Don Ness
Encyclopedia
Don Ness is an American politician from Duluth
, Minnesota
, and the current mayor of that city. He is a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party
.
to Don and Mary Ness. His father was the pastor of a small, non-denominational Christian
church, who also was Chaplin Northwoods Children's Services. He was educated in Duluth's public school system, attending Central High School
, then went on to the University of Minnesota Duluth
(UMD), where he served as Student Body President
in 1995-96, and as chair of the University-wide Student Senate
in 1996-97. He graduated with a Bachelor's Degree
in Business Administration and was given the Sieur du Lhut Award for his service to the campus.
community. He founded the Bridge Syndicate, a group of young people whose mission is to increase civic, cultural, and economic opportunities in the Twin Ports
. Ness was also festival director for Homegrown Music Festival
for two years, the festival expanded to a eight-day festival under his leadership.
Ness also worked for the Zeppa Family Foundation, a progressive-minded foundation focused on hunger
and poverty
, environmental sustainability
, and support for the visual
and performing arts
in 2007.
hired Ness to be his campaign manager
— a position Ness continued to hold for nearly ten years.
In the Fall of 1999, Ness was elected to the Duluth City Council
as the city's councilor-at-large. In 2001 and 2004, he served as council president.
Ness was elected mayor
of Duluth
in November 2007, and took office in January 2008.
Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...
, 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 the current mayor of that city. He is a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party
Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party
The Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party is a major political party in the state of Minnesota and the state affiliate of the Democratic Party. It was created on April 15, 1944, with the merger of the Minnesota Democratic Party and the Farmer–Labor Party...
.
Early life and education
Ness was born in DuluthDuluth, Minnesota
Duluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...
to Don and Mary Ness. His father was the pastor of a small, non-denominational Christian
Non-denominational Christianity
In Christianity, nondenominational institutions or churches are those not formally aligned with an established denomination, or that remain otherwise officially autonomous. This, however, does not preclude an identifiable standard among such congregations...
church, who also was Chaplin Northwoods Children's Services. He was educated in Duluth's public school system, attending Central High School
Central High School (Duluth, Minnesota)
Central High School was a secondary school located in Duluth, Minnesota which educated students in grades nine through twelve. The school first opened in 1893. The mascot of the school was the Trojan...
, then went on to the University of Minnesota Duluth
University of Minnesota Duluth
The University of Minnesota Duluth is a regional branch of the University of Minnesota system located in Duluth, Minnesota, USA. As Duluth's public research university, UMD offers 13 bachelor's degrees in 74 majors, graduate programs in 24 different fields, a two-year program at the School of...
(UMD), where he served as Student Body President
Students' union
A students' union, student government, student senate, students' association, guild of students or government of student body is a student organization present in many colleges and universities, and has started appearing in some high schools...
in 1995-96, and as chair of the University-wide Student Senate
Students' union
A students' union, student government, student senate, students' association, guild of students or government of student body is a student organization present in many colleges and universities, and has started appearing in some high schools...
in 1996-97. He graduated with a Bachelor's Degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in Business Administration and was given the Sieur du Lhut Award for his service to the campus.
Community service
Ness has a history of active service to and involvement in the DuluthDuluth, Minnesota
Duluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...
community. He founded the Bridge Syndicate, a group of young people whose mission is to increase civic, cultural, and economic opportunities in the Twin Ports
Twin Ports
The Twin Ports of Duluth, Minnesota and Superior, Wisconsin are located at the western part of Lake Superior and together are considered the largest freshwater port in the world. They are twin cities and seaports, connected to the Atlantic Ocean through the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence...
. Ness was also festival director for Homegrown Music Festival
Homegrown Music Festival
The Homegrown Music Festival is Duluth, Minnesota's annual showcase of local bands. The event has grown from featuring 10 acts in 1999 to 156 in 2011...
for two years, the festival expanded to a eight-day festival under his leadership.
Ness also worked for the Zeppa Family Foundation, a progressive-minded foundation focused on hunger
Hunger
Hunger is the most commonly used term to describe the social condition of people who frequently experience the physical sensation of desiring food.-Malnutrition, famine, starvation:...
and poverty
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
, environmental sustainability
Sustainability
Sustainability is the capacity to endure. For humans, sustainability is the long-term maintenance of well being, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions, and encompasses the concept of union, an interdependent relationship and mutual responsible position with all living and non...
, and support for the visual
Visual arts
The visual arts are art forms that create works which are primarily visual in nature, such as ceramics, drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, design, crafts, and often modern visual arts and architecture...
and performing arts
Performing arts
The performing arts are those forms art which differ from the plastic arts insofar as the former uses the artist's own body, face, and presence as a medium, and the latter uses materials such as clay, metal or paint which can be molded or transformed to create some physical art object...
in 2007.
Political career
In 1997, Congressman Jim OberstarJim Oberstar
James Louis "Jim" Oberstar is a former U.S. Representative who served in the U.S. Congress from 1975 until 2011 as a member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party. He represented northeastern , which included the cities of Duluth, Brainerd, Grand Rapids, International Falls, and Hibbing...
hired Ness to be his campaign manager
Campaign manager
A campaign manager is a paid or volunteer individual, whose role is to coordinate the campaign's operations such as fundraising, advertising, polling, getting out the vote , and other activities supporting the effort, directly.Apart from the candidate, they are often a campaign's most visible leader...
— a position Ness continued to hold for nearly ten years.
In the Fall of 1999, Ness was elected to the Duluth City Council
Duluth City Council
The Duluth City Council is part of the governing body of the city of Duluth, Minnesota.Duluth has a Mayor-Council form of government, with the City Administration making policy proposals to a nine member City Council. Duluth's five representational districts are divided into 36 precincts. Each of...
as the city's councilor-at-large. In 2001 and 2004, he served as council president.
Ness was elected mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Duluth
Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...
in November 2007, and took office in January 2008.