Mark Ricks
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Mark George Ricks (July 4, 1924 – September 29, 2016) was an American Republican politician from Idaho. He served as the 40th lieutenant governor of Idaho from June 2006 to January 2007.


Political career

Ricks' introduction to politics occurred in the late 1940s and early 1950s when he served as a Republican Precinct Committeeman. He was pressured to run for the
Idaho Senate The Idaho State Senate is the upper chamber of the Idaho Legislature. It consists of 35 senators elected to two-year terms, each representing a district of the state. The Senate meets at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise, Idaho. Composition of th ...
in 1976. He did not run, due to his time-consuming calling in
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Restorationism, restorationist Christianity, Christian Christian denomination, denomination and the ...
as
stake president A stake is an administrative unit composed of multiple congregations in certain denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement. The name "stake" derives from the Book of Isaiah: "enlarge the place of thy tent; stretch forth the curtains of thine ha ...
. Because of his calling, he was put in charge of the recovery effort when the
Teton Dam The Teton Dam was an earthen dam in the western United States, on the Teton River in eastern Idaho. It was built by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, one of eight federal agencies authorized to construct dams.Perrow, Charles. '' Normal Accide ...
collapsed. Ricks was nationally recognized for his leadership in organizing the successful recovery effort. At the urging of the
Speaker of the Idaho House of Representatives The Idaho House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the Idaho Legislature. It consists of 70 representatives elected to two-year terms. The state is divided into 35 districts, each of which elects two representatives to separate seats. ...
( Allan Larsen) and many other prominent citizens, in 1978 Ricks ran for, and was elected to, the Idaho State Senate, serving his first term in 1979-1980. As a freshman Senator he was chosen to serve on the powerful Joint Finance Committee. This period also marks the beginning of the friendship and collaboration between Ricks and
Jim Risch James Elroy Risch ( ; born May 3, 1943) is an American lawyer and politician who has served as the junior United States senator from Idaho since 2009. A member of the Republican Party, he served as lieutenant governor of Idaho under governors ...
, then Senate Majority Leader. Ricks served in the State Senate with many of Idaho's most influential leaders. As a former seatmate of
Larry Craig Lawrence Edwin Craig (born July 20, 1945) is an American retired politician from the state of Idaho. A Republican, Craig represented Idaho in the United States Senate from 1991 to 2009 and represented Idaho's 1st District in the U.S. House of ...
, Ricks is known for commenting that Craig taught him to be a State Senator, and that "I had some influence on him, to prepare him to become a US Congressman." During his second term in the State Senate Ricks served as the Chairman of the Commerce and Labor Committee, and in his third term he was nominated and elected as Senate Majority Leader, with Jim Risch as the President Pro Tem of the Senate. During his tenure as Senate Majority Leader he also worked with
Mike Crapo Michael Dean Crapo ( ; born May 20, 1951) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States Senate, United States senator from Idaho, a seat he has held since 1999. A member of the Rep ...
, the Assistant Majority Leader. Ricks was an alternate at-large delegate for
Idaho Republican Party The Idaho Republican Party (IDGOP) is the Idaho state affiliate of the Republican Party (United States), United States Republican Party, headquartered in Boise, Idaho, Boise. It is currently the dominant party in the state, controlling both of I ...
for the 1988 Republican National Convention. In 2010, Ricks supported
Brad Little Bradley Jay Little (born February 15, 1954) is an American politician serving as the 33rd governor of Idaho since January 2019. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 42nd Lieutenant Governor of Idaho ...
for
Lieutenant Governor of Idaho The Lieutenant governor (United States), lieutenant governor of Idaho is a constitutional statewide elected office in the U.S. state of Idaho. According to the Idaho Constitution, the officeholder is elected to a four-year term. The current lieu ...
. In 2014, Ricks supported Evan Frasure for
Secretary of State of Idaho The secretary of state of Idaho is one of the constitutional officers of the U.S. state of Idaho. It is an elected position within the Executive (government), executive branch of the state government. The current secretary of state is Phil McGr ...
.


40th Lieutenant Governor of Idaho

Ricks was appointed
lieutenant governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...
by Governor Jim Risch to fill a vacancy caused by Risch's succession to the governorship in May 2006 Ricks presided over Idaho's 27th Special Session, which dealt with the Idaho Property Tax Relief Act of 2006. He was succeeded by Risch, who was reelected lieutenant governor in November 2006. Ricks was not a candidate for public office that year. His appointment was seen by some as an effort by Risch to reach out to voters in the
Eastern Idaho Eastern Idaho is the area of Idaho lying east of the Magic Valley region. Much of the region is in the Mormon Corridor, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints plays a major role in the lives of the region's residents. Eastern Id ...
region, should Risch decide to run for governor at some point in time. However, Risch dismissed this as "pure speculation."


Personal life

Ricks was born and raised in
Rexburg, Idaho Rexburg is a city in Madison County, Idaho, United States. The population was 39,409 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The city is the county seat of Madison County and its largest city. Rexburg is the principal city of the Rexburg ...
. He graduated from
Madison High School Madison High School may refer to: * Madison County High School (Alabama), Gurley, Alabama * Madison High School (Idaho), Rexburg, Idaho * Madison Consolidated High School, Madison, Indiana * Madison High School (Kansas), Madison, Kansas * Kentucky: ...
, where he played
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
. He attended
Ricks College Ricks may refer to: People * Andre Ricks (born 1996), American basketball player * Bob Ricks (21st century), American police chief * Christopher Ricks (born 1933), British literary critic and scholar * Desmond Ricks, American football player * ...
, played on the basketball team, and graduated with a
bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Medieval Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years ...
. He married Evelyn Tonks in 1944 at the Logan, Utah Temple. Ricks served a two-year
mission Mission (from Latin 'the act of sending out'), Missions or The Mission may refer to: Geography Australia *Mission River (Queensland) Canada *Mission, British Columbia, a district municipality * Mission, Calgary, Alberta, a neighbourhood * ...
for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Northern California in the late 1940s. Ricks was a
bishop A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...
, a stake president (during the 1976
Teton Dam The Teton Dam was an earthen dam in the western United States, on the Teton River in eastern Idaho. It was built by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, one of eight federal agencies authorized to construct dams.Perrow, Charles. '' Normal Accide ...
failure and played a key role in local disaster relief efforts), and regional representative of the Twelve. He also served as the Nauvoo Visitor's Center Director for 25 months, completed an 18-month mission in
Salt Lake City Salt Lake City, often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC, is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. It is the county seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in the state. The city is the core of the Salt Lake Ci ...
at the Missionary Department, and was
temple president Temple president is a priesthood leadership position in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A temple president's primary responsibility is to supervise the affairs of a church temple in both an administrative and spiritual capacity. ...
of the
Idaho Falls Idaho Temple The Idaho Falls Idaho Temple (formerly the Idaho Falls Temple) is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Idaho Falls, Idaho. The intent to build the temple was announced on March 3, 1937, by church president Heber J. Gr ...
from 1999 to 2002. He died on September 29, 2016, in
Rexburg, Idaho Rexburg is a city in Madison County, Idaho, United States. The population was 39,409 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The city is the county seat of Madison County and its largest city. Rexburg is the principal city of the Rexburg ...
, at the age of 92. His son, Doug Ricks, serves in the
Idaho Legislature The Idaho Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the 43rd State of Idaho and is bicameral, consisting of the upper chamber of the Idaho Senate and the lower chamber of the Idaho House of Representatives. The state of Idaho ...


Awards and community involvement

Awards *Induction to the Eastern Idaho Agriculture Hall of Fame in 1989 *Named as one of ten nationally Outstanding Legislators by the National Republican Legislators Association in 1987 *Recipient of the Rexburg
Chamber of Commerce A chamber of commerce, or board of trade, is a form of business network. For example, a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to a ...
Community Service Production and Example Award in 1976 *Recipient of the Madison School District #321 Outstanding Service Award in 1987 *Recipient of the
Ricks College Ricks may refer to: People * Andre Ricks (born 1996), American basketball player * Bob Ricks (21st century), American police chief * Christopher Ricks (born 1933), British literary critic and scholar * Desmond Ricks, American football player * ...
Distinguished Alumni Award in 1988 *Outstanding Republican Legislator by the
Idaho Republican Party The Idaho Republican Party (IDGOP) is the Idaho state affiliate of the Republican Party (United States), United States Republican Party, headquartered in Boise, Idaho, Boise. It is currently the dominant party in the state, controlling both of I ...
in 1991 *
Silver Beaver Award The Silver Beaver Award is the council-level distinguished service award of Scouting America. Recipients of the award are registered adult leaders who have made an impact on the lives of youth through service given to the council. Those deemed ...
from the
Boy Scouts of America Scouting America is the largest scouting organization and one of the largest List of youth organizations, youth organizations in the United States, with over 1 million youth, including nearly 200,000 female participants. Founded as the Boy Sco ...
in 1998 *Lifetime Achievement Award from the Rexburg Chamber of Commerce in 2007 Community involvement *Member of the Executive Board of the Teton Peaks Council (merged into Grand Teton Council in 1994) of the Boy Scouts of America *Member of the
National Conference of State Legislators The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), established in 1975, is a "nonpartisan public officials' association composed of sitting state legislators" from the states, territories and commonwealths of the United States. Background ...
(NCSL) Executive Committee 1985-1987 (also chaired the NCSL Nominating Committee) *Member of the Council of State Government (CSG) Executive Committee 1989-1990 *Chairman of the CSG Western Legislative Conference 1988-1989 *Blue Ribbon Task Force, where he served as a member of the Revenue and Economic Development Committee in 2002 *Idaho Wheat Growers member *National Federation of Independent Businesses member *Rexburg Chamber of Commerce member


Legacy

Senator
Jim Risch James Elroy Risch ( ; born May 3, 1943) is an American lawyer and politician who has served as the junior United States senator from Idaho since 2009. A member of the Republican Party, he served as lieutenant governor of Idaho under governors ...
issued this statement when Ricks died in 2016: "Vicki and I were deeply saddened to hear of the passing of our good friend Mark Ricks. In the years we served together in the Idaho Senate, I came to know Mark as a man of great character and a loyal friend. When I became Governor I was required to appoint a Lieutenant Governor who would succeed me should I be unable to serve. I could think of no better person than Mark to fulfill that obligation. Mark was a gentleman and a statesman and his reputation for trustworthiness was legendary. He was more than a friend; he was a trusted confidant and advisor to me. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family." Senator
Mike Crapo Michael Dean Crapo ( ; born May 20, 1951) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States Senate, United States senator from Idaho, a seat he has held since 1999. A member of the Rep ...
said, "Idaho has lost a great leader, I had a great working relationship with Mark Ricks in the Idaho Senate and as lieutenant governor. His passion for serving Idahoans and attention to legislative detail is what I will remember most."


References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ricks, Mark 1924 births 2016 deaths Politicians from Rexburg, Idaho Farmers from Idaho Ranchers from Idaho Republican Party Idaho state senators Lieutenant governors of Idaho American leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Latter Day Saints from Idaho 20th-century members of the Idaho Legislature