John S. Wold
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John Schiller Wold (born August 31, 1916) is a business leader and Republican politician from Wyoming who served a single term in the United States House of Representatives from 1969 to 1971. He holds the distinction of being the first professional geologist to serve in Congress.
A Brother of the Alpha Delta Phi, Wold earned degrees from Union College in Schenectady, New York in 1938 and Cornell University in 1939. During World War II, he served as a consulting physicist and gunnery officer for the U.S. Navy.
Wold served in the Wyoming House of Representatives from 1957 to 1959 and was the state's Republican chairman from 1960 to 1964. In 1968, he defeated on-again, off-again Congressman William Henry Harrison in the Republican primary before winning a decisive general election victory. Two years later, he gave up his House seat to run against incumbent Sen. Gale McGee, a Democrat. He lost the race and returned to the private sector but has remained active as a Republican political donor.
Wold is the founder of Wold Oil Properties, Inc., in Casper, Wyoming. The company is currently operated by his sons. In 2002, Wold made a $20 million donation to his alma mater, Union College--the biggest in its history. Wold's father was a president of the school.
The American Heritage Center at the University of Wyoming named Wold at the "Wyoming Citizen of the Century" in the minerals, gas, and oil category in 1999.
| Preceded by William Henry Harrison (R) |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wyoming's At-large congressional district 1969 – 1971 |
Succeeded by Teno Roncalio (D) |
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