Biography
Luther Olsen was elected to the Senate in 2004, after serving in the state Assembly for 10 years. He was born in Berlin, WI in 1951 and has been a lifelong resident of the 14th Senate District.
For the 2011-2013 session, Senator Olsen serves as a member of the Joint Committee on Finance, Workforce Development, Small Business and Tourism, and as the Chair of the Education Committee.
Senator Olsen also serves as a member of the Education Commission of the States in Denver, Colorado and as a member of the Wisconsin Education Communications Board. In addition, he serves as a board member of the Wisconsin Hospital Clinics.
Senator Olsen is a graduate of Berlin High School and received his Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is a past member of the Berlin School Board, where he served as President of the board for 9 years.
Senator Olsen has been a champion of education issues in Wisconsin and was named “Legislator of the Year" in 2005 by the School Administrators Alliance. The SAA represents more than 3,000 public school administrators across the state. Senator Olsen is probably best known for the Graduated Driver's License legislation he authored - a law aimed at improving the way teenagers learn to drive.
Senator Olsen is married, has six children, and lives in the city of Ripon.