title: Theodore Kanavas
text: Theodore James "Ted" Kanavas (April 29, 1961 – July 3, 2017) was an American politician and businessman.
  
  Biography
  Kanavas was raised in Brookfield, Wisconsin and graduated from Brookfield East High School. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1983. While attending the school, Kanavas worked as an aide to Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner. Kanavas subsequently attended Pepperdine University's school of law. Kanavas also worked in the software industry. He served on the Elmbrook School District Board from 1999 to 2002.
  
  In July 2001, he was elected to the Wisconsin Senate as a Republican in a special election, defeating Democrat Dawn Marie Sass, and he was re-elected in 2002. On January 25, 2010, Kanavas announced he would not seek reelection.
  
  In 2014, Kanavas co-founded Michael Best Strategies, a government relations and public policy firm. He died of cancer on July 3, 2017.
  
  Notes
  
  External links
  Citizen Legislator Ted Kanavas' Blog
  Follow the Money - Theodore J Kanavas
  2006 2004 2002 campaign contributions
  
  1961 births
  2017 deaths
  School board members in Wisconsin
  Republican Party Wisconsin state senators
  21st-century American politicians
  People from Brookfield, Wisconsin
  University of Wisconsin–Madison alumni
  Pepperdine University School of Law alumni
  Businesspeople from Wisconsin
  Deaths from cancer in Wisconsin
  20th-century American businesspeople
  American people of Greek descent
  Greek Orthodox Christians from the United States