Bruce Biers Kendall
Encyclopedia
Bruce Biers Kendall is a retired American
hotelier
and Republican
politician
from Alaska
.
A Methodist, Kendall was born in Martinsburg, Nebraska
and grew up in Sioux City, Iowa
. He later moved to Alaska, living in Cordova
, Valdez
and Anchorage. He became one of the first members of the Alaska House of Representatives
in 1959 after statehood
.
In 1963, he became the first Republican Speaker of the Alaska House of Representatives
. After Democrats regained control of the House, he was replaced as a speaker by Mike Gravel
, future U.S. Senator.
Kendall remained a member of the State House until 1966. He later switched to the Democratic Party
, and was the party's nominee for an open seat on the Alaska Senate
in 1978, losing to Arliss Sturgulewski
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
hotelier
Hotelier
Hotelier is a South Korean drama broadcast by MBC in 2001. Asahi TV of Japan later remade the series in 2007. Hotelier contains a total of 20 episodes. The word "Hotelier" literally means "a person who owns or runs a hotel"...
and Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
from Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
.
A Methodist, Kendall was born in Martinsburg, Nebraska
Martinsburg, Nebraska
Martinsburg is a village in Dixon County, Nebraska, United States. It is part of the Sioux City, IA–NE–SD Metropolitan Statistical Area...
and grew up in Sioux City, Iowa
Sioux City, Iowa
Sioux City is a city in Plymouth and Woodbury counties in the western part of the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 82,684 in the 2010 census, a decline from 85,013 in the 2000 census, which makes it currently the fourth largest city in the state....
. He later moved to Alaska, living in Cordova
Cordova, Alaska
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,454 people, 958 households, and 597 families residing in the city. The population density was 40.0 per square mile . There are 1,099 housing units at an average density of 17.9 per square mile...
, Valdez
Valdez, Alaska
Valdez is a city in Valdez-Cordova Census Area in the U.S. state of Alaska. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 4,020. The city is one of the most important ports in Alaska. The port of Valdez was named in 1790 after the Spanish naval officer Antonio Valdés y...
and Anchorage. He became one of the first members of the Alaska House of Representatives
Alaska House of Representatives
The Alaska House of Representatives is the lower house in the Alaska Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alaska. The House is composed of 40 members, each of whom represents a district of about 15,673 people . Members serve two-year terms without term limits...
in 1959 after statehood
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
.
In 1963, he became the first Republican Speaker of the Alaska House of Representatives
Speaker of the Alaska House of Representatives
This is a list of speakers of the Alaska House of Representatives. The speaker is the presiding officer of the Alaska House of Representatives. This list covers both the territorial House and the state House .-Territorial House:-State House:- External links :*...
. After Democrats regained control of the House, he was replaced as a speaker by Mike Gravel
Mike Gravel
Maurice Robert "Mike" Gravel is a former Democratic United States Senator from Alaska, who served two terms from 1969 to 1981, and a former candidate in the 2008 presidential election....
, future U.S. Senator.
Kendall remained a member of the State House until 1966. He later switched to the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, and was the party's nominee for an open seat on the Alaska Senate
Alaska Senate
The Alaska Senate is the upper house in the Alaska Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alaska. The Senate consists of twenty members, each of whom represents an equal amount of districts with populations of about 31,347 people . Senators serve four-year terms, without term...
in 1978, losing to Arliss Sturgulewski
Arliss Sturgulewski
Jane Arliss Sturgulewski is a retired businesswoman and Republican politician from the U.S. state of Alaska. In a political career in which she started appearing in the spotlight in 1975, she represented Anchorage in the Alaska Senate from 1979 to 1993...
.