{{Short description|Colorado Republican politician, political operative}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2025}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Josh Penry | image = Senator Josh Penry, 2007 (cropped).jpg | caption = Penry in 2007 | state_senate = Colorado | district = 7th | term_start = January 2, 2007 | term_end = January 2011 | predecessor = Ron Teck | successor = Steve King | state_house2 = Colorado | district2 = 54th | term_start2 = January 2005 | term_end2 = January 2007 | predecessor2 = Matt Smith | successor2 = Steve King | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1976|2|1}} | birth_place = Denver, Colorado, US | death_date = | death_place = | party = Republican | alma_mater = Colorado Mesa University }}
'''Josh Penry''' (born February 1, 1976) is the former minority leader of the Colorado Senate.<ref>Mike Saccone, [http://www.gjsentinel.com/search/content/news/stories/2008/11/06/110708_2a_Penry_leadership.html "Penry to lead GOP in Senate,"] ''Grand Junction Daily Sentinel'', November 6, 2008 (accessed November 24, 2008)</ref> Elected in 2006, Penry was the youngest member of the Colorado state Senate.<ref>[http://www.coloradosenatenews.com/content/view/303 "Profile: Senator Josh Penry,"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080725122413/http://www.coloradosenatenews.com/content/view/303 |date=July 25, 2008 }} ''Colorado Senate News'', March 22, 2007 (accessed November 24, 2008)</ref> According to ''The Denver Post'', Penry played a leadership role in opposing regulation for the oil and gas industry and a labor bill.<ref>Jeri Clausing, [http://www.denverpost.com/ci_5776899?IADID=Search-www.denverpost.com-www.denverpost.com "Underdogs still bark, young Republicans find,"] ''Denver Post'', April 29, 2007 (accessed November 24, 2008)</ref> Penry was identified by several newspapers as a "rising star" in Colorado politics during the 2000s.<ref>Lynn Bartels, [http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2006/jan/23/gop-has-faith-in-its-young-rock-stars/ "GOP has faith in its young 'rock stars,'"] ''Rocky Mountain News'', January 23, 2006 (accessed November 24, 2008)</ref><ref>Bob Ewegen, [http://www.denverpost.com/ci_7831465?IADID=Search-www.denverpost.com-www.denverpost.com "Republicans hitch their 2010 wagon to five rising stars,"] ''Denver Post'', December 28, 2007 (accessed November 24, 2008).</ref><ref>[http://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/archives/2005/12/the_futures_mar_4.html "The Futures Market: Colorado,"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930200835/http://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/archives/2005/12/the_futures_mar_4.html |date=September 30, 2007 }} ''The Hotline'', December 19, 2005 (accessed November 24, 2008)</ref> Prior to serving in the state Senate, Penry served in the state House of Representatives for one term.<ref>Bob Ewegen, [http://www.denverpost.com/ci_7831465?IADID=Search-www.denverpost.com-www.denverpost.com "Republicans hitch their 2010 wagon to five rising stars"], ''Denver Post'', December 28, 2007 (accessed November 24, 2008)</ref>
Penry was born in Colorado and a long-time resident of Western Colorado. Penry graduated from Grand Junction High School and Mesa State College, where he quarterbacked the Mesa State Mavericks football team and served as student body President. In 1998, Penry was named the National Scholar Athlete of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association and the Burger King Corporation, an award given to Peyton Manning the previous year.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mesastate.edu/info/marketing/fromtheclassroom.htm |title=From the Classroom to the Capitol |publisher=Mesa State College |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080829171945/http://www.mesastate.edu/info/marketing/fromtheclassroom.htm |archivedate=August 29, 2008}}</ref> Penry graduated summa cum laude from Mesa State in 1998.
==Work as an aide== Penry moved to Washington, D.C. to work for Congressman Scott McInnis. First as an aide and then as Press Secretary, Penry helped McInnis formulate and negotiate natural resources legislation.<ref>[http://www.mesastate.edu/info/marketing/fromtheclassroom.htm "From the Classroom to the Capitol,"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080829171945/http://www.mesastate.edu/info/marketing/fromtheclassroom.htm |date=August 29, 2008 }} Mesa State College.</ref> Penry was appointed staff director of the House Resources Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health, where he played a lead role in negotiation the Healthy Forests Restoration Act with the White House and Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill.<ref>[http://www.mesastate.edu/info/marketing/fromtheclassroom.htm "From the Classroom to the Capitol"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080829171945/http://www.mesastate.edu/info/marketing/fromtheclassroom.htm |date=August 29, 2008 }}, Mesa State College.</ref><ref>"Western Wild Fires Lead to Support for Bush's Logging Plan", ''Denver Post'', August 23, 2002</ref>
==State House== After returning to Grand Junction, Penry was elected to the state House in 2004.<ref>[http://www.mesastate.edu/info/marketing/fromtheclassroom.htm "From the Classroom to the Capitol,"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080829171945/http://www.mesastate.edu/info/marketing/fromtheclassroom.htm |date=August 29, 2008 }} Mesa State College.</ref> In his first term, Penry sponsored and won passage for the "Colorado Water for the 21st Century Act", legislation designed to minimize water-resource fights.<ref>[http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics2005a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont/3F94A053189A6DE587256F6A0080FFA9?Open&file=1177_enr.pdf "House Bill 05-1177"], ''Colorado General Assembly'' (accessed November 24, 2008)</ref> Penry's bill, signed into law in June 2005, created roundtables for each river basin to assess and address regional water needs.<ref>[http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-8309832_ITM "Governor signs water compact legislation"], ''Pueblo Chieftain'', June 8, 2005 (accessed November 24, 2008)</ref>
In 2008, Penry was part of a bi-partisan effort involving Gov. Bill Ritter, Rep. Frank McNulty, and the Colorado Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) Board to divest public pension funds from companies with ties to Iran.<ref>[http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_8055052 "Colo. leaders to phase out Iran investments"], ''Denver Post'', January 23, 2008 (accessed November 24, 2008)</ref> Penry also sponsored legislation to strengthen Colorado's education standards to better equip students to compete in a highly competitive global economic environment,<ref>[http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_8964404 "Plan alters school testing"], ''Denver Post'', April 18, 2008 (accessed November 24, 2008)</ref> and he initiated and negotiated a bi-partisan bill to invest growing federal mineral lease revenues into Colorado's colleges and universities.<ref>[http://www.denverpost.com/ci_8805008?IADID=Search-www.denverpost.com-www.denverpost.com "Bill puts oil and gas billions to work"], ''Denver Post'', April 4, 2008 (accessed November 24, 2008)</ref> Penry was a principal supporter of 2008's Amendment 52, which would have directed mineral severance tax revenue away from water conservation projects to road building, but which failed at the polls.<ref>Mark Jaffe, [http://www.denverpost.com/politics/ci_10831618/ "Water groups decry Amendment 52"], ''Denver Post'', October 28, 2008</ref>
Penry has been at the center of numerous policy debates, including road and bridge funding initiatives,<ref>Kevin Flynn, [http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/jul/03/gop-group-seeks-relief-for-i-70/ "GOP group seeks relief for I-70"], ''Rocky Mountain News'', July 3, 2008 (accessed November 24, 2008)</ref> efforts to pass Jessica's Law and other penalties against sexual predators,<ref>Mike Saccone, [http://www.gjsentinel.com/hp/content/news/stories/2008/11/15/111608_3A_Jessicas_Law.html "State's economic decline creates roadblock for lawmakers pushing to pass Jessica's Law"]{{dead link|date=April 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, ''Grand Junction Daily Sentinel'', November 15, 2008 (accessed November 24, 2008)</ref> the debate about natural gas drilling in Colorado,<ref>John Schroyer, [http://www.coloradostatesman.com/content/usual-suspects-praise-slam-new-oil-and-gas-rules "Usual suspects praise, slam new oil and gas rules"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121225853/http://coloradostatesman.com/content/usual-suspects-praise-slam-new-oil-and-gas-rules |date=November 21, 2008 }}, ''Colorado Statesman'', June 27, 2008 (accessed November 24, 2008)</ref> and a range of tax, fiscal and budget issues.<ref>Alan Gathright, [http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/apr/02/gop-senators-say-budget-compromise-scuttled-ritter/ "GOP senators say budget compromise scuttled by Ritter"], ''Rocky Mountain News'', April 2, 2008 (accessed November 24, 2008)</ref><ref>Mike Saccone, [http://www.gjsentinel.com/search/content/news/stories/2008/10/23/102408_4A_Mesa_State_building.html "Wubben Hall project assured, Mesa State officials say,"] ''Grand Junction Daily Sentinel'', October 23, 2008 (accessed November 24, 2008)</ref> While working closely on education issues with Colorado's Democratic Governor Bill Ritter, Penry has been a frequent critic of the Ritter Administration's tax, budget, jobs and union policies.<ref>Jennifer Brown, [http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_7916780 "Tax freeze bounty sparks conflict"], ''Denver Post'', January 9, 2008 (accessed November 24, 2008)</ref><ref>Jennifer Brown, [http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_7411068 "Ritter ends up in hot seat over hot topic"], ''Denver Post'', November 9, 2007 (accessed November 24, 2008)</ref><ref>Jeffrey Leib, [http://www.denverpost.com/ci_9131881?IADID=Search-www.denverpost.com-www.denverpost.com "Car fees killed at Capitol"], ''Denver Post'', May 2, 2008 (accessed November 24, 2008).</ref><ref>Jennifer Brown, [http://www.denverpost.com/ci_8566151 "GOP legislators: Early paroles warrant audit"], ''Denver Post'', March 14, 2008 (accessed November 24, 2008)</ref><ref>Tim Hoover, [http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_10534549 "Budget shortfalls projected,"] ''Denver Post'', September 23, 2008 (accessed November 24, 2008)</ref>
==Personal life== Penry is married to Kristin Strohm, a principal at the Starboard Group, a political firm in Colorado. Penry is the father of four children: Chase, Emme, Sophie, and Caroline.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://bartels-on.sos.state.co.us/index.php/2015/12/18/double-the-fun-for-penry-strohm-colorados-political-babies-keep-arriving/ |title=Double the fun for Penry, Strohm; Colorado's political babies keep arriving – Lynn Bartels on SOS.state.co.us |access-date=September 6, 2016 |archive-date=September 16, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916193736/https://bartels-on.sos.state.co.us/index.php/2015/12/18/double-the-fun-for-penry-strohm-colorados-political-babies-keep-arriving/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20121022153333/http://www.state.co.us/gov_dir/leg_dir/Senate/members/Sen07.htm Colorado State Senator Joshua Penry's official government website] * [http://senatorpenry.com/archive_main.htm "Senator Penry Discusses Education Reform"]{{Dead link|date=September 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20080411055612/http://www.gazette.com/articles/agenda_35021___article.html/legislature_week.html "This week in the Legislature"] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20080907123608/http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/government/article/0,2777,DRMN_23906_5740255,00.html "GOP drafts bill to reverse union order"] * [http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_8516074 "Push to fix CSAP begins"] * [http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/17/popular-guvs-ability-to-lead-facing-big-test/ "Popular guv's ability to lead facing big test"] * [http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/may/04/ritter-at-the-halfway-mark/ "Ritter at the halfway mark"]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Penry, Josh}} Category:1976 births Category:Living people Category:Republican Party Colorado state senators Category:Republican Party members of the Colorado House of Representatives Category:Colorado Mesa University alumni Category:American press secretaries Category:Politicians from Denver Category:21st-century members of the Colorado General Assembly