George A. Sinner

George Albert Sinner (born May 29, 1928) is a Democratic-NPL politician who served as the 29th Governor of North Dakota from 1985 through 1992. He served two four-year terms as governor, and to date is the most recent governor of North Dakota to be from that party.

Early years, education, professional background

Sinner was born on May 29, 1928 in Fargo and was raised in Casselton, the youngest of four children. He attended Saint John's Preparatory School, a college prep boarding school in Collegeville, Minnesota, graduating in 1946. In 1950, he received a degree in philosophy from Saint John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota. He served in the United States Air National Guard from 1950 to 1951 before beginning pursuit of a career in politics in the late 1950s. He was elected to the North Dakota Senate in 1962. He served one four-year term until 1966, and failed to win re-election. He also ran in a failed bid for United States Congress in North Dakota's 1st congressional district against Mark Andrews in 1964.

Coming from a background of farming, Sinner served as president of the Red River Valley Sugarbeet Growers Association Board from 1975 to 1979. During that time, he chaired an ad hoc farm commodity group which was responsible for funding and construction of the greenhouse complex and the Northern Crops Institute at North Dakota State University in Fargo. He served as a member of many other boards and organizations, including the North Dakota Broadcasting Council, the State Board of Higher Education and more. During his time on the State Board of Higher Education, he helped craft the "Tri-college" system currently used by NDSU, MSUM and Concordia College, Moorhead colleges. This program allows students attending one of the schools to take classes not offered there at one of the other universities.

Sinner has received honorary doctorate degrees from North Dakota State University, University of North Dakota and his alma mater, St. John's University.

Gubernatorial service

Sinner was elected to serve as the Governor of North Dakota in 1984 and re-elected to a second term in 1988. The starting date of Sinner's first term was disputed with defeated and outgoing Gov. Allen I. Olson. Sinner held that the term started January 1 and Olson held that the term began on January 6, four years after his own term began. At that time, the specific date was neither clearly set forth in state law nor the state constitution. The North Dakota Supreme Court settled the issue in favor of Sinner on January 5, 1985, one day before Olson would have vacated office anyway. Olson failed to comply with the decision and did not vacate the governor's office until the following day but Sinner's term was retroactively recognized to have begun on January 1.

During Sinner's governorship, North Dakota suffered through the 1980s Midwestern farm crisis and celebrated its centennial. The North Dakota National Guard was also called to serve in the Gulf War in 1991 as part of Operation Desert Storm. He did not seek a third term as governor, and was succeeded by Republican Ed Schafer.

During Sinner's term as governor, Senator Quentin N. Burdick died. He temporarily appointed Burdick's widow, Jocelyn Birch Burdick, to the seat and encouraged outgoing Senator Kent Conrad to run for the remainder of Burdick's term. Conrad did so and won.

Post-governorship

Following his second term, Sinner served as Vice President of Public and Government Relations for the Crystal Sugar Company in Moorhead, Minnesota. Throughout his career, he remained active in his farming operation near Casselton.

In 2011 he wrote a book called Turning Points where he admitted to picking up hitchhikers and punching a state legislator, among other facts.

Sinner's son, George B. Sinner, serves in the North Dakota Senate.