Joe Satrom
Joe Satrom (born 10 October 1945) is a businessman and environmental lobbyist from North Dakota. He won the 2004 Democratic-NPL nomination for Governor.
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 a travel agency franchise in Bismarck. It eventually came under their own control. By 1978 Satrom Travel and Tours was a completely independent agency, and expanded to six 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 san 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.
