Date/Place of Birth:
August 21, 1941 McMinnville, Oregon

Residency in Alaska:
1970 - present

Occupation:
Retired Professor

Spouse:
Wife - Rita

Children:
Anna, Matthew, Natalie

Education:
Taft High School, Taft, Oregon: 1955 - 1959 Linfield College, McMinnville, Oregon - B.A.: 1959 - 1963 University of Oregon - M.F.A.: 1963 - 1965 - Ph.D.: 1982 - 1984

Military Service:
3 years service U.S. Army - 1st Lieutenant Army Commendation Medal National Defense Medal

Alaska State Senate:
2003 - present Majority Leader: 2005 - present Chair, Advisory Commision on Local Government: 2005 - present Chair, Special Committee on University Oversight: 2006 - present Statehood Celebration Commision: 2005 - present Vice-Chair, Community & Regional Affairs Committee: 2003 - present Chair: 2005 Armed Services Joint Committee: 2003 - present ASC Subcommittee On Homeland Security: 2005 - present Legislative Council Joint Committee: 2003 - present Chair, State Affairs Committee: 2003 - 2004 Co-Chair, Special Committee on Fisheries: 2003 Vice-Chair, Joint Legislative Salmon Industry Task Force: 2003 Labor & Commerce Committee: 2003 - 2004 Finance Subcommittees: - Community & Economic Development: 2003 - present - Corrections: 2003 - present - Natural Resources: 2003 - 2004

Alaska State House of Representatives:
2001 - 2003 Co-Chair, Special Committee on Fisheries: 2001 - 2002 House Finance Committee: 2003 Health, Education, & Social Services Committee: 2001 - 2002 Joint Legislative Salmon Industry Task Force: 2001 - 2002 Resources Committee: 2001 - 2002 State Affairs Committee: 2001 - 2002 Special Committee on Education: 2001 - 2002 Finance Subcommittees: - Chair, Administration: 2003 - Chair, Natural Resources: 2003 - Education & Early Development: 2001 - 2002 - Fish & Game: 2001 - 2002 - University of Alaska: 2001 - 2002

Other Political and Government Positions:
NCSL Executive Committee: 2005 - present Ex-Officio Member, Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute Mayor, Kodiak Island Borough Mayor, City of Kodiak President, School Board Presiding Officer, Borough Assembly Board of Directors, Alaska Municipal League Alaska Conference of Mayors Vice-President, Southwest Alaska Municipal Conference Chairman, Kodiak Mayor’s Conference Member, Pacific Fisheries Legislative Task Force Ex-Officio Member, Alaska Aerospace Development Corporation: 2001 - 2002 Host Committee, CSG Conference: 2003

Business and Professional Positions:
Professor, University of Alaska: 25 years General Manager, Northern Processors: 5 years Director, Kodiak Oral History Project President, Alaska Historical Society Board of Directors, Alaska Humanities Forum

Service Organizations and Community Involvement:
Rotary International Governor, District 5010

Special Interests:
Alaska, U.S. History