ia_sen_OSTERBERG
DAVID OSTERBERG
Age: 55 Born: April 19, 1943 in Aberdeen, Washington Education: B.A., Washington State University in Pullman (1966); M.A., University of Wisconsin-Madison (1972) (1975) Military: none Family: Divorced - step children Hometown: Mount Vernon, Iowa Religion: Methodist Career: Consultant (1995-present); Professor, University of Iowa; Professor, Iowa State University (1975-82); Iowa State Representative (1982-94) |
• Born in Aberdeen, Washington, Osterberg attended Washington State University in Pullman and earned a B.A. in economics. Osterberg then worked toward concentrating his studies. He went to the University of Wisconsin-Madison earning masters degrees in Water Resource Management and Agricultural Economics. Upon graduation, Osterberg moved to Mount Vernon, Iowa to teach at Cornell. He has lived there ever since.
• After teaching economics at Cornell for 7 years, Osterberg was elected to the State House of Representatives. With his background in environmental issues, Osterberg rose quickly in the state house. From 1991-92, he served as chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection, and was chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture from 1987-90. As a legislator, Osterberg played an important part in passing the 1987 Groundwater Protection Act, and he authored a 1983 Alternative Energy bill. Osterberg was also instrumental in the passage of the 1989 Resource Enhancement and Protection Act and the 1990 Energy Efficiency Act.
• Osterberg has consulted for consumer and environmental groups throughout the country. He has testified before legislative committees in six states, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, as well as Congress.
• Since leaving the General Assembly, Osterberg returned to teaching. At the University of Iowa, he is an Adjunct Professor teaching corses on environmental policy. Osterberg also taught at Dalarna University in Sweden.
· Osterberg was not initially mentioned as a Democratic challenger to three-term Republican Sen. Charles Grassley. It wasnÂ't until former Congressman David Nagle dropped out of the race to enter an alcohol treatment program (after a much-publicized arrest while in intoxicated in Cedar Rapids, Iowa) that Osterberg was considered. Osterberg vowed to run a grassroots campaign much like the one Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone - also a former college professor - used to defeat a popular incumbent in 1990.