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| Dave Freudenthal | |
|---|---|
| Name | David Duane Freudenthal |
| Birth date | 12 October 1950 |
| Birth place | Thermopolis, Wyoming |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Lawyer, Judge, Politician |
| Office | 31st Governor of Wyoming |
| Term start | January 6, 2003 |
| Term end | January 3, 2011 |
| Predecessor | Jim Geringer |
| Successor | Matt Mead |
| Party | Democratic Party |
| Spouse | Nancy D. Freudenthal |
Dave Freudenthal
David Duane Freudenthal is an American attorney, jurist, and politician who served as the 31st Governor of Wyoming from 2003 to 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as United States Attorney for the District of Wyoming and as a state district judge in Wyoming. Known for pragmatic positions on energy and natural resources, he governed during economic and legal debates involving energy industry, public land and Native American tribes.
Born in Thermopolis, Wyoming, Freudenthal is the son of a ranching family in Hot Springs County, Wyoming and grew up amid regional communities including Casper, Wyoming and Powell, Wyoming. He graduated from Wheatland High School before attending the University of Wyoming where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. He completed legal studies at the University of Wyoming College of Law, receiving a Juris Doctor. During his formative years he was exposed to Wyoming Legislature debates, energy development discussions in the Mountain West and regional legal practices that shaped his career trajectory.
After law school, Freudenthal entered private practice in Casper, Wyoming and worked on matters involving mineral rights, environmental regulation and land use with clients across the Rocky Mountains region. He was appointed United States Attorney for the District of Wyoming under President Bill Clinton, prosecuting federal cases that involved white-collar crime, wildlife trafficking, and federal statutes on public corruption. Subsequently he was appointed a state district judge for Natrona County, Wyoming, presiding over civil and criminal dockets that included disputes involving ranching operations, energy companies and state regulatory agencies. His judicial work brought him into contact with practitioners from institutions such as the American Bar Association and state bar associations.
Freudenthal entered partisan politics after his judicial tenure, winning the Democratic nomination and the general election for Governor of Wyoming. His campaign drew support from diverse constituencies including labor unions, agricultural groups, and small-business stakeholders in Wyoming. In office he interacted with federal officials from administrations including George W. Bush and Barack Obama, coordinating on federal lands, Interior Department policies, and disaster response with agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Bureau of Land Management. He worked with state elected officials from both parties including Craig L. Thomas (when alive), Senator Mike Enzi, and Congressman Barbara Cubin on regional priorities.
As governor, Freudenthal emphasized energy development, opposing broad federal moratoria while supporting state oversight of oil and natural gas production in basins such as the Powder River Basin and the Wind River Basin. He navigated contentious issues involving public land access, grazing permits with the United States Forest Service, and habitat conservation that implicated groups like the Sierra Club and Wyoming Stock Growers Association. His administration oversaw responses to economic challenges tied to fluctuations in energy markets and worked with state agencies including the Wyoming Department of Transportation and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department on infrastructure and wildlife management. Freudenthal advanced fiscal policies that balanced state revenue from severance taxes with budgetary commitments to education institutions such as the University of Wyoming and to county governments in Laramie County and Natrona County. He vetoed and signed legislation that engaged the Wyoming Legislature on tort reform, taxation, and regulatory matters, and collaborated with governors of neighboring states including John Hoeven of North Dakota and Bill Owens of Colorado on regional compacts and interstate compacts addressing water and transportation.
After leaving office, Freudenthal returned to private legal practice and engaged in mediation and arbitration involving energy companies, tribal governments such as the Northern Arapaho Tribe and Eastern Shoshone Tribe, and municipal entities across the Mountain West. He accepted appointments and participated in boards and panels addressing legal issues, including commissions linked to the University of Wyoming and healthcare institutions like Ivinson Memorial Hospital. He has been involved in occasional public commentary on national debates involving the Department of the Interior and has supported civic initiatives in Casper and Cheyenne, collaborating with nonprofits and foundations such as regional community foundations and bar association committees.
Freudenthal is married to Nancy D. Freudenthal, who served as a judge on the United States District Court for the District of Wyoming after nomination by President Barack Obama. They have three children and reside in Casper, Wyoming. The couple maintains ties to ranching communities in Hot Springs County, Wyoming and participates in civic and charitable activities connected to institutions like Casper College and local historical societies.
Category:Governors of Wyoming Category:University of Wyoming alumni