{{short description|American politician}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Larry Pogemiller | image = Pogemiller.jpg | office = Commissioner of the Minnesota Office of Higher Education | term_start = October 28, 2011 | term_end = January 2019 | office1 = Majority Leader of the Minnesota Senate | term_start1 = January 2007 | term_end1 = January 4, 2011 | predecessor1 = Dean Johnson | successor1 = Amy Koch | office2 = Minnesota State Senator from the 59th District | term_start2 = January 1993 | term_end2 = November 7, 2011 | predecessor2 = Allan Spear | successor2 = Kari Dziedzic | office3 = Minnesota State Senator from the 58th District | term_start3 = January 1983 | term_end3 = January 1993 | predecessor3 = Eric D. Petty | successor3 = Carl W. Kroening | office4 = Minnesota State Representative from District 55A | term_start4 = January 1981 | term_end4 = January 1983 | predecessor4 = Stanley J. Fudro | successor4 = Connie Levi | party = Democratic | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1951|9|18}} | birth_place = Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | alma_mater = University of Minnesota<br>Harvard University | occupation = system project analyst, legislator | partner = Jill | children = 2 }}
'''Lawrence "Larry" J. Pogemiller''' (born September 18, 1951) is an American politician from Minnesota, and a former Commissioner of the Minnesota Office of Higher Education.<ref>[http://mn.gov/governor/dayton/governors-cabinet.jsp Governor's Cabinet]</ref> A member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, he represented northeast Minneapolis districts in the Minnesota Legislature from 1981 to 2011, and served as the Senate's 9th majority leader from 2007 to 2011. As majority leader, he was chair of the Senate Rules Committee and its subcommittees, and also served on the Senate Tax Committee.<ref name=appointment/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/01/09/minneapolis-special-elections/ |title=Elections today in Minneapolis to fill state House and Senate seats |publisher=Minnesota Public Radio |first=Tim |last=Pugmire |date=January 10, 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120115073849/http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/01/09/minneapolis-special-elections |archivedate=January 15, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Pogemiller was born in Minneapolis and graduated from DeLaSalle High School in 1969. He was first elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 1980, serving as the representative of District 55A from 1981 to 1983. After serving one term, he was elected to the Senate in 1982, serving the old District 58 prior to the 1992 redistricting and, thereafter, District 59. He was re-elected in every general election. Governor of Minnesota Mark Dayton appointed him Director of the Higher Education office in October 2011.<ref name=appointment>{{cite web|url=http://mn.gov/governor/newsroom/pressreleasedetail.jsp?id=102-33455|title=Governor Dayton Appoints Sen. Larry Pogemiller to Head the Office of Higher Education|access-date=December 15, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118192949/http://mn.gov/governor/newsroom/pressreleasedetail.jsp?id=102-33455|archive-date=January 18, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail.aspx?id=10539|title=Pogemiller, Lawrence J. "Larry"|publisher=Minnesota Legislative Reference Library|accessdate=January 10, 2011}}</ref> He held the position until the end of Dayton's governorship in 2019. <ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-01-06 |title=Meet Tim Walz's administration: those who will run MN's government |url=https://www.twincities.com/2019/01/06/meet-tim-walzs-administration-those-who-will-run-mns-government/ |access-date=2025-05-04 |website=Twin Cities |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-12-31 |title=governors-cabinet / Office of Governor Mark Dayton and Lt. Governor Tina Smith |url=https://mn.gov/governor/dayton/governors-cabinet.jsp |access-date=2025-05-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181231060148/https://mn.gov/governor/dayton/governors-cabinet.jsp |archive-date=December 31, 2018 }}</ref>
Pogemiller is known for his outspoken, assertive leadership style and his strategic thinking.<ref name=stribBrunswick>{{Cite news|url=http://www.startribune.com/politics/11605881.html|first1=Mark|last1=Brunswick|first2=Patricia|last2=Lopez|title=Pogemiller to take Senate helm: As the newly elected DFL Senate majority leader, combative Minneapolis Sen. Larry Pogemiller pledged cooperation to get business done|newspaper=Star Tribune|date=2006-11-09|access-date=March 20, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091226051022/http://www.startribune.com/politics/11605881.html|archive-date=December 26, 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref> Reporter Tom Scheck of Minnesota Public Radio called him "a brilliant and combative political tactician who often speaks his mind".<ref name=ScheckMPR>{{Cite web|url=http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2006/11/09/dflleadership/|first=Tom|last= Scheck|title=Minneapolis to rule at Legislature|publisher=Minnesota Public Radio|date=2006-11-09}}</ref> Former Minnesota House Speaker Steve Sviggum called him "a very frustrating individual as he runs the clock past midnight all the time." Pogemiller had a rocky relationship with former Republican governor Tim Pawlenty.<ref name=Scheck>{{Cite web| last =Scheck| first =Tom| title = Pogemiller in spotlight as session nears | publisher=Minnesota Public Radio| date =2006-11-29 | url =http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2006/11/28/pogemillerprofile/| accessdate = 2008-02-29}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{MN-legdb|10539}} *[http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/members/member_bio.php?mem_id=1048&ls=85 Senator Lawrence J. Pogemiller Web Page] *[http://minnesota.publicradio.org/projects/ongoing/votetracker/legislator_view.php?id=70 Minnesota Public Radio – Votetracker: Lawrence Pogemiller Voting Record] *[http://votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=3924 Project Vote Smart – Senator Lawrence Pogemiller Profile] *[http://www.pogemiller.org/ Senator Pogemiller Campaign Web Site]
{{S-start}} {{S-off}} {{Succession box | title=Minnesota Senate Majority Leader | before=Dean Johnson | after=Amy Koch | years=2007–2011}} {{S-end}}
{{MNMajorityLeaders}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2011}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pogemiller, Lawrence J.}} Category:Living people Category:1951 births Category:University of Minnesota alumni Category:Harvard University alumni Category:Democratic Party Minnesota state senators Category:Democratic Party members of the Minnesota House of Representatives Category:Politicians from Minneapolis Category:State cabinet secretaries of Minnesota Category:DeLaSalle High School (Minneapolis) alumni Category:Catholics from Minnesota Category:21st-century members of the Minnesota Legislature