Benjamin Ramos

Benjamin Ramos (born August 31, 1956) is a former Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Ben Ramos represented over 60,000 residents in Pennsylvania's 180th Legislative District from 1994 to 2000. He served as the Democratic Secretary of the Committee on Health and Human Services, the Urban Affairs, Liquor Control and the House Democratic Policy Committees. He was appointed by the Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives to serve on the Pennsylvania Adult Basic Education Interagency Coordinating Council well as the Select Committee on Pharmaceuticals and the Sub-Committee on School Violence. Ramos was a member of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus; Co-Chair, member, National Hispanic Cacus of State Legislators (NHCSL) and National Association of Latino Elected/Appointed Officials (NALEO); Secretary, Black Elected Officials of Philadelphia. He was nominated to serve as Secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania by Ed Rendell. Ben Ramos most recently worked for the U.S. Census Bureau as a Partnership Coordinator & Specialist where he was responsible for developing and nurturing productive partnerships for the purpose of gaining cooperation and support for the 2010 Census in the Philadelphia region as well as working with state, local and tribal governments, community-based organizations, faith-based groups, schools, media outlets and businesses.

He was born in Puerto Rico and attended Thomas A. Edison High School in Philadelphia. He earned an M.S. degree in Community Economic Development from New Hampshire College (now Southern New Hampshire University).[3] Prior to elective office, he served as Deputy Mayor of the City of Philadelphia.[3] He represented the 180th legislative district from 1995 until his defeat in the 2000 Democratic primary by Angel Cruz.[4]

In early 2003, newly elected Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell nominated him to serve as Secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.[5] However, Ramos withdrew from consideration in February 2003 amid legislative criticism over revelations that as a State Representative he was late in filing campaign-finance reports and was subject to fines, although all fines had been paid years prior.[6] He would have been the first Latino to hold that post.[6] He is currently the Regional Director of the Office of International Business Development for the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development.