| Michael Beard | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from the 35A district |
|
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 2003 |
|
| Preceded by | Ken Wolf |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 22, 1953 Clearfield, Pennsylvania |
| Political party | Republican Party of Minnesota |
| Spouse(s) | Karen |
| Children | 4 |
| Residence | Shakopee, Minnesota |
| Alma mater | Bethany College of Missions |
| Profession | businessman, publisher, legislator |
Michael "Mike" Beard (born July 22, 1953) is a Minnesota politician and a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives representing District 35A, which includes portions of Scott County in the southwestern part of the Twin Cities metropolitan area. A Republican, he is also a local businessman and newspaper publisher.[1]
Beard was first elected in 2002, and has been re-elected every two years since then. He is currently a member of the House Commerce and Labor Subcommittee for the Telecommunications Regulation and Infrastructure Division; of the Finance subcommittees for the Bioscience and Workforce Development Policy and Oversight Division, the Energy Finance and Policy Division, and the Transportation Finance and Policy Division (on which he is the ranking minority party member); and of the State and Local Government Operations Reform, Technology and Elections Subcommittee for the Local Government Division.[2] He has been an assistant minority whip since 2007.[3] On May 21, 2011, he joined the House Republican Majority in voting for a constitutional amendment to define marriage as between a man and woman.[4]
Beard graduated from Bethany College of Missions in Bloomington, earning his B.A. in Bible Missions. He later attended entrepreneurial classes at the University of St. Thomas in Saint Paul. He was the owner and operator of Macalester Park Public Company from 1987–1995, and has been publisher of the Minnesota Christian Chronicle newspaper since 1994. He was a member of the Shakopee City Council from 1991–1995, and was a member of the Minnesota Regional Transit Board from 1993-1995.[5][6]