Sen.
Frederickson with his wife, Marj, at his desk on the Senate Floor.
Senator
Dennis Frederickson was born and raised on a farm in Redwood County near
Morgan, Minnesota. While he was growing up, he hunted pheasants, ducks,
rabbits, and squirrels on the family farm and fished in the Minnesota River.
He graduated from Morgan High School in 1957 and the University of Minnesota
in 1961 with a B.S. degree in agriculture economics. After graduation, he
spent five years on active duty in the U.S. Navy as a pilot. Following active
duty, he flew in the Naval Air Reserve for three years, being honorably
discharged with the rank of Lieutenant Commander.
He
returned to the family farm in 1967 and was first elected to public office in 1972 as
a Redwood County Commissioner, where he served for eight years. He also served
five years on the Redwood County Nursing Home Board, four as chairman and is a
former adult 4-H leader, Sunday School teacher, Lions Club member and past
president, State Home Economics Advisory Council member. He served on the
Redwood Electric Cooperative Board of Directors for 20 years. He is now a retired
farmer.
Senator
Frederickson was first elected to the Minnesota State Senate in 1980 and has
been reelected ever since. He is a member of several Senate Committees: Capital Investment; Environment and Natural Resources;
Environment, Agriculture and Economic Development Budget Division;
Finance;
and Rules and Administration. He has been a member of the Senate
Environment and Natural Resources Committee for 26 years and of the Environment
Budget Division for 24 years. He also serves on the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources
(LCCMR), which makes
recommendations to the legislature on how to spend money from the Environmental
Trust Fund, and on the Legislative Commission on
Planning and Fiscal Policy.
Within the district he represents, he is currently a member of the Brown County
Historical Society, Wanda Gag House Association, Lind House Association, Ducks
Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, and Minnesota Deer Hunters Association.
Senator Frederickson has received many environmental awards over the years:
-
2006 ~ Minnesota Association of Soil and Water
Conservation Districts Legislator of the Year Award,
Minnesota Ground Water Association Outstanding Service
Award, Minnesota Council of Nonprofits Allies Award, and
Minnesota Citizens for the Arts All Star Award;
-
2005 ~
Wildlife Heritage Award;
-
2003 ~
Minnesota Chapter of Ducks Unlimited Conservation Award for an Elected
Official, Redwood County Pheasants Forever Award for habitat improvement,
and Minnesota League of Conservation Voters Environmental Leadership
Award;
-
2001 ~ Friends of the Minnesota Valley Conservation
Award, and Nicollet Conservation Club's Conservationist of the Year Award;
-
1997 ~ Government Relations Award from the
Nature Conservancy;
-
1996 ~ John Rose Award from the Fish and Wildlife Legislation Association, Outstanding Environmental Leadership Award by the Minnesota League of
Conservation Voters, and the Minnesota River Board presented him with a
special award for his efforts to clean up the Minnesota River;
-
1995 ~ Legislator of the Year by the
Minnesota Deer Hunters Association; and
-
1991 ~ Outstanding Cooperator Award from the Brown County Soil and Water
Conservation District.
When
Senator Frederickson is not at the State Capitol, he enjoys spending time with
his wife Marj, their three adult children and their spouses, and six
grandchildren. He enjoys running, hunting, canoeing, fishing, scuba diving, and
hiking along rivers.
