About Tom

Tom Rukavina is refreshingly honest.

A small guy with a big heart, Tom values liberty and loves people. He’s rooted in community and understands the importance of education and jobs. He has the experience, the compassion, and the leadership skills for public service.
Tom always remembers were he came from.

Background

Tom Rukavina grew up on the north side of the small Iron Range city of Virginia. Surrounded by Italians, Swedes, Poles, Slovenes, Finns, Croatians and others, Tom lived in a unique American neighborhood and community. His dad was a miner and a union organizer. His mom was a janitor at the local public utilities where her own mother worked. (Now, Tom’s daughter Ida is the union representative for AFSCME at the same public utility-three generations!) Tom’s parents were hard workers, union members, and big promoters of education. In those days, Tom earned money with a paper route.

Tom attended Marquette parochial school where he was a constant challenge to authority. But he learned respect, how to work hard, and the importance of a good education. He graduated from Virginia High School, Mesabi Community College, and the University of Minnesota, Duluth, with a B.A. in Political Science (cum laude).

Tom married Lenore Lampi and had two children, Ida and Victor. Together, they cleared their rural land, built a house with wood from that land, and raised their children the old fashioned way – with hard work and the love and participation of a large extended family.

What a career start he had: garbage truck driver from Buhl to Embarrass, truck driver/milkman for both Tower and Aysta Dairy, and a mine worker at US Steel where he was a Steelworker Union member and active union organizer. Tom also had his own small business, Pike River Logging. Tom Rukavina knows how to work and understands what the majority of Minnesotans face every day in the workplace.

His fellow citizens elected Tom as the youngest person ever to the Virginia School Board at age 22. He also served as an elected township officer. He made a positive difference in his local community by active involvement in the Pike Cooperative Board, the Natural Harvest Whole Foods Cooperative, the Northern Club, the board of Range Respite, little league, and as a community organizer.

He continued building his career as the Assistant Director of Giants Ridge Ski Resort where he helped manage and direct capital spending. He also managed the World Cup Cross Country Ski Championship, the only time a World Cup event was held in Minnesota. Tom then joined Trenti Law Firm as a paralegal.

In 1986 Tom was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in District 5A and is currently serving his 12th consecutive term.

His flamboyant legislative career has focused on several important issues to Minnesota:

• Fair taxes
• Economic development
• Renewable energy
• Outdoor recreation
• Higher education
• Workforce development
• Liberty
• Standing up for people without a voice

Tom’s assignments in the House of Representatives has included the following:

• Chair, Higher Education and Workforce Development
• Assistant Majority Leader
• Chair, State Government Finance
• Chair, Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board
• Committee assignments-
  • Labor and Management
  • Legislative Compensation Council
  • Legislative & Citizens Commission on Minnesota Resources
  • Taxes
  • Education Policy
  • Economic Development
    • National Conference of State Legislatures
      • Education
      • Economic Development
      • Midwest Higher Education Council

Some of Tom’s major legislative accomplishments:

• Minimum Wage Increase
• Plant Closing Moratorium
• Iron Range Mining Scholarships (All Minnesotans are eligible and these scholarships now go to 20% of incoming Minnesota freshman college students!)
• Created the Middle Income Family Scholarships
• Natural Resources Research Institute, U of M, Lab creation
• Fair Funding for the U of M, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities
• Fair Tuition for College Students
• Buy American Legislation