuels New Hampshire congressional candidates". The Washington Post.
31. Schoenberg, Shira (2010-08-12), "Binnie: Teach immigrants English", Concord Monitor, retrieved 2010-09-01
32. ^ William Harrison Binnie (2010-08-12). Bill Binnie challenging "establishment" GOP pick. MSNBC. Retrieved 2010-09-02. As a U.S. Senator I'll insist that all immigrants learn English.

External links

• Binnie on WMUR's Close Up
• Binnie speaking at an event sponsored by STEWARD, Save The Economy Without Accumulating Record Debt, a political advocacy group organized by NH businessman Fred Tausch

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• Harvard Business School alumni
• People from Rockingham County, New Hampshire
• Living people
• 1958 births
• Harvard University alumni
• Scottish immigrants to the United States
• Le Mans Series drivers