Gary DeCramer
Encyclopedia
Gary M. DeCramer is a former politician
from Minnesota
and a former Minnesota State Senator
. After running unsuccessfully for the state senate in a 1981 special election, he was elected from Ghent
in 1982 in the re-districted
District 27, and was re-elected in 1986 and 1990. The district included all or portions of Lincoln
, Lyon
, Murray
, Nobles
, Pipestone
and Rock
counties.
. He attended Crosier Preparatory Seminary in Onamia
and graduated from the Secondary College of St. Thomas in Saint Paul
with a B.A.
in English. He later earned a master's degree
in English from the University of Oklahoma
During his time as senator, DeCramer’s special legislative concerns included agriculture, education and soil, water and wildlife conservation. He was a member of the senate's Agriculture and Rural Development, Education, Finance, Governmental Operations, Public Utilities and State Regulated Industries, Redistricting, Rules & Administration, Transportation and Veterans & General Legislation committees, and of various sub-committees relevant to each area. He was chair of the Senate Transportation Committee during the 1991-1992 legislative session.
's Office of Planning and Development, and as senior fellow in the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs
' State and Local Policy Program and the University of Minnesota
's Center for Transportation Studies. He also served briefly as interim president of Southwest State University in Marshall. During this period, he earned a doctorate
in educational leadership from the University of St. Thomas
.
DeCramer is currently the director of the Humphrey Institute's mid-career Master of Public Affairs
program. He teaches in that program and in the University of Minnesota's leadership minor. He is chair of the board for DARTS, a nonprofit serving seniors and families in Dakota County
, and has also served on the board for Project Harvest Hope, a national nonprofit dedicated to values-based community, economic and agricultural development in the villages of the Transylvania
n region of Romania
.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
from Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
and a former Minnesota State Senator
Minnesota Senate
The Minnesota Senate is the upper house in the Minnesota Legislature. There are 67 members, half as many as are in the Minnesota House of Representatives. In terms of membership, it is the largest upper house of any state legislature. Each Senate district in the state includes an A and B House...
. After running unsuccessfully for the state senate in a 1981 special election, he was elected from Ghent
Ghent, Minnesota
Ghent is a city in Lyon County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 370 at the 2010 census. It was named after the Flemish city of Gent.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
in 1982 in the re-districted
Redistricting
Redistricting is the process of drawing United States electoral district boundaries, often in response to population changes determined by the results of the decennial census. In 36 states, the state legislature has primary responsibility for creating a redistricting plan, in many cases subject to...
District 27, and was re-elected in 1986 and 1990. The district included all or portions of Lincoln
Lincoln County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 6,429 people, 2,653 households, and 1,785 families residing in the county. The population density was 12 people per square mile . There were 3,043 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile...
, Lyon
Lyon County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 25,425 people, 9,715 households, and 6,334 families residing in the county. The population density was 36 people per square mile . There were 10,298 housing units at an average density of 14 per square mile...
, Murray
Murray County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 9,165 people, 3,722 households, and 2,601 families residing in the county. The population density was 13 people per square mile . There were 4,357 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile...
, Nobles
Nobles County, Minnesota
Nobles County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 21,378. Its county seat is Worthington.-Geography:...
, Pipestone
Pipestone County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 9,895 people, 4,069 households, and 2,726 families residing in the county. The population density was 21 people per square mile . There were 4,434 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile...
and Rock
Rock County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 9,721 people, 3,843 households, and 2,705 families residing in the county. The population density was 20 people per square mile . There were 4,137 housing units at an average density of 9 per square mile...
counties.
Early years and service as senator
DeCramer was born and raised on a farm by MarshallMarshall, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,735 people, 4,914 households, and 2,914 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,537.0 people per square mile . There were 5,182 housing units at an average density of 625.4 per square mile...
. He attended Crosier Preparatory Seminary in Onamia
Onamia, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 847 people, 318 households, and 171 families residing in the city. The population density was 938.3 people per square mile . There were 355 housing units at an average density of 393.3 per square mile...
and graduated from the Secondary College of St. Thomas in Saint Paul
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
with a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in English. He later earned a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in English from the University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
During his time as senator, DeCramer’s special legislative concerns included agriculture, education and soil, water and wildlife conservation. He was a member of the senate's Agriculture and Rural Development, Education, Finance, Governmental Operations, Public Utilities and State Regulated Industries, Redistricting, Rules & Administration, Transportation and Veterans & General Legislation committees, and of various sub-committees relevant to each area. He was chair of the Senate Transportation Committee during the 1991-1992 legislative session.
Leadership in public affairs and education
After leaving the Minnesota Legislature, DeCramer was the Minnesota Director of USDA Rural Development, which provides financial and technical assistance to the towns and eleven tribal communities in the state, and direct financing toward low-income housing, community facilities, rural water and wastewater infrastructure, distance learning and telemedicine infrastructure, rural business and cooperative services, and community development. He later served as principle planning analyst for Hennepin CountyHennepin County, Minnesota
Hennepin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota, named in honor of the 17th-century explorer Father Louis Hennepin. As of 2010 the population was 1,152,425. Its county seat is Minneapolis. It is by far the most populous county in Minnesota; more than one in five Minnesotans live...
's Office of Planning and Development, and as senior fellow in the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs
Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs
The Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs is a graduate public affairs school located at the University of Minnesota, ranking among the top 15 professional schools of public affairs at public universities in the country. It is named after Hubert H. Humphrey, former Vice President of the...
' State and Local Policy Program and the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
's Center for Transportation Studies. He also served briefly as interim president of Southwest State University in Marshall. During this period, he earned a doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in educational leadership from the University of St. Thomas
University of St. Thomas (Minnesota)
The University of St. Thomas is a private, Catholic, liberal arts, and archdiocesan university located in St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States...
.
DeCramer is currently the director of the Humphrey Institute's mid-career Master of Public Affairs
Master of Public Affairs
The Master of Public Affairs , one of several public affairs degrees, historically has been a master level professional degree offered in public policy schools that provides training in public policy and the operation of government. Courses required for this degree educate students in public and...
program. He teaches in that program and in the University of Minnesota's leadership minor. He is chair of the board for DARTS, a nonprofit serving seniors and families in Dakota County
Dakota County, Minnesota
Dakota County is the third most populous county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The county is bordered by the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers on the north, and the state of Wisconsin on the east. Dakota County comprises the southeast portion of seven-county Minneapolis-St. Paul, the thirteenth...
, and has also served on the board for Project Harvest Hope, a national nonprofit dedicated to values-based community, economic and agricultural development in the villages of the Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
n region of Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
.