wy_gov_GERINGER

GOVERNOR JIM GERINGER

• Jim Geringer (pronounced GARE-in-gur) was born in Wheatland, Wyoming, the second oldest of seven children. His father, Gottleib, was three years old when he and his family immigrated to the United States from Russia. They settled in Wyoming, where Gottleib met his wife Elba, and they farmed sugar beets.

• Reared on his family's farm, Geringer graduated from Wheatland High School and Kansas State University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering in 1966. While in college, he met and married his wife Sherri.

• After college, Geringer joined the U.S. Air Force, beginning a ten year career in the military. Although he was in the military during Vietnam, he didn't see active duty and instead worked on reconnaissance planning. After the war, he worked for both the Air Force and NASA, doing space and missile development work. In 1977, he joined the Air Force Reserves, where he served until 1991.

• After he left active duty, Geringer and his wife decided to return to Wyoming and take over the family sugar beet farm. They expanded the operation, and in 1993, Geringer Farms was recognized as the top sugar beet producer in Southeast Wyoming and Western Nebraska.

• Geringer first got involved politics in 1983, when he was elected to the Wyoming state legislature. After six years in the House, he won election to the State Senate. During his Senate tenure, he chaired the Judiciary, Approriations, and Management Audit Committees and focused primarily on education, water rights, and budget issues.

• In 1994, Geringer launched a campaign for governor. In his first bid for statewide office, he won a four-way GOP primary. In what was expected to be a competitive general election against Democrat Kathy Karpan, Geringer won handily with 59 percent of the vote. He is Wyoming's first Republican governor in 20 years.