Skip to main content Skip to office menu Skip to footer
Capital IconMinnesota Legislature
Skip Navigation Links
  • LRL Home
    • >
  • Legislators Past & Present
    • >
  • Member Record
    • Legislators Past & Present Home

    Wynia, Ann

    Sessions Served    Other Information

    House 1977-82 (District 62A); House 1983-89 (District 63B)

    Party when first elected:  Democratic-Farmer-Labor

    Counties Served:  Ramsey

    BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

    Date of Birth: 7/29/1943
    Birth Place: Fort Worth, Texas
    Birth County:
    Birth Country: United States
    Date of Death:
    Gender: Female
    Religion:
    Reported Minority: None Reported
    Other Names:
    Former Name: Jobe
    City of Residence (when first elected): Saint Paul
    Occupation (when first elected): Political Science Teacher, North Hennepin Community College

    EDUCATION

    Arlington High School, Texas; Secondary;
    University of Texas, Arlington; B.A.; Government
    University of Wisconsin; M.A.; Political Science, 1968

    OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

    State Board/Commission/Council: Minnesota Council on the Economic Status of Women; 19?? to 19??
    State Board/Commission/Council: Minnesota Governor's Task Force on the Family; 19?? to 19??
    State Agency: Minnesota Department of Human Services (Commissioner, Appointed by Governor Rudy Perpich); 09/01/1989 to 01/1991 [Appointed]
    Board of Regents: University of Minnesota, 4th District; 04/1991 to 04/1994 [Elected]
    State Board/Commission/Council: North Hennepin Community College, Minnesota (President); 1997 to 2010

    FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

    Spouse: Gary Wynia (he died on September 2, 2007)
    Children:
    Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

    GENERAL NOTES

    She ran unsuccessfully as the Democratic-Farmer-Labor endorsed candidate for the United States Senate in 1994. She lost the election to Rod Grams.

    Most recent term photo
    Click to view
    Total Days Served: 4624

    SESSIONS SERVED

    76th Legislative Session (1989-1990)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 63B
    Elected: 11/8/1988
    Residence: Saint Paul
    Term of Office: 1/3/1989 to 9/1/1989 (unfinished term)
    Counties Represented: Ramsey
    Occupation: Community College Instructor
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Insurance
    • Rules and Legislative Administration (Chair)
    • Rules and Legislative Administration: Rules (Chair)
    • Taxes
    • Taxes: Property Tax
    • Ways and Means
    Leadership Position: Majority Leader
    Leadership Notes: She resigned her position as Majority Leader and Dee Long was elected to take her place.
    Reason for unfinished term: Appointed to other office
    Session Notes: She was appointed by Governor Rudy Perpich to the position of Commissioner at the Minnesota Department of Human Services.

    75th Legislative Session (1987-1988)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 63B
    Elected: 11/4/1986
    Residence: Saint Paul
    Term of Office: 1/6/1987 to 1/2/1989
    Counties Represented: Ramsey
    Occupation: College Instructor, Political Science; North Hennepin Community College
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Appropriations
    • Appropriations: Health and Human Services Division (Chair)
    • Financial Institutions and Insurance
    • Financial Institutions and Insurance: Financial Institutions
    • Health and Human Services
    • Health and Human Services: Social Services
    • Ways and Means
    Leadership Position: Majority Leader
    Leadership Notes: She became Majority Leader in June 1987 after Robert Vanasek became Speaker of the House.

    74th Legislative Session (1985-1986)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 63B
    Elected: 11/6/1984
    Residence: Saint Paul
    Term of Office: 1/8/1985 to 1/5/1987
    Counties Represented: Ramsey
    Occupation: Community College Instructor
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Appropriations
    • Appropriations: Education Division
    • Financial Institutions and Insurance
    • Rules and Legislative Administration
    Leadership Position: Assistant Minority Leader
    term photo
    Click to view

    73rd Legislative Session (1983-1984)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 63B
    Elected: 11/2/1982
    Residence: Saint Paul
    Term of Office: 1/4/1983 to 1/7/1985
    Counties Represented: Ramsey
    Occupation: College Instructor
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Appropriations
    • Appropriations: Health, Welfare, and Corrections Division (Chair)
    • Financial Institutions and Insurance
    • Financial Institutions and Insurance: Insurance
    • Rules and Legislative Administration
    Leadership Position: Assistant Majority Leader

    72nd Legislative Session (1981-1982)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 62A
    Elected: 11/4/1980
    Residence: Saint Paul
    Term of Office: 1/6/1981 to 1/3/1983
    Counties Represented: Ramsey
    Occupation: College Instructor, Political Science, North Hennepin Community College
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Appropriations
    • Appropriations: Health, Welfare and Corrections Division
    • Energy
    • Financial Institutions and Insurance
    • Financial Institutions and Insurance: Insurance (Chair)
    • Judiciary
    • Judiciary: Law Reform
    term photo
    Click to view

    71st Legislative Session (1979-1980)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 62A
    Elected: 11/7/1978
    Residence: Saint Paul
    Term of Office: 1/3/1979 to 1/5/1981
    Counties Represented: Ramsey
    Occupation: College Instructor, Political Science, North Hennepin Community College
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Appropriations
    • Appropriations: Health, Welfare and Corrections Division
    • Financial Institutions and Insurance
    • Financial Institutions and Insurance: Insurance (Chair)
    • Local and Urban Affairs
    • Local and Urban Affairs: Social, Economic and Physical Development

    70th Legislative Session (1977-1978)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 62A
    Elected: 11/2/1976
    Residence: Saint Paul
    Term of Office: 1/4/1977 to 1/2/1979
    Counties Represented: Ramsey
    Occupation: Political Science Teacher, North Hennepin Community College
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Environment and Natural Resources
    • Financial Institutions and Insurance
    • Local and Urban Affairs
    term photo
    Click to view

    OTHER INFORMATION

    Articles & Books About
    Wood, Nicole. "Wynia Realizes Value of Past in New Job as College President." Session Weekly, St. Paul: Minnesota House of Representatives Information Office, February 20, 1998, p. 4.

    Vento, Bruce F. "Tribute to Ann Wynia. (Extension of Remarks)" Congressional Record, October 23, 1989, p. E3506.


    Archive Collections
    Ann Wynia Papers, 1976-1989 - Available in the Minnesota Historical Society's Collections
    These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.

    The Minnesota Legislative Reference Library has collected newspaper articles on legislators since 1973. They are available in the Library.

    Legislators Past & Present Home