David M. Jennings
Encyclopedia
David M. Jennings is a Minnesota
politician, a member of the Republican Party
, a former Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives
, and the former superintendent
of School District 112, based in Chaska
.
Jennings served as a sergeant in the United States Marine Corps
for five years. He received a B.S. degree in political science
, magna cum laude, from Mankato State University in 1975. He worked in small construction until he was first elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives
in 1979.
Jennings rose quickly, becoming minority leader
in 1982. He served in that role until the Independent-Republicans gained a majority in the 1984 elections. He became Speaker of the House
in 1985, a position he held for two years until his departure from the legislature.
In 1999, Jennings served briefly as Minnesota's Commissioner of Commerce under Governor Jesse Ventura
. He later served as interim superintendent
of the Minneapolis school district from 2002 to 2004, and was considered for permanent appointment, but withdrew from consideration after the appointment process was criticized. He served as deputy director of operations for the Minnesota Historical Society
before accepting a permanent appointment as superintendent for the Chaska
school district in 2005. He is married and has one son.
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...
politician, a member of the Republican Party
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...
, a former Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives
Minnesota House of Representatives
The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower house in the Minnesota State Legislature. There are 134 members elected to two-year terms, twice the number of members in the Minnesota Senate. Each senate district is divided in half and given the suffix A or B...
, and the former superintendent
Superintendent (education)
In education in the United States, a superintendent is an individual who has executive oversight and administration rights, usually within an educational entity or organization....
of School District 112, based in Chaska
Chaska, Minnesota
As of 2005, there were 22,467 people and 8,194 households residing in the city. The population density was 1,640 people per square mile . There were 6,235 housing units at an average density of 454.1 per square mile...
.
Jennings served as a sergeant in the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
for five years. He received a B.S. degree in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
, magna cum laude, from Mankato State University in 1975. He worked in small construction until he was first elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives
Minnesota House of Representatives
The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower house in the Minnesota State Legislature. There are 134 members elected to two-year terms, twice the number of members in the Minnesota Senate. Each senate district is divided in half and given the suffix A or B...
in 1979.
Jennings rose quickly, becoming minority leader
Minority leader
In U.S. politics, the minority leader is the floor leader of the second largest caucus in a legislative body. Given the two-party nature of the U.S. system, the minority leader is almost inevitably either a Republican or a Democrat, with their counterpart being of the opposite party. The position...
in 1982. He served in that role until the Independent-Republicans gained a majority in the 1984 elections. He became Speaker of the House
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
in 1985, a position he held for two years until his departure from the legislature.
In 1999, Jennings served briefly as Minnesota's Commissioner of Commerce under Governor Jesse Ventura
Jesse Ventura
James George Janos , better known as Jesse Ventura, is an American politician, the 38th Governor of Minnesota from 1999 to 2003, Navy UDT veteran, former SEAL reservist, actor, and former radio and television talk show host...
. He later served as interim superintendent
Superintendent (education)
In education in the United States, a superintendent is an individual who has executive oversight and administration rights, usually within an educational entity or organization....
of the Minneapolis school district from 2002 to 2004, and was considered for permanent appointment, but withdrew from consideration after the appointment process was criticized. He served as deputy director of operations for the Minnesota Historical Society
Minnesota Historical Society
The Minnesota Historical Society is a private, non-profit educational and cultural institution dedicated to preserving the history of the U.S. state of Minnesota. It was founded by the territorial legislature in 1849, almost a decade before statehood. The Society is named in the Minnesota...
before accepting a permanent appointment as superintendent for the Chaska
Chaska, Minnesota
As of 2005, there were 22,467 people and 8,194 households residing in the city. The population density was 1,640 people per square mile . There were 6,235 housing units at an average density of 454.1 per square mile...
school district in 2005. He is married and has one son.