Mike Kreidler

Myron Bradford "Mike" Kreidler (born 28 September 1943) is an American politician who currently serves as the Washington Insurance Commissioner. He is a Democrat.

Kreidler was a long-time legislator, serving 16 years in the Washington Legislature (Washington House of Representatives 1976–1984, then Washington State Senate 1984–1992) before being elected to the United States Congress as a Representative from the newly formed 9th congressional district of Washington in 1992. He was defeated by Republican Randy Tate in 1994. In 2000, Kreidler was elected Insurance Commissioner. He was re-elected in 2004 and again in 2008.

Kreidler is Washington's eighth insurance commissioner.^[1]

Since taking office in January 2001, he has cut rate increases on homeowners and auto insurance policies by $300 million. He regained national accreditation for the agency, which was lost under his predecessor.^[2] In 2004, he rejected a bid by one of the state's largest non-profit health insurers, Premera Blue Cross, to become a for-profit company.^[3] In 2010, the insurance commissioner's office recovered more than $9 million for consumers in Washington state.^[4]

In 2009, Kreidler worked with Washington state lawmakers to close a waiting-period loophole that threatened the lives of people waiting for organ transplants.^[5] Kreidler has also pushed for health care reform, both at the state and national levels.^[6]

Kreidler holds a bachelor of science degree from Pacific University, Forest Grove, OR and a doctor of optometry from the same institution's College of Optometry. After his US Army service as an optometry officer, he earned a master of public health degree in health administration from UCLA's School of Public Health.

He was employed as an optometrist by Group Health Cooperative of the Puget Sound in the Olympia clinic for twenty years with sixteen of them shared with the Washington State Legislature. Before being elected to the legislature, he was elected to the North Thurston School Board, Lacey, WA serving from 1973-1977. Following his re-election defeat to Congress in 1994, he was appointed to the Northwest Power Planning Council in 1995 by Washington Governor Mike Lowry and subsequently re-appointed by Governor Gary Locke. He served on the NWPPC until 1998 when he was then appointed the Region 10, US Department of Health and Human Services - Regional Director in Seattle. He resigned this position in 2000 to seek election to the office of Washington State Insurance Commissioner, an office he currently holds.

Kreidler resides in Lacey, WA with his wife, Lela, of 40 years. They have 3 grown children and 3 grandchildren. Besides membership in several professional and fraternal organizations, Kreidler is a retired reserve US Army Lt. Colonel with active service during the Viet Nam and first Gulf wars.

References

1. ^ http://www.insurance.wa.gov/about/mike_kreidler.shtml
2. ^ http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/west/2001/06/19/15357.htm
3. ^ http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2001980959_premera16m.html
4. ^ http://www.insurance.wa.gov/about/about.shtml
5. ^ http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2009-10/Pdf/Bill%20Reports/House/1308-S%20HBR%20APH%2009.pdf
6. ^ http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2009896136_guest21kreidler.html

External links

• Mike Kreidler at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• About Mike Kreidler — Washington State Insurance Commissioner
• Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner
• 2008 Campaign Website

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by New district formed after 1990 Census	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Washington's 9th congressional district 1993–1995	Succeeded by Randy Tate

Persondata
Name	Kreidler, Mike
Alternative names
Short description	American politician
Date of birth	28 September 1943
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death