John Ward Politician
John Ward (born August 2, 1950) is a Minnesota politician and a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives representing District 12A, which includes portions of Crow Wing County, including the city of Brainerd, in the north central part of the state. A Democrat, he is also a retired teacher and coach. Ward was first elected in 2006, and was re-elected in 2008 and 2010. He is currently a member of the Finance subcommittees for the Early Childhood Finance and Policy Division, the K-12 Education Finance Division, of which he is vice chair, and the Public Safety Finance Division. Ward graduated from Proctor High School in Proctor, then went on to the University of Minnesota in Duluth, receiving his B.S. in Physical Education and Health, and also certification in coaching and driver's education, in 1973. He later returned to U.M.D. , earning his M.A. in Learning Disabilities in 1982. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin in Superior in 1984, earning his E.B.D. teaching certificate in Emotional Behavior Disorders. Ward worked as an adult basic education instructor at Northeast Regional Corrections Center from 1974–1979, as director of alternative education for Independent School District 704 in Proctor from 1979–1987, and as an emotional behavior disorder instructor for the Brainerd School System from 1987–1996. He has also been a property and casualty insurance agent for EPIC Insurance since 1995. He was a member of the Proctor City Council from 1982–1984, and served as Proctor's mayor from 1984–1987.