Jim Geringer

Infobox Governor

| imagesize = 150px
name=James Geringer
caption=
order=30th
office=Governor of Wyoming
term_start=January 2, 1995
term_end=January 6, 2003
lieutenant=
predecessor=Mike Sullivan
successor=Dave Freudenthal
birth_date=birth date and age|1944|4|24
birth_place=Wheatland, Wyoming
death_date=
death_place=
spouse=Sherri Geringer
profession=Politician, Farmer
party=Republican
religion=Lutheran
footnotes=

James EdwardFact|date=November 2007 "Jim" Geringer (born April 24, 1944) was the 30th Governor of Wyoming. Geringer was raised on a farm in Wheatland, Wyoming. He attended Kansas State University and was a member of Triangle Fraternity, earning a degree in mechanical engineering. He served for ten years in the United States Air Force before retiring. He briefly worked at a power generating station in Wheatland, Wyoming before purchasing a farm.

In 1982, Geringer successfully ran as a Republican for a seat in the Wyoming House of Representatives. After serving there for six years, he won a seat in the Wyoming Senate. In 1994, State Senator Geringer was elected as Wyoming's governor.

Geringer was generally a conservative throughout his political career. As governor, he helped pass laws that regulated class action lawsuits, reformed bankruptcy laws, toughened crime laws, legalized charter schools, and lowered taxes. However, he broke with the Republican Party in supporting environmental rulings and the Equal Rights Amendment.

Geringer is a character in the play The Laramie Project, about the Matthew Shepard murder and trial, which was a major news event while he was Governor. He makes a statement in the play about being opposed to a hate crimes law, which President Bill Clinton strongly supported, as did Judy Shepard, mother of the murdered college student.

After serving as governor, he joined Redlands, Calif., Environmental Systems Research Institute [http://www.esri.com] as director of policy and public sector strategies.

Geringer is one of the founding governors of Western Governors University (WGU) and is currently chairman of the WGU Board of Trustees. [ [http://wgu.edu/wgu/bot.asp Board of Trustees ] ]

References

External links

*http://wyoarchives.state.wy.us/governor/geringer.htm
*http://www.issues2002.org/Jim_Geringer.htm
*http://www.nndb.com/people/801/000121438/