img


Rep. Morrie Lanning’s Bio
August, 2008

Current Positions:

  • State Representative for District 9A (Third Term)
  • Committee Membership: Taxes; Property Tax Relief and Local Sales Tax Division (Minority Lead); Capital Investment Finance Division; Local Government and Metropolitan Affairs (Minority Lead); Mental Health Division
  • Commission/Board Membership: Legislative Commission to End Poverty by 2020 (Executive Committee); Capitol Area Architectural and Planning Board; Capitol Restoration Work Group; Great Lakes Commission; Legislative Coordinating Commission Subcommittee on Employee Relations; Minnesota’s Sesquicentennial Commission; and serves on the Steering Committee for the Legislator’s Forum composed of legislators from Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and the province of Manitoba
  • Member, Moorhead Charter Commission

Former Positions Include:

  • Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students at Concordia College
  • Mayor of Moorhead
  • Alderman for Moorhead’s Third Ward
  • Board Member, Moorhead Healthy Community Initiative
  • President, the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities
  • Incorporating Board Member and Officer, West Central Minnesota Initiative Fund
  • President, Minnesota’s Mayors Association
  • Board Member, League of Minnesota Cities
  • Founder, President and Board Member, Rural Initiatives Coalition
  • Chair and Incorporating Board Member, Red River Basin Commission
  • A Founder, Co-Chair, and Board Member, the International Coalition for Land and Water Stewardship in the Red River Basin
  • A Founder and Board Member, Heritage-Hjemkomst Interpretive Center
  • Incorporating Board Member, Greater Minnesota Housing Fund
  • Minnesota House of Representative Committees: Commerce, Jobs and Economic Development, Regulated Industries, Education Policy and Reform

Education:

  • North Dakota State University (MS, Guidance and Counseling, 1968)
  • Concordia College (BA, History-Political Science and Psychology, 1966)
  • Moorhead High School (Diploma, 1962)

Memberships:

  • Trinity Lutheran Church in Moorhead
  • Moorhead Kiwanis
  • Moorhead Rotary
  • Chamber of Commerce

Recent Honors/Awards Include:

  • Farm and Rural Legislative Award-Minnesota Farmers Union
  • Advocate for Local Educational Solutions and Guardian of Minnesota Public Schools-Minnesota School Boards Association
  • Legislator of Distinction-League of Minnesota Cities and the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities
  • Legislative Arts All-Star Award-Minnesota Citizens for the Arts
  • Keeper of the Flame Award-Moorhead Healthy Community Initiative
  • Child Care Champion-Child Care WORKS
  • Guardian of Small Business Award-National Federation of Independent
    Business
  • Moorhead High School Hall of Honor
  • Red River Basin’s Leadership Award-Red River Basin Commission
  • River Keepers Distinguished Service Award
  • Boss of the Year-Red River Chapter of International Association of Administrative Professionals
  • C.C. Ludwig Award for Distinguished Municipal Service in the State of Minnesota-League of Minnesota Cities

Previous Honors/Awards Include:

  • Excellence in the Life in the Valley Award-Red River Valley Heritage Society
  • Regional Finalist for a White House Fellowship
  • Named one of Ten Outstanding Young Minnesotans in 1976
  • Distinguished Service Award-Moorhead Jaycees
  • Concordia Collegiality Award
  • NAIA National Football Championship in 1964
  • Concordia Athletic Hall of Fame-1964 Football Team
  • President, Moorhead High School Student Body
  • Co-Captain, Moorhead High School Football Team

Personal:

  • Wife, Ruthie-Retired Elementary School Teacher; Fargo-Moorhead Convention and Visitor’s Bureau
  • Daughter, Ann Christenson; Son-in-law, Jay Christenson; Grandsons, Benjamin and Parker-Moorhead, Mn
  • Son, Mike Lanning; Daughter-in-law, Penny Lanning-Savage, Mn.