Don Koivisto
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| Don Koivisto | |
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Member of the Michigan State Senate
from the 38th district |
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| In office 1990 – 2002 |
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| Preceded by | Joseph Mack |
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| Succeeded by | Mike Prusi |
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| Born | August 18, 1949 Gogebic County, Michigan |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Pam Koivisto |
| Religion | Lutheran |
Donald W. Koivisto (born August 18, 1949) is a Democratic politician from the U.S. state of Michigan. He was a member of the Michigan House of Representatives 1980 to 1986 and the Michigan Senate from 1990 until 2002. As of 2007, he is the Director of the Michigan State Agriculture Committee.
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[edit] Early life
Koivisto was born in Gogebic County, Michigan in 1949. He grew up on a farm near Ironwood, Michigan. He graduated from Luther L. Wright High School in 1967, and earned a BS in Political Science from Central Michigan University in 1971. He worked as a corrections officer in Ontonagon County, a farmer and teacher.
[edit] Political career
In 1980, Koivisto was elected as a Democrat to the Michigan State House of Representatives to succeed Rep. Russel Hellman, who retired. He represented the 110th District, which was located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and included Iron, Gogebic, Houghton, Ontonagon, Keweenaw, and Baraga Counties. He served as chairman of the House Agriculture Committee from 1984 to 1986.
In 1986, he retired from the House of Representatives and became a legislative staffer for the Joint Administrative Rules Committee. In 1990, he was elected to the Michigan State Senate, representing the 38th District, which includes all of the Counties in the Upper Peninsula except Mackinac County. He served on the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee. Koivisto was the only Senator to vote against ousting Sen. David Jaye from the Senate, other than Jaye himself. He served on the Appropriations, Higher Education, Capital Outlay, Agriculture, and Natural Resources and Environmental Quality, as well as Gaming and Casino Oversight Committees. He served in the Senate until 2002. He was succeeded by Mike Prusi.
[edit] Post-legislative career
After leaving the Senate, Koivisto became a lobbyist for the iron mining industry. In August 2007, The Michigan Commission of Agriculture appointed Koivisto Director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture, which is a state cabinet level position similar to the U.S. Agriculture Secretary.[1]
[edit] Awards and recognitions
In 1984, Koivisto won the Michigan Agricultural Conference Recognition Award for his work to help farmers while in the State House. He received the Michigan Farm Bureau's AgriPac endorsement as a "friend of agriculture" several times during his legislative career.
[edit] Personal life
Koivisto lives in Ellsworth, Michigan and owns a farm that produces corn, soybeans, and hay. He is married to his wife Pam and they have four children. They belong to the Bethany Lutheran Church in Charlevoix. He enjoys fishing and hunting in his spare time.
[edit] References
- ^ "Agriculture Commission Names Donald Koivisto As New State Agriculture Director" MDA Press Release, August 13, 2007
[edit] External links
- Biographical sketch, Michigan Manual, 1999-2000, p. 159
- Koivisto Appointed Agriculture Director
| Preceded by Joseph Mack (D) |
State Senator for the 38rd Congressional District of Michigan
Don Koivisto (D) |
Succeeded by Mike Prusi (D) |
