Benjamin F. Grussendorf (February 23, 1942 - June 17, 2011) was an educator and Democratic politician from the U.S. state of Alaska. Ben Grussendorf was born in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. He received a M.A. degree from the University of Minnesota. He moved to Sitka, Alaska in 1966, where he worked as a high school teacher and instructor at Sitka Community College in political science. Grussendorf entered politics when he served on Sitka's charter commission in 1971, responsible for merging the City of Sitka and the Greater Sitka Borough into today's City and Borough of Sitka. From there, he served on the new municipality's Assembly and was deputy vice mayor. He was mayor of Sitka from 1975 to 1979, also serving as president of the Alaska Conference of Mayors. Grussendorf served ten terms in the Alaska House of Representatives, from 1981 to 2001. He originally ran in 1980 for an open seat, as the incumbent, Richard Irving "Dick" Eliason, chose to run for the open Senate seat of which Sitka was a part. Grussendorf served as a Speaker and remains the only person to hold this position for three terms (1985-1986, 1987-1988 and 1991-1992). Grussendorf was a Presbyterian.
Benjamin F. Grussendorf (February 23, 1942 - June 17, 2011) was an educator and Democratic politician from the U.S. state of Alaska. Ben Grussendorf was born in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. He received a M.A. degree from the University of Minnesota. He moved to Sitka, Alaska in 1966, where he worked as a high school teacher and instructor at Sitka Community College in political science. Grussendorf entered politics when he served on Sitka's charter commission in 1971, responsible for merging the City of Sitka and the Greater Sitka Borough into today's City and Borough of Sitka. From there, he served on the new municipality's Assembly and was deputy vice mayor. He was mayor of Sitka from 1975 to 1979, also serving as president of the Alaska Conference of Mayors. Grussendorf served ten terms in the Alaska House of Representatives, from 1981 to 2001. He originally ran in 1980 for an open seat, as the incumbent, Richard Irving "Dick" Eliason, chose to run for the open Senate seat of which Sitka was a part. Grussendorf served as a Speaker and remains the only person to hold this position for three terms (1985-1986, 1987-1988 and 1991-1992). Grussendorf was a Presbyterian.
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