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    Berkelman, Thomas R.

    Sessions Served    Other Information

    House 1977-83 (District 8B)

    Party when first elected:  Democratic-Farmer-Labor

    Counties Served:  St. Louis

    BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

    Date of Birth: 5/2/1949
    Birth Place:
    Birth County:
    Birth Country:
    Date of Death:
    Gender: Male
    Religion:
    Reported Minority: None Reported
    Other Names:
    City of Residence (when first elected): Duluth
    Occupation (when first elected): Duluth Public and Industrial Relations, Andreson-Ryan Company

    EDUCATION

    European Study Center, Luxembourg; Attended College;
    University of Minnesota, Duluth; B.A.; History and Political Science, 1971
    California State University, Long Beach; M.A.; Public Communications and Political Science, 1973

    OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

    Municipal Board/Commission: Duluth, Minnesota (General Advisory Committee for the Duluth Area Vocational Technical Institute); 19?? to 19??
    Municipal Board/Commission: Duluth, Minnesota (Mayor's Manpower Planning Council); 19?? to 19??
    State Board/Commission/Council: Minnesota Seaway Port Authority of Duluth (Assistant to the Director of Industrial Development); 1974 to 1976

    FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

    Spouse: Married (no longer listed in 1981); Single (listed in 1981); Kathleen Blatz (remarried in 1984, then divorced, after he left the legislature)
    Children: One child
    Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:
    Kathleen Ann Blatz  - Wife
    Jerome V. Blatz  - Father-in-Law

    GENERAL NOTES

    Most recent term photo
    Click to view
    Total Days Served: 2444

    SESSIONS SERVED

    73rd Legislative Session (1983-1984)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/4/1983
    Body: House
    District: 08B
    Elected: 11/2/1982
    Residence: Duluth
    Term of Office: 1/3/1983 to 9/12/1983 (unfinished term)
    Oath Date: 1/4/1983
    Counties Represented: St. Louis
    Occupation: Legislator
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Appropriations
    • Appropriations: Joint Claims
    • Appropriations: State Departments Division
    • Financial Institutions and Insurance
    • Financial Institutions and Insurance: Insurance (Chair)
    • Health and Welfare
    • Health and Welfare: Departmental Affairs (Chair)
    Reason for unfinished term: Resigned
    Session Notes: He resigned to become a lobbyist for A.T. and T.

    72nd Legislative Session (1981-1982)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/6/1981
    Body: House
    District: 08B
    Elected: 11/4/1980
    Residence: Duluth
    Term of Office: 1/5/1981 to 1/2/1983
    Oath Date: 1/6/1981
    Counties Represented: St. Louis
    Occupation: Consultant; Public and Industrial Relations, Andresen-Ryan Company
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Appropriations
    • Appropriations: Joint Claims
    • Appropriations: State Departments Division
    • Financial Institutions and Insurance
    • Health and Welfare
    • Health and Welfare: Departmental Affairs
    • Local and Urban Affairs
    • Local and Urban Affairs: Economic Development (Chair)
    term photo
    Click to view

    71st Legislative Session (1979-1980)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/3/1979
    Body: House
    District: 08B
    Elected: 11/7/1978
    Residence: Duluth
    Term of Office: 1/1/1979 to 1/4/1981
    Oath Date: 1/3/1979
    Counties Represented: St. Louis
    Occupation: Director, Public and Industrial Relations; Andresesen-Ryan Company
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Appropriations
    • Appropriations: Health, Welfare and Corrections Division
    • Appropriations: State Departments Division
    • Health and Welfare
    • Health and Welfare: Health Services
    • Local and Urban Affairs
    • Local and Urban Affairs: Social, Economic and Physical Development

    70th Legislative Session (1977-1978)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/4/1977
    Body: House
    District: 08B
    Elected: 11/2/1976
    Residence: Duluth
    Term of Office: 1/3/1977 to 12/31/1978
    Oath Date: 1/4/1977
    Counties Represented: St. Louis
    Occupation: Duluth Public and Industrial Relations, Andreson-Ryan Company
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Education
    • Education: Joint House/Senate Subcommittee on Libraries
    • Health and Welfare
    • Higher Education
    term photo
    Click to view

    OTHER INFORMATION

    News Sources

    The Library maintains newspaper clippings on individual legislators during their terms. Clippings are available from 1973 to the present in a variety of formats: 1973-1999, microfiche available at the Library; 2000-2009, scanned in yearly compilations and digitally available on the legislative network; 2009-present, archived in a searchable database maintained by the Library and available on the legislative network.
    These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.
    No other information has been entered for this legislator.

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