Joe Satrom

Joe Satrom is an American businessman and environmental lobbyist from the U.S. state of North Dakota. He won the 2004 Democratic-NPL nomination for governor, but was defeated by the Republican Party|Republican] incumbent, John Hoeven.
Satrom was born on his family's farm in Broadlawn Township in Steele [County, North Dakota]. He attended North [Dakota State University] and was editor-in-chief of the campus newspaper, The Spectrum, for two years.
In 1968 Satrom graduated from NDSU with a B.S. in agricultural education. He sat as a delegate to the state Democratic convention that year. Late that year he inquired with Governor Guy about possible positions for him in the administration, and was offered a job as travel director.
In summer of 1969 he married Katherine Platt in Fargo. In 1971 they opened Viking Travel, a travel agency in Bismarck. They sold it a couple of years later. In 1978 Joe and Katherine opened Satrom Travel and Tour as a completely independent travel company, and expanded to eight locations in North Dakota and Montana; all but two were eventually sold.
In 1980 Satrom lost a race to be a representative from District 47, however in 1982 he ran for senate in District 52 and won. He served until 1992.
He is a shareholder and sits on the board of Borgen Systems, a refrigerated display case firm based in Des Moines, Iowa.
Satrom is a member of Ducks Unlimited and the Nature Conservancy.