US Representative, Wisconsin , District #3

Contact Information

Ron Kind
205 Fifth Ave. S.  Suite 226 
La Crosse, Wisconsin 54601
(608) 782-2558
(888) 442-8040 (toll-free)
http://www.house.gov/kind


Home Town: La Crosse, WI
Committees: House Budget Committee, Education and Workforce Committee, Resources Committee

Bio

A native of La Crosse, Wisconsin, Ron Kind was born and raised in western Wisconsin. He is the third of five children born to Greta and Elroy Kind. Elroy retired after a 35-year career as a telephone repairman and union leader at the La Crosse Telephone Company. Greta recently retired as the Assistant Director of Personnel in the La Crosse School District. Ron attended public schools in La Crosse and graduated from La Crosse Logan in 1981. During high school Ron spent his summers helping his aunt and uncle on their family dairy farm. At Logan he was a standout student-athlete in football and basketball. He accepted an academic scholarship to Harvard University, where he played quarterback and graduated with honors in 1985. During the summers while he was attending college, he worked for former Wisconsin Senator William Proxmire in Washington. There he helped investigate wasteful spending of taxpayer money, which provided the basis for some of the Senator's famous "Golden Fleece" awards. After Harvard, Ron went on to receive his Master's Degree from the London School of Economics and his law degree from the University of Minnesota. After practicing law for two years at the law firm of Quarles and Brady in Milwaukee, Ron returned home to La Crosse to take a spot in the La Crosse County prosecutor's office and as a Special Prosecutor throughout western Wisconsin. There Ron earned a reputation for his tough and effective prosecution in cases involving adult and child sexual assaults, child abuse, domestic abuse and white collar crime. In September of 1995, Ron announced his intention to run for the Third Congressional District seat that was being vacated by 16-year incumbent Representative Steve Gunderson. Ron was first elected in 1996, and the voters have reelected Ron ever since. Since being elected to Congress, Ron has focused his attention on issues of fiscal responsibility, reforming our campaign finance system, agriculture, veterans issues, education, and protecting the Mississippi River. He currently serves on the House Budget Committee, the Education and Workforce Committee, and the Resources Committee. Additionally, he serves on the Education Committee's Oversight and Postsecondary Education subcommittees as well as the Resource Energy Subcommittee where he is the ranking Democrat. Ron Kind is a fierce and effective deficit hawk. He has been recognized by non-partisan organizations as being one of the most fiscally-responsible members of Congress. Fiscal responsibility is not merely an idea that Ron preaches to others--it's a way of life and doing business for him. Ron returned more than a half million dollars of his office budget back to the federal treasury for deficit reduction, believing that fiscal responsibility starts within legislators' own congressional offices. Ron and his wife Tawni continue to live in La Crosse with their two sons, Johnny and Matthew. Ron and Tawni have remained active in the La Crosse community and are members of the Immanuel Lutheran Church. Ron is a member of the La Crosse Optimists Club, and a leader in the Boys' and Girls' Club and the La Crosse YMCA. He is also on the Board of Directors for the Coulee Council on Alcohol or Other Drug Abuse. Ron is an avid outdoor recreation enthusiast, hunter and fisherman. He enjoys hiking, camping, and spending every chance he gets to be on the Mississippi River with Tawni, Matthew and Johnny. They own a farm in western Jackson County where he works with a local farmer raising beef cattle and growing crops, while adhering to sound conservation practices. Ron loves to duck hunt on the Mississippi River, and hunt turkey and deer up on the family farm with the boys. Tawni, who grew up in Cumberland, WI has been employed as an official court reporter for the La Crosse County court system for the past twelve years. She has her own business captioning for UW-La Crosse deaf and hard of hearing students. Tawni is often seen at senior citizens' centers promoting senior nutrition and well being. She organizes the annual Congressional Art Competition for high school artists in western Wisconsin. She has also created and hosts a forum on women's health issues.