{{Short description|American politician (born 1949)}} {{Infobox officeholder |honorific_prefix = |name = Mark D. Lewis |honorific_suffix = |image = |image_size = |caption = |office = President of the City Council of {{nowrap|Eau Claire, Wisconsin}} |term_start = April 21, 1993 |term_end = April 14, 1997 |predecessor = Allan Hofland |successor = William D. Nielsen Jr. |office1 = Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly |constituency1 = 93rd district |term_start1 = January 7, 1985 |term_end1 = January 2, 1989 |predecessor1 = David Travis |successor1 = Jacquelyn J. Lahn |constituency2 = 44th district |term_start2 = January 3, 1983 |term_end2 = January 7, 1985 |predecessor2 = Delmar DeLong |successor2 = Wayne W. Wood |party = Democrat |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1949|7|24}} |birth_place = Duluth, Minnesota, U.S. |death_date = |death_place = |alma_mater = University of Minnesota {{small|(B.S.)}} |profession = |spouse = Connie |children = 1 }} '''Mark D. Lewis''' (born July 24, 1949) is a retired American businessman and Democratic politician. He served six years in the Wisconsin State Assembly (1983–1989), representing Eau Claire County and was later President of the Eau Claire City Council (1993–1997).
==Biography== Born in Duluth, Minnesota, he graduated from Duluth East High School in 1967.<ref name="1987bio">{{cite report|url=http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1987 |title =The state of Wisconsin 1987-1988 Blue Book |publisher= State of Wisconsin |year= 1987 |editor1-last= Theobald |editor1-first= H. Rupert |editor2-last= Barish |editor2-first= Lawrence S. |author= Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau |chapter-url= https://images.library.wisc.edu/WI/EFacs/WIBlueBks/BlueBks/WIBlueBk1987/reference/wi.wibluebk1987.i0007.pdf |chapter= Biographies |pages= 82–83 |access-date= February 5, 2021 }}</ref> He attended the University of Colorado for two years but did not graduate, he later returned to school at the University of Minnesota, where he earned his bachelor's degree in 1977.<ref name="1987bio"/> While at Minnesota, Lewis became employed in the communications and advertising firm Kaufman Spicer & Co., and, after earning his bachelor's degree, he was assigned to the new Eau Claire, Wisconsin, office of the firm as vice president and general manager.<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69484246/kaufman-spicer-eau-claire/ |title= Minneapolis agency purchases local firm |newspaper= Eau Claire Leader-Telegram |date= May 7, 1977 |page= 5 |access-date= February 5, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com }}</ref><ref name="city">{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69482452/eau-claire-city-council-races/ |title= Most incumbent council, board members candidates |newspaper= Eau Claire Leader-Telegram |date= December 14, 1978 |page= 5 |access-date= February 5, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com }}</ref>
In the summer of 1978, he became involved in local politics, working as a spokesman for local property owners in a successful effort to remove parking meters from downtown Eau Claire.<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69483749/eau-claire-local/ |title= Airport sale, special tax district approved |newspaper= Eau Claire Leader-Telegram |date= August 9, 1978 |page= 3 |access-date= February 5, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com }}</ref> That fall, he announced a run for Eau Claire City Council for one of the at-large seats.<ref name="city"/> In April 1979, he was elected to the City Council.<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69484597/eau-claire-city-election/ |title= Two newcomers on council |newspaper= Eau Claire Leader-Telegram |date= April 4, 1979 |page= 1 |access-date= February 5, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com }}</ref> While serving on the city council, Lewis became president of his own communications firm, Lewis Advertising and Communications, and was selected as president of the Eau Claire Area Convention and Tourism Bureau.<ref name="announce">{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69484732/lewis-for-assembly/ |title= Lewis to run for Assembly |newspaper =Eau Claire Leader-Telegram |date= July 15, 1982 |page= 5 |access-date= February 5, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com }}</ref>
The court-ordered 1982 legislative redistricting plan divided the city of Eau Claire into two districts. Incumbent Joseph Looby, who had represented Eau Claire under the previous map, was now located in the 56th Assembly district, which contained the northern half of the city. The newly drawn 44th Assembly district, which contained the rest of the city, was an open seat. Lewis entered the race for Wisconsin State Assembly in the new 44th district.<ref name="announce"/> He defeated Richard Schlieve in the Democratic primary and went on to face Republican Marie Evans in the general election. The race was extremely close, and, following a recount, Lewis was declared the winner by 76 votes.<ref name="1983elex">{{cite report|url= http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1983 |title =The state of Wisconsin 1983-1984 Blue Book |publisher= State of Wisconsin |year= 1983 |editor1-last= Theobald |editor1-first= H. Rupert |editor2-last= Robbins |editor2-first= Patricia V. |author= Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau |chapter-url= https://images.library.wisc.edu/WI/EFacs/WIBlueBks/BlueBks/WIBlueBk1983/reference/wi.wibluebk1983.i0016.pdf |chapter= Elections |pages= 890, 911 |access-date= February 5, 2021 }}</ref>
In 1983, the Legislature passed a new redistricting plan to supersede the court-ordered plan. The boundaries of Lewis's district were left largely intact, but the district was renumbered to the 93rd district. Lewis won election to two more terms in this district, but was defeated seeking reelection in 1988.<ref name="1989elex">{{cite report|url= http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1989 |title =State of Wisconsin 1989-1990 Blue Book |publisher= State of Wisconsin |year= 1989 |editor1-last= Barish |editor1-first= Lawrence S. |editor2-last= Theobald |editor2-first= H. Rupert |author= Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau |chapter-url= https://images.library.wisc.edu/WI/EFacs/WIBlueBks/BlueBks/WIBlueBk1989/reference/wi.wibluebk1989.i0016.pdf |chapter= Elections |pages= 912, 927 |access-date= February 5, 2021 }}</ref>
In 1993, he returned to the Eau Claire City Council when he was elected council president.<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69486768/eau-claire-city-election/ |title= City Council poised for 'new beginning' |newspaper= Eau Claire Leader-Telegram |date= April 8, 1993 |page= 10 |access-date= February 5, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com }}</ref> He served four years and resigned in April 1997.<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69486996/lewis-steps-down/ |title= Lewis talks about City Council's achievements, issues for future |newspaper= Eau Claire Leader-Telegram |date= April 19, 1997 |first= Tawny |last= Colaizy |page= 1 |access-date= February 5, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com }}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-wi-hs}} {{s-bef|before = Delmar DeLong }} {{s-ttl|title = {{nowrap|Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly}} {{nowrap|from the 44th district}} |years= January 3, 1983{{spaced ndash}}January 7, 1985 }} {{s-aft|after = Wayne W. Wood }} {{s-bef|before = David Travis }} {{s-ttl|title = {{nowrap|Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly}} {{nowrap|from the 93rd district}} |years= January 7, 1985{{spaced ndash}}January 2, 1989}} {{s-aft|after = Jacquelyn J. Lahn }} {{s-end}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lewis, Mark D.}} Category:1949 births Category:Living people Category:Democratic Party members of the Wisconsin State Assembly Category:Politicians from Eau Claire, Wisconsin Category:Politicians from Duluth, Minnesota Category:University of Minnesota alumni Category:Wisconsin city council members Category:20th-century members of the Wisconsin Legislature