Biography
Bill Ritter, Jr. was elected as Colorado's 41st governor in 2006 -- the first Colorado-born governor in more than 35 years.
Gov. Ritter has quickly established Colorado as a national leader in renewable energy by creating a New Energy Economy, doubling the state's renewable energy portfolio and attracting a number of major manufacturing and research companies to Colorado.
He is leading the way toward comprehensive K-12 education reform so that all Colorado students have the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in the 21st century economy. His vision calls for cutting the dropout rate and achievement gap in half and doubling the number of college degrees awarded to Coloradans over the next 10 years.
Gov. Ritter has dramatically increased the state's financial investments in public colleges and universities; launched a "Building Blocks to Health Care Reform Plan" that addresses the key challenges of cost, quality and availability; and convened a blue-ribbon task force to identify a long-term, sustainable transportation funding strategy.
He is reforming energy and natural resource issues by requiring more responsible drilling and stronger protections for Colorado's air, land, water, wildlife and communities.
Gov. Ritter also is changing the fundamental way state government operates. He is creating stronger partnerships with employees and finding new efficiencies that are making state government more effective and accountable.
The sixth of 12 children, Gov. Ritter was raised on a small farm in Arapahoe County. He was a member of the first graduating class of Gateway High School (1974), and he earned his bachelor's degree in political science from Colorado State University (1978) and his law degree from the University of Colorado (1981).
His first job out of law school was as a deputy district attorney in Denver. In 1987, Gov. Ritter and his wife, First Lady Jeannie Ritter, left Denver to run a food distribution and nutrition center in Zambia, Africa. They returned home in 1990, and three years later Ritter was appointed as Denver's District Attorney, a position he held until January 2005. He earned a national reputation as one of the country's most effective and innovative prosecutors, and several of his programs continue to serve as state and national models.
The governor and first lady have four children: August, Abe, Sam and Tally.