RICHMOND – Virginia State Director Ben Marchi announced today that he will be departing Americans for Prosperity Foundation, effective March 1, 2011. He has served in his post since December 2007. Marchi and his wife are purchasing a business related to the healthcare industry.

“For over three years, Ben Marchi has successfully led our efforts in Virginia to rein in the size of government, cut taxes and promote free market policies,” said Tim Phillips, national President of Americans for Prosperity. Phillips continued, “Americans for Prosperity is thankful for all he’s done and we will miss his hard work and upbeat spirit. After crisscrossing Virginia with Ben on bus tours opposing the health care takeover and cap-and-trade energy tax and numerous other issues, I know firsthand just how dedicated and passionate he is about grassroots organizing and he’s been a key in helping build a strong, vibrant grassroots organization standing for economic freedom across the Commonwealth.”

“This isn’t just a job I’m leaving; it’s a passion and a way of life.” Marchi said. “Working with our board members, our national President Tim Phillips, and our wonderful members these last three years has been the most rewarding and memorable experience of my professional life.”

Under Marchi’s leadership, AFP-Virginia:

• helped defeat a tax increase proposed by Gov. Tim Kaine in 2008.

• succeeded in requiring subcommittee votes to be recorded in the Virginia House of Delegates in 2009.

• conceived and launched AFP's “Hands Off My Healthcare” bus tour in 2009 to fight against the Obama healthcare plan. The tour eventually traveled not just all over Virginia, but in fact, all across the country.

• helped defeat a $36 million phone tax increase in 2010.

• presented a “model budget” with more than 80 individual ideas to cut more than $8 billion in wasteful state spending. A number of these ideas were used in the Governor's recommendations to the General Assembly in 2010.

• held more than 150 town halls, rallies and voter education seminars, bringing together over 30,000 activists to fight issues ranging from “Card Check” and nationalized healthcare to curbing wasteful state and local spending. The town halls included Republican and Democratic legislators who came together on issues of agreement.

• increased membership more than ten-fold, from 8000 in 2007 to more than 78,000 today. As 2011 begins, nearly 1 in 50 registered voters are actually members of AFP!

• got blamed directly by Rep. Rick Boucher for losing his lead in the 9th District Congressional race in 2010.

Marchi has worked in the field of national government affairs and state politics for several years. He has worked extensively on Capitol Hill as well as in the research department of the National Republican Congressional Committee. In Virginia, he has played an instrumental role in state politics on numerous campaigns and legislative efforts. Active in several civic groups, he lives with his wife Jennifer and their son, Henry in Henrico County, Virginia.