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| Affiliation | Republican |
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| Name | Mark G. Ricks |
| Email | None |
| Website | None |
| Born |
July 04, 1924
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| Died | September 29, 2016
(92 years)
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| Contributor | Imperator |
| Last Modifed | David
Jul 04, 2020 02:34pm |
| Tags |
Married - Latter Day Saints (Mormon) -
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| Info | Mark George Ricks, the great-grandson of Ricks College founder Thomas E. Ricks, was born in Rexburg, Idaho, on July 4, 1924, and reared in Madison County. He and Evelyn Tonks married in 1944. They have nine children (one deceased) and 50 grandchildren. Ricks is a farmer and rancher by profession, growing potatoes, grain and cattle.
Lt. Governor Rick’s introduction to politics occurred in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s when he served as a Republican Precinct Committeeman. Although he was already very active in his church’s leadership and well respected throughout eastern Idaho, he earned the distinction of being a key regional leader during the 1976 collapse of the Teton Dam. Because of his religious position at the time of the collapse, he was put in charge of the recovery effort for the entire impacted area. Ricks was nationally recognized for his leadership in organizing the successful recovery effort.
At the urging of the Idaho Speaker of the House and many other prominent citizens, in 1978 he ran for, and was elected to, the Idaho State Senate, serving his first term in 1979-1980. As a freshman Senator he was chosen to serve on the powerful Joint Finance Committee. This period also marks the beginning of the friendship and collaboration between Lt. Governor Ricks and Governor Jim Risch, as Risch was serving as Senate Majority Leader at the time.
Lt. Gov. Ricks served in the State Senate with many of Idaho’s most influential leaders. As a former seatmate of current United States Senator Larry Craig, Ricks in known for commenting that Craig taught him to be a State Senator, and that “I had some influence on him, to prepare him to become a US Congressman.”
During his second term in the State Senate he served as the Chairman of the Commerce and Labor Committee, and in his third term he was surprised and honored to be nominated and elected Senate Majority Leader, with Jim Risch serving as the President Pro Tem of the Senate. During his tenure as Senate Majority Leader he also worked with Mike Crapo, who served as the Assistant Majority Leader.
The highlights of his remarkable public service career include:
1979-1994, eight-term Idaho State Senator
1983-1988, Senate Majority Leader
1982-1993 Chairman of the Reapportionment Committee
1981-1982, Chairman of the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee
1989-1994, Vice Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee
1989-1994, Chairman of the Senate State Affairs Committee
1989-1994, Chairman of the Revenue Projection Committee
2006, Lieutenant Governor of the State of Idaho
Throughout his entire life Lt. Governor Ricks has been active in community service events and organizations. Highlights of his community service include:
Member of the Executive Board of the Teton Peaks Council of the Boy Scouts of America
Induction to the Eastern Idaho Agriculture Hall of Fame in 1989
Governor’s Idaho Blue Ribbon Task Force member in 2002
Named as one of ten nationally Outstanding Legislators by the National Republican Legislators Association in 1987
Recipient of the Rexburg Chamber of Commerce Community Service Production and Example Award in 1976
Recipient of the Madison School District #321 Outstanding Service Award in 1987
Recipient of the Ricks College Distinguished Alumni Award in 1988
Member of the National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL) Executive Committee from 1985-1987 (also chaired the NCSL Nominating Committee)
Member of the Council of State Government (CSG) Executive Committee from 1989-1990
Chairman of the CSG Western Legislative Conference from 1988-1989
Idaho Wheat Growers member
National Federation of Independent Businesses member
Rexburg Chamber of Commerce member
Ricks would ultimately serve eight distinguished terms in the Idaho State Senate, retiring from the Senate in 1994. He reentered Idaho Politics on June 15, 2006, when Governor Risch appointed him to serve his state once again, this time in the capacity of being Idaho’s 40th Lieutenant Governor.
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