Governor Mike Parson
57th Governor of Missouri
Michael L. Parson was sworn in as Missouri’s 57th Governor on June 1, 2018 by Missouri Supreme Court Judge Mary R. Russell. He came into the role of governor with a longtime commitment to serving others, with more than 30 years of experience in public service.
Governor Parson previously served as the 47th Lieutenant Governor of Missouri. He was elected Lieutenant Governor on November 8, 2016 after claiming victory in 110 of Missouri’s 114 counties and receiving the most votes of any Lieutenant Governor in Missouri history.
Governor Parson served the people of the 28th Senatorial District in the Missouri Senate from 2011-2017. He served in the Missouri House of Representatives from 2005-2011. Governor Parson also served as the Sheriff of Polk County from 1993-2005. He also served six years in the U.S. Army.
While in the Missouri Senate, Governor Parson chaired the Small Business, Insurance & Industry Committee and during his first two years served as Majority Whip. While serving in the House of Representatives, he was chair of the House Rules Committee. He sponsored and co-sponsored several landmark pieces of legislation, including Missouri’s Castle Doctrine, which strengthened 2nd Amendment rights, and the Missouri Farming Rights Amendment, a piece of legislation that changed the Missouri Constitution to guarantee all Missourians the right to farm and ranch.
During Governor Parson’s first year as Lieutenant Governor, the Office of Lieutenant Governor launched the “Buy Missouri” initiative, spearheaded an investigation at the St. Louis Veterans Home, and has been a strong advocate for agriculture, veterans, seniors, and tourism. He also was inducted into the Missouri Farmers Care Hall of Fame, won the Missouri Grocers Association Capitol Impact Award, and was named to Ingram Magazine’s “50 Missourians You Should Know 2018.”
Governor Parson and his wife, Teresa, call Bolivar their hometown. Together they have two grown children and five grandchildren. The Governor was raised on a farm in Hickory County, and graduated from Wheatland High School in Wheatland, Missouri. He is a small business owner and is a third-generation farmer who currently owns and operates a cow and calf operation near Bolivar.
First Lady Teresa Parson
Ms. Teresa Parson, wife of Governor Mike Parson, is honored to be the First Lady of the State of Missouri. After working 40 years in the banking industry, Ms. Parson retired in 2016 to serve her community as an active and dedicated volunteer. She has served on the boards of the 30th Circuit Juvenile Detention Center Board, A+ Program, Industrial Development Authority, Bolivar Educational Advancement Foundation, Bolivar Chamber of Commerce, and as a volunteer with the Relay for Life.
Like her husband, Ms. Parson has a strong commitment to education and advocates for special needs children. Governor Parson and the First Lady serve as co-chairs on the Jobs for America’s Graduates-Missouri, Inc. (JAG-Missouri) Board of Directors. Together they are highlighting the importance of education to the next generation of leaders, as well as financial literacy and money management.
Ms. Parson also is the proud mother of two children and five grandchildren. She worships as a member of the First Baptist Church in Bolivar.