Preceded by John Ellenbecker Occupation Small Business Owner Preceded by Dean Johnson Name Dave Kleis | Preceded by Joanne Benson Role Mayor of St. Cloud Political party Republican Succeeded by Tarryl Clark | |
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Born January 21, 1964 (age 60) ( 1964-01-21 ) Alma mater St. Cloud State University Education St. Cloud State University Party Republican Party of Minnesota Office Mayor of St. Cloud since 2005 Residence St. Cloud, Minnesota, United States | ||
St cloud mn mayor dave kleis get to know
Dave Kleis (born January 21, 1964) is a Minnesota politician, and the mayor of St. Cloud, Minnesota.
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Mayor Dave Kleis was first elected mayor of St. Cloud, Minnesota, in November 2005. He was re-elected in 2008, 2012, and 2016 all while running unopposed. He is recognized in the St. Cloud community as a local historian, a visionary, and an influential leader. He was selected in 2010 by the St. Cloud Time’s readers and area leaders as the most influential person of the last decade, and in 2014 he received the League of Minnesota Cities C.C. Ludwig Leadership Award.
Mayor Kleis grew up in a small farming community of Litchfield, Minnesota. He graduated from Litchfield High School and later graduated Magna Cum Laude from St. Cloud State University with a degree in Political Science and History. He is a nine (9) year veteran of the United States Air Force and Air Force Reserve. He became interested in politics while he was stationed at the Pentagon and acted as an Air Force liaison with Capitol Hill in D.C. He was elected to the Minnesota State Senate in 1994 and served for 11 years. He has established and owns the Central Minnesota Driving Academy since 1991, a driver’s education business in St. Cloud.
Over the years, Mayor Kleis has served on many public committees, including the Governor’s Task Force on Government Financing. He is also a founding member and co-chair of the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative. He has built lasting relationships with other cities including Hattiesburg, Mississippi and St. Cloud’s Sister City of Spalt, Germany. Three times he has assembled a team of city officials and community members to compete in the annual International Awards for Liveable Communities. This competition is the world’s only awards competition focusing on international best practices regarding the management of the local environment. St. Cloud was a finalist each time, receiving a Gold Award as the most livable city in 2007.
Mayor Dave Kleis is the City of St. Cloud’s most enthusiastic supporter taking every opportunity to create a sense of community, to instill pride in citizenship, and to create a high quality of life for the people of the city, region, and the state of Minnesota. He understands that a thriving community consists of many organizations and governments intertwined in partnership. Further, he promotes the city as a central component for providing an atmosphere for people, organizations, and business to flourish.
He has provided leadership during a time of unprecedented investment in the city. His support for capital improvements such as the River’s Edge Convention Center expansion, the new police headquarters, new airline terminal, and a large transportation bond were critical to gaining council and community approval.
Kleis’s fourth term expires in 2020. Among those who know and respect Kleis say that he could remain the mayor of St. Cloud for as long as he wants the job. They attribute his longevity as mayor to his integrity, his non-partisan leadership style, and his devotion to St. Cloud and the community.