Steve Sviggum
| Steve Sviggum | |
|---|---|
| 55th Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives | |
| In office January 5, 1999 – January 2, 2007 |
|
| Preceded by | Phil Carruthers |
| Succeeded by | Margaret Anderson Kelliher |
| Minnesota House Minority Leader | |
| In office January 5, 1993 – January 4, 1999 |
|
| Preceded by | Terry Dempsey |
| Succeeded by | Tom Pugh |
| Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from the 28B, 26A, 25A district |
|
| In office January 3, 1979 – July 17, 2007 |
|
| Preceded by | Jim White |
| Succeeded by | Steve Drazkowski |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 15, 1951 Minnesota |
| Political party | Independent-Republican Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Debra |
| Children | 3 |
| Residence | Kenyon, Minnesota |
| Alma mater | St. Olaf College |
| Profession | educator, farmer, regent, legislator |
| Religion | Lutheran |
Steven A. "Steve" Sviggum is a Minnesota politician, a member of the University of Minnesota Board of Regents, and an executive assistant to and communications director for the Republican caucus in the Minnesota Senate.[1] A former Speaker and member of the Minnesota House of Representatives, Sviggum represented District 28B in the southeastern part of the state. The area was known as District 25A prior to the 1982 legislative redistricting, and as District 26A prior to the 1992 redistricting, and has included all or portions of Dakota, Dodge, Goodhue, Olmsted, Steele, Wabasha, Waseca and Winona counties.[2]
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[edit] Background
Of Norwegian-American ancestry, Sviggum was born in September 1951. He received a B.A. in mathematics from St. Olaf College in Northfield, and later worked as both a teacher and a farmer.[3]
[edit] Service and leadership in the Minnesota House
Sviggum was first elected to the House in 1978. He served as minority leader from 1993–1999, and became Speaker following the 1998 elections, when the Republicans took control of the House from the Democrats. He began his speakership under unusual circumstances; 1998 also saw the election of Reform Party candidate Jesse Ventura as governor, while the Democrats retained control of the Minnesota Senate. He was the leader of the Republicans in a government divided between three political parties.[4][5]
In the 2006 general election, the Democrats regained control of the House, ending Sviggum's time as Speaker. Though he won re-election to his House seat, he chose not seek a leadership position in the next session. Democrat Margaret Anderson Kelliher succeeded him as Speaker.[6]
[edit] State commissioner
On June 26, 2007, Governor Tim Pawlenty announced that Sviggum would succeed Scott Brenner as Minnesota Commissioner of Labor and Industry. He resigned from his House seat and took over the position on July 17, 2007, serving until December 2010. A special election was held on August 7, 2007, to determine his successor, won by Republican Steve Drazkowski of Wabasha.[7][8]
On December 2, 2010, in the waning days of the Pawlenty Administration, Sviggum was appointed Commissioner of the Minnesota Management and Budget Office, the department responsible for preparing budget proposals for the governor.[9] He served just over a month, leaving office with Pawlenty on January 3, 2011.[10]
[edit] University of Minnesota regent
Sviggum and former Rep. Laura Brod were elected to the University of Minnesota's Board of Regents on February 21, 2011, by a joint meeting of the Minnesota House and Senate. He serves a six year term on the 12-member body, which is charged with overseeing the University of Minnesota system.[11][12]
[edit] Work with Minnesota senate
On January 16, 2012, Sviggum was named communications director and executive assistant for the Republican caucus in the Minnesota Senate. Sviggum replaced Michael Brodkorb, who had resigned in the wake of a scandal involving former Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch. Sviggum was criticized for his plans to remain a regent during his tenure with the senate. Senate Minority Leader Tom Bakk said that he believed holding both positions was a conflict of interest.[13]
[edit] References
- ^ Senate GOP taps Sviggum as communications chief
- ^ http://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail.asp?ID=10643
- ^ http://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail.asp?ID=10643
- ^ http://www.hhh.umn.edu/people/ssviggum/index.html
- ^ http://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail.asp?ID=10643
- ^ http://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail.asp?ID=10643
- ^ http://www.hhh.umn.edu/people/ssviggum/index.html
- ^ http://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/20070807/ElecRslts.asp?M=LG&LD=28B
- ^ Former House leader Sviggum named to budget post
- ^ http://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail.asp?ID=10643
- ^ http://politicsinminnesota.com/blog/2011/02/former-legislators-brod-sviggum-among-four-regents-approved/
- ^ http://thekenyonleader.com/news.php?viewStory=3943
- ^ Senate GOP taps Sviggum as communications chief
[edit] External links
- Steve Sviggum at Minnesota Legislators Past & Present
- University of Minnesota Humphrey School of Public Affairs Profile
- Minnesota House of Representatives Website for Steve Sviggum
| Preceded by Phil Carruthers |
Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives 1999–2007 |
Succeeded by Margaret Anderson Kelliher |
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