John Carlson (Minnesota politician)

John Carlson
Member of the Minnesota Senate
from the 4th district
In office
January 4, 2011 – January 7, 2013
Preceded byMary Olson
Succeeded byTom Saxhaug
Personal details
BornApril 1953
Akeley, Minnesota, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseAnn
Children2
Alma materInstitute of Management Accountants
Bemidji State University
OccupationSmall business owner, insurance agent, adjunct professor

John J. Carlson (born April 1953) is a Minnesota politician and a former member of the Minnesota Senate who represented District 4. A Republican, he is the owner of John Carlson Agency, an insurance service provider. He is also an adjunct professor in the Business Department of Bemidji State University in Bemidji.[1]

Carlson was first elected in 2010. He was a member of the Capital Investment, the Environment and Natural Resources, the Higher Education, and the State Government Innovation and Veterans committees. His special legislative concerns included redesigning of government services, jobs and economy, and education reform.[2] Following redistricting in 2012, Carlson was placed in District 5 alongside Democratic Senator Tom Saxhaug.[3] Saxhaug defeated Carlson on November 6, 2012.[4]

Carlson graduated from Akeley High School in Akeley, then attended Bemidji State University, receiving his B.S. in Business Administration. He later earned his Certified Management Accountant (CMA) designation from the Institute of Management Accountants based in Montvale, New Jersey. He worked for many years as an accountant and later chief financial officer at Northern Medical Imaging in Bemidji before starting his insurance business.[5][6]

  1. ^ "Carlson, John J. - Legislator Record - Minnesota Legislators Past & Present".
  2. ^ "Senator John Carlson (R) District 04". www.senate.leg.state.mn.us. Archived from the original on 2012-03-07.
  3. ^ Bierschbach, Briana (October 17, 2012). "Both sides go all out in Saxhaug-Carlson SD 5 duel". Politics in Minnesota.
  4. ^ "Results for All State Senate Races". Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State. Archived from the original on November 10, 2012. Retrieved November 14, 2012.
  5. ^ "John Carlson Biography". Archived from the original on 2010-10-17. Retrieved 2011-02-23.
  6. ^ "Carlson, John J. - Legislator Record - Minnesota Legislators Past & Present".