Alec G. Olson

Alec Olson
40th Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota
In office December 29, 1976 – January 3, 1979
Governor	Rudy Perpich
Preceded by	Rudy Perpich
Succeeded by	Lou Wangberg
1st President of the Minnesota Senate
In office January 1973 – December 29, 1976
Preceded by	Rudy Perpich (as lieutenant governor)*
Succeeded by	Edward J. Gearty
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Minnesota's 6th district
In office January 3, 1963 – January 3, 1967
Preceded by	Fred Marshall
Succeeded by	John M. Zwach
Member of the Minnesota Senate
In office May 14, 1969 – December 29, 1976
Preceded by	Robert G. Johnson
Succeeded by	Alvin O. H. Setzepfandt Jr.
Constituency	23rd district (1969-1973) 21st district (1973-1976)
Personal details
Born	Alec Gehard Olson (1930-09-11) September 11, 1930 Mamre Township, Kandiyohi County, Minnesota
Political party	Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party
Spouse	Janice Ruth Albrecht ​ ​ (m. 1957)​
Children	4
Profession	Insurance representative, farmer
From statehood until 1973, the lieutenant governor served as state senate president. Starting in 1973, senate presidents were selected from the body.

Alec Gehard Olson (born September 11, 1930) is an American retired politician from the U.S. state of Minnesota who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1963 to 1967, a member of the Minnesota Senate from 1969 to 1976, and as Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota from 1976 to 1979.

Biography

Olison was born in Mamre Township, Kandiyohi County, Minnesota. Olson attended public schools and graduated from Willmar High School in 1948. He farmed between 1948 and 1955, and was an insurance representative from 1955 to 1962. He was active in the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party from 1952 to 1962, serving as a district chairman for four years. He was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1960, 1964 and 1968.

Olson served in the U.S. House of Representatives from January 3, 1963, to January 3, 1967, during the 88th and 89th Congresses. He lost his bid for re-election in 1966. Olson served in the Minnesota Senate from 1969 to 1976 and was Senate president from 1973 to 1976. When Wendell R. Anderson resigned the governorship to become a U.S. senator in 1976 and was succeeded by Lieutenant Governor Rudy Perpich, Olson became the new lieutenant governor; he served from December 29, 1976 to January 3, 1979, and was Perpich's running mate in Minnesota's 1978 gubernatorial race.

External links

• Minnesota Historical Society: Alec Olson Profile
• Alec G. Olson at Minnesota Legislators Past & Present

• United States Congress. "Alec G. Olson (id: O000084)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.