Keith King

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Keith King (born March 12, 1948, in Tekoa, Washington, USA) is a Republican candidate for State Senator (District 12) in Colorado.

From 1999-2006, King represented House District 21 in the Colorado House of Representatives. On November 7, 2002, the Republican Caucus of the House chose King to serve as their Majority Leader, a post he held for the entirety of the 2003-2004 legislative session. King was term-limited at the end of 2006. King spent the first half of 2007 preparing to open Colorado Springs Early Colleges, one of the charter schools he has founded. Since classes started in August, he has served as the school's administrator.^[1] King is now seeking to replace the Republican State Senator and Minority Leader Andy McElhany, who will be term-limited at the end of the 2007-2008 session.

1 Life in education and business
2 Life in the legislature
- 2.1 Legislative awards
3 Family life
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Life in education and business

After graduating from Colorado State University-Pueblo in 1970, King spent seven years teaching high school and coaching basketball in California and Oregon, making time to earn a master's from Oregon State University in 1976. The following year, King moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado, where he started "Waterbed Palace." This retail business quickly became a major success, and King eventually set up shop in Oklahoma, New Mexico, Texas, Tennessee, and Virginia, opening 18 stores in all. People were "sleeping like kings" all over the country, and Keith had proven himself as a small businessman. In 1991, he was named "Retailer of the Year."^[2]

Although he had turned from teaching to business, King continued his work in the field of education, sitting on the board of Cheyenne Mountain School District 12 from 1991-1995. The same year he relinquished his seat on the district board, he helped found Cheyenne Mountain Charter Academy, and served as its president from 1995-1998.^[2] In 1999, King took his passion for improving education to the Capitol in Denver.

[edit] Life in the legislature

King served four terms as the State Representative from House District 21. Best known for his "charter-school and education legislation,"^[1] King made contributions in many other areas as well, leading one commentator to see "his fingerprints...all over the map."^[3] King was named "Legislator of the Year" in 2002 by the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce and in 2003 by the Economic Development Council of Colorado. He served as Assistant Majority Leader from 2001-2002, Majority Leader from 2003-2004, and, but for the fact that the Democrats took control of the Legislature, would have become Speaker of the House in 2005.^[3] In 2004, King received a prestigious presidential appointment to the National Assessment Governing Board, an organization that moniters standardized testing nationwide. He was America's only Republican state legislator chosen for the board, and he serves on it to this day.^[4]

[edit] Legislative awards

1999, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs – Alumni Legislative Award
1999, Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry Friend of Business Award
2000, National Federation of Independent Business – Guardian of Small Business
2000, Colorado Lawyers Committee – Community Contribution Award
2001, Mountain States Council, Legislator Recognition Award, Legislator of the Year
2001, Colorado Public Affairs Council – Star Award
2001, Colorado League of Charter Schools – Charter Friend Award
2002, Colorado Student Association – Student Voice Award
2002, Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce – Legislator of the Year Award
2003, Economic Development Council of Colorado, Legislator of the Year
2004, Colorado Dental Association, Colorado Distinguished Leadership Award
2005, Children’s Ark, Friends of the ARK award^[5]