Terry Gardiner is an American former politician from Alaska.
Early life and education
Gardiner was born on August 12, 1950, in Ketchikan, Alaska.[1] His parents, Herb and Helen Gardiner, moved to Ketchikan in 1947.[2] Herb worked at Fidalgo Island Packing, later a part of Trident Seafoods, and later at a pulp mill.[2] Helen was a homemaker.[2]
Gardiner's early employment was as a deckhand, starting in 1966 on the troller Pam.[2] In 1967–68, he worked as a gillnet deckhand for Dick Bishop.[2] He took over the gillnetter Veto in 1969 and purchased his vessel, Connie Anne, in 1971, which he operated until 1981.[2]
His political career began with a legislative internship in Olympia in 1971 for Representative Gladys Kirk.[2]
In 1972, Gardiner worked in the Alaska Legislature for Representative Mike Miller and the House Local Government Committee.[2] He was recognized as a liberal candidate in the 1972 elections, where he finished second in the primary and was elected to the House, alongside Oral Freeman.[2] In 1978, he became the youngest Speaker of the House at age 28.[2][3]
Gardiner also served as the Chairman of the Alaska Criminal Code Commission.[1]
