Ike advises clients on a variety of legal and public policy issues, especially matters relating to national defense, small business and international trade.
Prior to joining the firm as Partner, Ike served as the U.S. Representative from Missouri's Fourth District (1977-2011). As U.S. Representative, Ike's focus was on issues involving jobs and the economy, the War in Afghanistan, military health insurance reform and standing up for the U.S. men and women in uniform.
He also served as the Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee from 2007 until his departure. Ike also served on the Small Business Committee as Subcommittee Chair for Procurement, International Trade and Technology.
Voters first chose Ike to represent them in 1971, in the Missouri Senate, when he won his first election to that body. He held this position until joining the U.S. House in 1977. He began his career when he was elected County Prosecutor and later served as a special assistant Missouri Attorney.
Ike was instrumental in the enactment of the Goldwater-Nichols Act, which simplified the chains of command, reduced inter-service rivalries, and implemented shared procurement processes between the branches.
He also played an active role in bringing the B-2 Stealth Bomber to Whiteman Air Force Base and the Army Engineer, Chemical and Military Police Schools to Fort Leonard Wood, both located in Missouri's Fourth District.
More recently, Ike drafted and helped institute the Weapons Acquisition Systems Reform Act, reform-minded legislation which overhauls the defense procurement process and provides additional checks against cost overruns and schedule changes.
Awards & Recognitions
· Eagle Scout, Distinguished Eagle Scout
· Academy of Missouri Squires
· Air Force Exceptional Service Award
· Honorary U.S. Marine
· U.S. Army, Distinguished Civilian Service Medal
· U.S. Navy, Distinguished Public Service Medal
Professional Associations & Memberships
· American Battle Monuments Commission, Appointed by President Obama
· Center for a New American Security, Board of Advisors
· EADS North America Corporation, Board of Directors
· Harry S. Truman Library Foundation, Board of Trustees
· National Defense University, Distinguished Professor
· The State Historical Society of Missouri, Board of Trustees
Civic Involvement
· American Lung Association, President's Council
· Boulder Crest Retreat for Wounded Warriors, Board of Directors
· Elks Club
· First Christian Church, Lexington, Missouri, Former Elder
· Harry S. Truman Institute, Board of Trustees
· Lions Club
· Masonic Bodies
Publications & Presentations
· Author, "Whispers of Warriors," National Defense University Press, 2004
News & Publications
News
5.8.12, Husch Blackwell's Ike Skelton Receives Truman Good Neighbor Award
3.1.12, Congress Honors Husch Blackwell's Ike Skelton with Portrait Unveiling
10.12.11, Ike Skelton Testifies Before House Armed Services Committee on U.S. Military Funding
9.21.11, Missouri State Highway Patrol Honors Ike Skelton
7.19.11, Ike Skelton Named Honorary Admiral in Navy Supply Corps
6.10.11, President Obama Appoints Ike Skelton to Battle Monuments Commission
6.3.11, Omaha World-Herald: Ike Skelton Speaks at Offutt Air Force Base, Expresses Concern About Threats to U.S. Military Budget
5.16.11, Ike Skelton Named to EADS North America Board of Directors
5.2.11, Former Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee Ike Skelton Issues Statement on Death of Osama bin Laden
3.21.11, Russell Orban Joins Husch Blackwell
3.15.11, KMBZ 980 News Radio: Kansas City's Morning News, Week in Review
3.10.11, Former Congressman Ike Skelton Joins Husch Blackwell as Partner
Publications
1.26.12, The Impact of Mandatory Budget Cuts on Contracting at Department of Defense
1.1.12, The Civil-Military Gap Need Not Become a Chasm, Joint Forces Quarterly, 1st Quarter Edition
(Also at Washington, District of Columbia Office)