 Senator Don Benton Biography17th District, Vancouver Senator Don Benton has dedicated his legislative career to protecting property rights, reducing property taxes and putting criminals behind bars. His call for a special session to save the voter-approved cap on property tax collections paid off. Despite the Supreme Court's decision to invalidate I-747 on a technicality, the Legislature put the cap into law during a one-day special session in November 2007. Don considers his father to have been his mentor and first became interested in politics when his father served four terms on the local school board. The passion for politics learned from his father carried over to Don, with his service as student body president in college, to today’s service in the state Senate. Elective Office: House of Representatives 1994; Senate 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008. Current term expires January 2013. Special Committees: World War II Memorial Advisory Committee; Senate Facilities & Operations Committee. Special Service: Washington State Chair, American Legislative Exchange Council. Standing Committees (2009-11): Ranking Republican Member, Financial Institutions, Housing and Insurance; Government Operations and Elections; Transportation. Awards: Don is especially proud that he was honored by the Washington Council of Police Chiefs and Sheriffs as Legislator of the Year and by the National Federation of Independent Business with its Guardian of Small Business Award. Don has also been recognized by the Association of Washington Business for his good voting record on business issues and by the Washington Credit Unions with their special achievement award. Community Involvement:
Life Member of the Vancouver Moose Lodge
#1774; a Life Member of the Mount Hood Masonic Lodge #32; a
board member of the Wolverton Mountain Gun Club; past president
of the Jaycees; past president of the Red Cross Board of
Directors; a member of the Financial Literacy Public-Private
Partnership; former chairman of the Washington State Republican
Party; Assistant Scoutmaster and Awards Chairman for his son’s
Cub Scout pack in Vancouver. Professional Experience: Founder and CEO, the Benton Group, which conducts sales, marketing, and training consulting for television worldwide. His ad agency division manages the marketing and advertising for several law firms and small businesses; 1988 - present; co-founder, Santa Clarita Temporaries, Inc., temporary employment agency, 1979-1983; district manager, Farmers Insurance Group, 1983 - 1988. Education: Don graduated cum laude from Concordia University with a B.S. degree in management and communication and is an advertising and marketing expert. Personal: Don was born and raised on a small farm. He is a long-time resident of Washington State. Don and his wife Mary and their four children live in Clark County. |