Tom Vilsack Fast Facts Personal Birth place: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Father: Bud Vilsack Children: Jess and Doug Other Facts Adopted as an infant from an orphanage by Bud and Dolly Vilsack. Ran for mayor of Mount Pleasant, Iowa, after his predecessor was shot and killed at a city council meeting. Timeline 1992 – Elected to the Iowa Senate. 1994 – Wins reelection to the Iowa Senate. January 15, 1999-January 12, 2007 – Governor of Iowa. 2004 – Chair of the Democratic Governors’ Association. November 9, 2006 – Vilsack files a statement of candidacy to run for the White House in 2008, becoming the first prominent Democrat to do so. February 23, 2007 March 26, 2007 April 2007 January 21, 2009 – Is sworn in as the 30th secretary of the Department of Agriculture after a unanimous US Senate confirmation.