{{short description|American politician}} {{BLP sources|date=May 2011}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Mark Hillman |office = Treasurer of Colorado |status = Acting |term_start = June 9, 2005 |term_end = March 27, 2006 |predecessor = Mike Coffman |successor = Mike Coffman |office1 = Minority Leader of the Colorado Senate |term_start1 = January 2005 |term_end1 = June 9, 2005 |predecessor1 = Joan Fitz-Gerald |successor1 = Norma Anderson (acting) |office2 = Majority Leader of the Colorado Senate |term_start2 = January 7, 2004 |term_end2 = January 2005 |predecessor2 = Norma Anderson |successor2 = Ken Gordon |birth_name = Mark Douglas Hillman |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1967|5|24}} |birth_place = Burlington, Colorado, U.S. |death_date = |death_place = |party = Republican |education = Colby Community College<br>Morgan Community College<br>Regis University }}
'''Mark Douglas Hillman''' is an American politician. He was elected to the Colorado Senate<ref>{{cite news|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=DP&p_theme=dp&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0FA38670D986C529&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|title=Senate budget battle heats up Seniors' tax credit survives crossfire Article 1 of 1 found|last=Martinez|first=Julia C.|date=April 4, 2003|work=Denver Post|page=B3|accessdate=15 May 2011}}</ref> in 1998. He served as Majority Leader from 2003 to 2004 and Minority Leader in 2005 before serving as State Treasurer from 2005 to 2006. He is a member of the Republican Party and was elected Republican National Committeeman on May 31, 2008.{{Citation needed|date=May 2011}}
==Early life==
Hillman grew up working his parents' farm in Burlington on Colorado's eastern plains. During high school, he took a part-time job with his hometown newspaper, the ''Burlington Record.'' After graduating from Burlington High School in 1985, he became a full-time sports editor, news reporter, photographer, and "jack of all trades." In 1994, Hillman left the paper to work the family farm.{{Citation needed|date=May 2011}}
==Education==
Hillman took classes at Colby Community College in Kansas, Morgan Community College, and Regis University. He did not complete a degree.{{Citation needed|date=May 2011}}
==Political career== ===Colorado State Senate===
Hillman announced his candidacy for the State Senate in late 1997. After winning, he became the senator from the state's largest legislative district, covering 12 counties and more than {{convert|21000|sqmi|km2}}. Hillman was elected to leadership posts for five of his seven years in the Senate, including both Majority Leader and Minority Leader.
Hillman received National Legislator of the Year honors from the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), "Taxpayer Champion" from the Colorado Union of Taxpayers, and other awards in Colorado, including recognition from the Colorado Farm Bureau, the National Federation of Independent Business, the Colorado Civil Justice League, and the Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry.
===Colorado State Treasurer===
Hillman was appointed as Colorado's State Treasurer in June 2005 by Governor Bill Owens.
===Republican National Committeeman===
At the Republican State Convention on May 31, 2008, former United States Senator William L. Armstrong nominated Hillman for Republican National Committeeman, calling him "one of the greatest legislators in the history of Colorado." Hillman won and replaced United States Senate candidate Bob Schaffer as one of Colorado's three Republican National Committeemen.{{Citation needed|date=May 2011}}
==Personal life==
Mark married Heidi Horvath on July 16, 2005.{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Portal|Biography}} *[http://www.markhillman.com/ Mark Hillman website]
{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-co-sen}} {{s-bef|before=Norma Anderson}} {{s-ttl|title=Majority Leader of the Colorado Senate|years=2004–2005}} {{s-aft|after=Ken Gordon}} |- {{s-bef|before=Joan Fitz-Gerald}} {{s-ttl|title=Minority Leader of the Colorado Senate|years=2005}} {{s-aft|after=Norma Anderson<br>Acting}} |- {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=Mike Coffman}} {{s-ttl|title=Treasurer of Colorado<br>Acting|years=2005–2006}} {{s-aft|after=Mike Coffman}} {{s-end}} {{Portal bar|Biography|Colorado|Politics|United States}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hillman, Mark}} Category:1967 births Category:Living people Category:People from Burlington, Colorado Category:Republican Party Colorado state senators Category:State treasurers of Colorado Category:21st-century Colorado politicians Category:21st-century members of the Colorado General Assembly