Background
Frederickson, Dennis Russel was born on July 27, 1939 in Morgan, Minnesota, United States. Son of Louis Bernard and Mary (Kragh) Frederickson.
Frederickson, Dennis Russel was born on July 27, 1939 in Morgan, Minnesota, United States. Son of Louis Bernard and Mary (Kragh) Frederickson.
He graduated from Morgan High School in 1957 and the University of Minnesota in 1961 with a Bachelor of Surgery degree in agricultural economics.
He was first elected in 1980 when he ran for the seat being vacated by Senator Carl Jensen, who was appointed to the Minnesota Tax Court and did not seek re-election. He was re-elected in 1982, 1986, 1990, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2002 and 2006, receiving only one serious challenge for the position back in 1982 from former New Ulm mayor and state representative Tony Eckstein. In recent campaigns, his re-election committee was chaired by former state senator Earl Renneke.
Frederickson most recently represented District 21.
Prior to legislative redistricting in 1990 and 2000, the area was known as District 28 and District 23, respectively. Through the years, he represented all or portions of Blue Earth, Brown, Cottonwood, Le Sueur, Lyon, McLeod, Murray, Nicollet, Redwood, Renville, Sibley, and Watonwan counties.
Frederickson was born and raised on a farm in Redwood County near Morgan. After graduation, he spent five years on active duty in the United States. Navy as a pilot.
Following active duty, he flew in the Naval Air Reserve for three years, being honorably discharged with the rank of Lieutenant Commander.
Frederickson returned to the family farm in 1967 and was first elected to public office in 1972 as a Redwood County Commissioner, serving eight years. He served five years on the Redwood County Nursing Home Board, four as chairman, and is a former adult 4-H leader, Sunday school teacher, local Lions Club member and past president, and State Home Economics Advisory Council member. He also served on the Redwood Electric Cooperative Board of Directors for 20 years.
He has since retired from farming and moved to New Ulm.
His special legislative concerns also included local government, finance and agriculture. Over the years, Frederickson served on the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources, Capital Investment, Elections and Ethics, Finance, Gaming Regulation, Governmental Operations, Jobs, Energy & Community Development, Local Government and Urban Affairs, Public Employees & Pensions, Rules & Administration, and Telecommunications, Energy & Utilities committees, and on various relevant subcommittees.
He was President Pro Tempore of the Senate from January 2007 until his retirement. He also served on the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR), which made recommendations to the Minnesota Legislature on how to spend money from the Environmental Trust Fund, and on the Legislative Commission on Planning and Fiscal Policy.
On March 30, 2010, Frederickson announced that he would not seek a tenth term in the Minnesota Senate.
Republican Party of Minnesota, Republican Party.
Of those committees, he was a member of the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee for 26 years and of the Environment Budget Division for 24 years.
Married Marjorie Davidson, July 15, 1961. Children: Kari, Karl, Disa.