Mike grew up in a unique situation.  During the school year he lived in Fridley and then Rochester, where he graduated from Rochester Mayo.  He later received a B.A. in International Relations with a major in political science.

From the fishing opener in May through September he lived on the shores of Saganaga Lake,  working in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area where his family operated Saganaga Outfitters, a canoe outfitting business.  The experience of growing up with the BWCA as his backyard gave Mike his deep and abiding love of wilderness, and the desire to protect it.

Mike learned a strong work ethic at Sag Outfitters, working seven days a week, from early morning into the evenings.  Mike knows and understands what it is to put in a full day’s hard work. He’s not afraid to roll up his sleeves, get his hands dirty and to do what it takes to get a job finished properly.

Over the years, Mike has had the opportunity to work at an array of different jobs, giving him an honest perspective of where the voters are coming from when talking  about their own jobs.

He has experience in an array of professions from canoe outfitter to page/committee assistant, marketing and administration work to fitness club child care associate, litigation support and paralegal work to research analyst, and delivery truck driver.

From 1998 through 2006 Mike’s main job focus was as stay-at-home dad: teacher, nurse, chauffeur, mediator, chef, entertainer, and coach. In 1995 he started volunteering regularly in the Southview Elementary  First Grade Books program continuing to Westview’s Leap to Literacy tutoring program as well as tutoring and classroom volunteering in both grade schools.

Mike has been active with VAA community sports, beginning in 1997 as a volunteer coach for soccer, baseball and volleyball, and most recently as a member of the VAA board of directors.

Mike has a long history of community, political activism and organizing. Since the early 1980’s he has worked with Clean Water Action, Minnesota Interest Public Research Group (MPIRG), Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now ( fair housing coalition), AFFIRM (citizen/immigrant rights), Blue-Green Alliance (labor/environmental issues), and others.

Mike is an activist with Transit for Livable Communities (TLC) working on an array of transit and transportation issues, as well as the United Health Care Action Network, focused on enacting a universal single payer based health care system.  In addition, Mike has worked with non-profit organizations on projects as diverse as green job creation to oversight of financial activities of large energy utilities.  He is also past chair and associate chair of  SD37 DFL.

Mike resides in Apple Valley with his wife (Kathy), three children (Amanda, Sam and Kayla), and cats (Simon and Gracie) and has been an active member of our community since 1995. He is an avid reader and information junkie.  In his leisure, Mike enjoys playing guitar, hiking, canoeing and camping with his family in the BWCA and North Shore.

All of Mike’s life experiences have prepared him to be SD37’s best representation in the State Senate.  Mike listens to and talks with people daily in gas stations and stores, our schools and parks.  Not to mention at the front door! He knows and understands what is important to us individually, to our families and to our community.  Mike has the same hopes and dreams for his family and our community.

Our issues are Mike’s issues. That’s why we need him in the State Senate representing SD 37!

He will fight for us!

Health Care – Jobs and Economic Development – Education – Environment – Transportation