[William L. Guy] [Arthur A. Link] [Allen I. Olson] [George A. Sinner] [Edward T. Schafer] [John Hoeven]

After receiving his B.S. degree from North Dakota Agricultural College (NDAC), William L. Guy served in the United States Navy in World War II. He received a master's degree from the University of Minnesota, and then became the assistant county agent for Cass County. With his wife Jean, Guy began farming at Amenia, North Dakota, in 1948 and taught agricultural economics at NDAC during the winter quarters.

In the legislature Guy served as assistant minority leader. His election as governor on the Democratic-Non Partisan League ticket finally established the two-party system in North Dakota.

As governor, Guy served two two-year terms and two four-year terms. He began modernizing state government by implementing the new Office of Management and Budget. During his terms, the State Hospital's patient load was reduced from 2,600 to 600 and eight regional mental health districts were established. Guy organized the five-state Old West Trail Tourist Loop. The interstate highway system, 350 Minuteman missiles, the anti-ballistic missiles site, and Garrison Diversion were large federal projects that came to North Dakota during Guy's watch. He was instrumental in bringing three sugar beet refineries and large scale coal-fired electrical generation to North Dakota. Governor Guy was selected by President Lyndon Johnson to observe the first presidential elections in South Vietnam.

Guy originated the concept of an interpretive North Dakota Heritage Center and promoted its construction. The Theodore Roosevelt Rough Rider Award was established by Governor Guy as North Dakota's highest recognition.

Guy organized and served as the first chairman of the Midwest Governors' Conference in 1962. In 1966 he was elected chairman of the National Governors' Conference.

Governor Guy with President John F. Kennedy and Senator Quentin Burdick in Fargo as they successfully campaigned for election in 1960.

Arthur Albert Link was born and raised in McKenzie County in the western part of the state. He worked on the family farm and received his education in the public schools. He attended the North Dakota Agricultural College in Fargo.

Link's career in public service began on the local level as a member of county and state Farm Security Administration committees, Randolf Township Board of Supervisors, McKenzie County Welfare Board, and local school boards. He was elected to the North Dakota House of Representatives as a Nonpartisan League member of the Republican Party, but in 1956 Link and other members of the Nonpartisan League switched to the Democratic Party. In 1964 he was elected speaker of the house.

As governor, Link favored careful management of the state's natural resources - particularly when the energy crisis caused controversy between those who wished to exploit North Dakota's coal and oil and those who wished to protect the state's environment. North Dakota's agricultural community prospered during Link's administration. Income and property tax laws were reformed by the legislature, but a reapportionment bill was vetoed by Link.

Link promoted foreign and domestic trade. He has been a strong supporter of the North Dakota Heritage Center, and in 1985 he was appointed chairman of the Centennial Commission by Governor George Sinner.

Exploration of North Dakota's great mineral wealth was a big issue during Governor Link's administration. Link advocated a conservative policy of coal and oil development.

Governor Link and state officials, (front row, left to right) Secretary of State Ben Meier, Governor Art Link, Superintendent of Public Instruction Howard Snortland, (back row, left to right) Attorney General Allen Olson, State Auditor Bob Peterson, State Land Commissioner Richard Lommen, and Deputy Land Commissioner Otto Bervik, 1980.

North Dakota native Allen I. Olson completed his undergraduate education and received his law degree at the University of North Dakota. He served in the United States Army as a judge advocate general's corps lawyer. In 1967 he served as chief of military justice in Munich, West Germany. From 1967 to 1969 he was assistant director of the Legislative Research Committee (now called the Legislative Council), which directed the state's first study of strip mining, soil banks, and land reclamation. In 1969 Olson entered private practice in the Bismarck law firm of Conmy, Rosenberg, Lucas and Olson. In 1972 he ran for attorney general, and served two terms. In November 1980, he defeated incumbent Governor Arthur A. Link. Olson ran for re-election in 1984, but was defeated by George A. Sinner.

One of the most controversial issues of Olson's administration was the lawsuit filed against the state by the Association of Retarded Citizens, and deinstitutionalization of the Grafton State School and San Haven State Hospital. Governor Olson worked with the Task Force on Drunk Driving and supported the Garrison Diversion program. During his administration portions of the Cross Ranch were purchased with donations from the private sector and turned over to the state as a park. Another change which occurred during Olson's administration was the creation of the Department of Human Services.

After leaving the governor's office, Olson returned to private practice of law in Bismarck for a year, then left the state to join the Minneapolis law firm of Fredrikson and Byron. In 1987 he left the law firm to become a co-owner of an alloy die-casting company in New Hope, Minnesota.

Governor Allen Ingvar Olson began his political career as attorney general of North Dakota. After serving as governor, he returned to private practice of law.

Governor Olson taking the oath of office, January 6, 1981.

George A. Sinner was born in Fargo and raised in Casselton, a town which served as home to several other North Dakota governors. In 1950 Sinner received a degree in philosophy from St. John's University in Minnesota. From 1950 to 1951 he served in the U.S. Air Force. He has been a partner in the Sinner Brothers and Bresnahan diversified farm at Casselton since 1952.

During his career as a political leader and farmer, Sinner has served as a member of various professional, educational, and civic boards and groups, including the North Dakota Board of Higher Education, North Dakota Public Broadcasting Council, Greater North Dakota Association Board, Red River Valley Sugarbeet Growers Association Board (served as president, 1975-1979), North Dakota Wheat Growers Association, North Dakota Stockmen's Association, American Soybean Association, North Dakota Farmers' Union, and the North Dakota Farm Bureau.

During Sinner's administration there was a farm crisis caused by the worst droughts since the Great Depression of the 1930s. North Dakota observed its statehood centennial in 1989. There was some reorganization in state government, particularly in the Economic Development Commission. In 1991 North Dakota's National Guard was called up to serve in the Persian Gulf during Operation Desert Storm.

Governor George Sinner served as co-chairman of the United States-Canada Task Force of the National Governor's Association (1986-1987) and chairman of the Association's Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development.

The current governor's residence, constructed in 1960, is located on the southwest corner of the capitol grounds.

Edward T. Schafer received his bachelor's degree from the University of North Dakota, and his MBA degree from the University of Denver. After graduation he went to work at the Gold Seal Company, a North Dakota-based manufacturing firm founded by his father, Harold Schafer. Schafer worked in several divisions of the Company, serving as its President from 1978 to 1985.

Schafer claimed four major accomplishments during his tenure as governor, three of which were goals at the start of his administration: (1) more jobs and a more diverse economy; (2) a more efficient state government; and (3) a re-energized state with a new image. A fourth accomplishment was a strengthened Republican Party which held large majorities in both houses of the Legislative Assembly and all but one of the elective executive positions at the close of Schafer's second term. Schafer was the first governor to be married in office.

Natural disasters also plagued the state in the 1990s, most notably a major flood and fire in Grand Forks in 1997, with flooding throughout much of the state; and a continuing crisis as the waters of Devils Lake flooded thousands of acres and forced many people from homes and businesses. Keeping with national trends, the state's prison population doubled, the farm economy remained weak, and out-migration affected all but the major urban centers of the state.

Governor Schafer and Nancy Jones Schafer.

JOHN HOEVEN

	Residence: Bismarck, North Dakota
	Years Served: 2000-present
	Date of Inauguration: December 15, 2000
	Age at Inauguration: 43
	Politics: Republican
	Born: Bismarck, North Dakota - March 13, 1957

2000-present: Governor of North Dakota