A native of La Crosse, Wisconsin, Ron Kind was born
and raised in western Wisconsin. He is the third of five
children born to Greta and Elroy Kind. Elroy retired
after a 35-year career as a telephone repairman and
union leader at the La Crosse Telephone Company. Greta
recently retired as the Assistant Director of Personnel
in the La Crosse School District. Ron attended public
schools in La Crosse and graduated from La Crosse Logan
in 1981.
During high school Ron spent his summers helping his
aunt and uncle on their family dairy farm. At Logan he
was a standout student-athlete in football and
basketball. He accepted an academic scholarship to
Harvard University, where he played quarterback and
graduated with honors in 1985. During the summers while
he was attending college, he worked for former Wisconsin
Senator William Proxmire in Washington. There he helped
investigate wasteful spending of taxpayer money, which
provided the basis for some of the Senator's famous
"Golden Fleece" awards. After Harvard, Ron went on to
receive his Master's Degree from the London School of
Economics and his law degree from the University of
Minnesota.
After practicing law for two years at the law firm of
Quarles and Brady in Milwaukee, Ron returned home to La
Crosse to take a spot in the La Crosse County
prosecutor's office and as a Special Prosecutor
throughout western Wisconsin. There Ron earned a
reputation for his tough and effective prosecution in
cases involving adult and child sexual assaults, child
abuse, domestic abuse and white collar crime.
In September of 1995, Ron announced his intention to
run for the Third Congressional District seat that was
being vacated by 16-year incumbent Representative Steve
Gunderson. Ron was first elected in 1996, and the voters
have reelected Ron ever since.
Since being elected to Congress, Ron has focused his
attention on issues of fiscal responsibility, reforming
our campaign finance system, agriculture, veterans
issues, education, and protecting the Mississippi River.
He currently serves on the House Budget Committee, the
Education and Workforce Committee, and the Resources
Committee. Additionally, he serves on the Education
Committee's Oversight and Postsecondary Education
subcommittees as well as the Resource Energy
Subcommittee where he is the ranking Democrat.
Ron Kind is a fierce and effective deficit hawk. He
has been recognized by non-partisan organizations as
being one of the most fiscally-responsible members of
Congress. Fiscal responsibility is not merely an idea
that Ron preaches to others--it's a way of life and
doing business for him. Ron returned more than a half
million dollars of his office budget back to the federal
treasury for deficit reduction, believing that fiscal
responsibility starts within legislators' own
congressional offices.
Ron and his wife Tawni continue to live in La Crosse
with their two sons, Johnny and Matthew. Ron and Tawni
have remained active in the La Crosse community and are
members of the Immanuel Lutheran Church. Ron is a member
of the La Crosse Optimists Club, and a leader in the
Boys' and Girls' Club and the La Crosse YMCA. He is also
on the Board of Directors for the Coulee Council on
Alcohol or Other Drug Abuse.
Ron is an avid outdoor recreation enthusiast, hunter
and fisherman. He enjoys hiking, camping, and spending
every chance he gets to be on the Mississippi River with
Tawni, Matthew and Johnny. They own a farm in western
Jackson County where he works with a local farmer
raising beef cattle and growing crops, while adhering to
sound conservation practices. Ron loves to duck hunt on
the Mississippi River, and hunt turkey and deer up on
the family farm with the boys.
Tawni, who grew up in Cumberland, WI has
been employed as an official court reporter for the La
Crosse County court system for the past twelve years.
She has her own business captioning for UW-La Crosse
deaf and hard of hearing students. Tawni is often seen
at senior citizens' centers promoting senior nutrition
and well being. She organizes the annual Congressional
Art Competition for high school artists in western
Wisconsin. She has also created and hosts a forum on
women's health issues.
