History of Doug Burgum in Timeline
"Douglas James Burgum, an American businessman and politician with a net worth estimated at \$1.1 Billion, currently serves as the 33rd governor of North Dakota. He assumed office in 2016 as a member of the Republican Party and is considered among the wealthiest governors in the US."
1906: Burgum's Grandfather Founds Grain Elevator
Doug Burgum's grandfather founded a grain elevator in Arthur, North Dakota in 1906.
August 1, 1956: Birth of Doug Burgum
Doug Burgum was born on August 1, 1956 in Arthur, North Dakota.
1978: Doug Burgum Graduates College
Doug Burgum graduated from North Dakota State University in 1978 with his undergraduate degree.
1978: Doug Burgum Graduates College
Doug Burgum graduated from North Dakota State University in 1978 with his undergraduate degree.
1980: Burgum Earns MBA from Stanford
Doug Burgum received his MBA from Stanford University Graduate School of Business in 1980.
March 1983: Burgum Invests in Great Plains Software
In March 1983, Doug Burgum mortgaged his inheritance to invest in the accounting software company Great Plains Software.
1983: Burgum Invests in Great Plains Software
In 1983, Doug Burgum mortgaged his inheritance to invest in the accounting software company Great Plains Software.
1984: Burgum Becomes President of Great Plains Software
After buying out the rest of the company with family, Doug Burgum becomes president of Great Plains Software in 1984.
1984: Burgum Becomes President of Great Plains Software
After buying out the rest of the company with family, Doug Burgum becomes president of Great Plains Software in 1984.
1988: Burgum Endorses Steve Sydness for Senate
Doug Burgum endorses Republican Steve Sydness for one of North Dakota's U.S. Senate seats in 1988.
1989: Great Plains Software Grows Under Burgum
Doug Burgum grows Great Plains Software to a staff of around 250 employees by 1989.
1991: Burgum Marries Karen Stoker
Doug Burgum married Karen Stoker in 1991.
1997: Great Plains Software Goes Public
Great Plains Software held an IPO in 1997.
1999: Great Plains Software Acquires Match Data Systems
Great Plains Software acquired Match Data Systems in 1999.
2000: Burgum Acquires School Building
Doug Burgum acquired a school building in 2000 that he would later donate to North Dakota State University.
2000: Burgum Receives Honorary Doctorate
Doug Burgum received an honorary doctorate from North Dakota State University in 2000.
2001: Burgum Sells Great Plains Software to Microsoft
Doug Burgum sells Great Plains Software to Microsoft for $1.1 billion in 2001.
2001: Burgum Sells Great Plains Software to Microsoft
Doug Burgum sells Great Plains Software to Microsoft for $1.1 billion in 2001.
2001: Burgum Donates Building to North Dakota State University
Doug Burgum donates a refurbished school building to North Dakota State University in 2001.
2003: Burgum and Stoker Divorce
Doug Burgum and Karen Stoker divorced in 2003.
2005: Burgum Expresses Interest in New Role at Microsoft
In 2005, Doug Burgum expressed interest in stepping down as senior vice president to become Microsoft Business Solutions chairman.
September 2006: Burgum Announces Departure from Microsoft
Doug Burgum tells journalists he plans to leave Microsoft by 2007 in September 2006.
2006: Burgum Receives Honorary Doctorate
Doug Burgum received an honorary doctorate from the University of Mary in 2006.
2007: Burgum Becomes Chairman of SuccessFactors
Doug Burgum becomes chairman of the board at SuccessFactors in 2007.
2007: Burgum Leaves Microsoft
Doug Burgum leaves his role at Microsoft in 2007.
2008: Burgum Becomes Executive Chairman of Intelligent InSites
Doug Burgum becomes executive chairman of the board at Intelligent InSites in 2008.
2008: Burgum Co-Founds Arthur Ventures
Doug Burgum co-founds the venture capitalist group Arthur Ventures in 2008.
2008: Burgum Starts Doug Burgum Family Fund
Doug Burgum starts the Doug Burgum Family Fund in 2008 to support charitable causes.
2008: Burgum Supports John Hoeven for Governor
Doug Burgum supports John Hoeven's campaign for governor of North Dakota in 2008.
2009: Burgum Considered for University Presidency
Doug Burgum was urged to apply for the position of president of North Dakota State University in 2009.
2010: Burgum Passed Over for University Presidency
Doug Burgum was passed over for the position of president of North Dakota State University in 2010.
2011: SuccessFactors Sold to SAP
SuccessFactors is sold to SAP in 2011, with Burgum serving as chairman of the board.
2012: Burgum Becomes Chairman of Atlassian
Doug Burgum becomes the first chairman of the board for Atlassian in 2012.
2012: Burgum Supports Jack Dalrymple for Governor
Doug Burgum supports Jack Dalrymple's campaign for governor of North Dakota in 2012.
2013: Burgum Announces Plans for Tallest Building in Fargo
Doug Burgum announces plans to create the tallest building in Fargo in 2013.
2013: Arthur Ventures Expands
Arthur Ventures expands its operations into new states in 2013.
2014: Burgum Serves as Interim CEO of Intelligent InSites
Doug Burgum serves as the interim CEO of Intelligent InSites for several months in 2014.
December 15, 2016: Burgum Sworn in as Governor of North Dakota
Doug Burgum is sworn in as governor of North Dakota on December 15, 2016.
2016: Burgum Marries Kathryn Helgaas
Doug Burgum married Kathryn Helgaas in 2016. As the first lady of North Dakota, Kathryn Burgum actively promotes the Recovery Reinvented program, an initiative dedicated to addressing addiction and promoting recovery.
2016: Burgum's Political Stance
During his 2016 campaign, Doug Burgum characterized himself as a moderate on social issues and a fiscal conservative.
2016: Doug Burgum Elected Governor of North Dakota
In 2016, Doug Burgum was elected as the 33rd Governor of North Dakota.
2016: Doug Burgum Elected Governor of North Dakota
In 2016, Doug Burgum was elected as the 33rd Governor of North Dakota.
2018: Vision Zero Project Launched
In 2018, Doug Burgum and the North Dakota Department of Transportation initiated the Vision Zero project, resulting in a significant decrease in traffic fatalities in the state.
2019: Cybersecurity Initiatives Implemented
Under the direction of Doug Burgum in 2019, North Dakota established a central cybersecurity operations center to protect the state's extensive network of over 250,000 users and 400 government entities. He also spearheaded the formation of a Multi-State Security Operations Center, fostering cybersecurity collaboration and intelligence sharing among member states.
July 2020: Burgum Criticizes Republican Platform on LGBT Issues
In July 2020, Doug Burgum expressed his disapproval of the 2020 Republican platform, deeming it "divisive and divisional" concerning LGBT issues.
2020: Burgum Re-elected as Governor
Doug Burgum secured his second term as Governor of North Dakota in 2020, winning with a substantial majority of over 65% of the votes.
2020: Burgum Wins Re-Election
Doug Burgum was re-elected as governor of North Dakota in 2020.
2020: RDO Building Completed
The RDO building, the tallest building in Fargo, is completed in 2020.
November 12, 2021: Ban on Critical Race Theory in Schools
On November 12, 2021, Doug Burgum enacted a law prohibiting the teaching of critical race theory in K-12 schools across North Dakota.
April 2022: Burgum Participates in Border Strike Force
In April 2022, Doug Burgum, alongside 25 other governors, formed the American Governors’ Border Strike Force, designed for mutual support in border security against illegal immigration and human trafficking. Burgum emphasized the importance of energy independence as a crucial element in countering China and Russia. He has also deployed the National Guard to the southern border with Mexico multiple times.
December 20, 2022: Sanford Resigns as Lieutenant Governor
Brent Sanford announced his resignation as Lieutenant Governor of North Dakota on December 20, 2022, effective from January 3, 2023.
January 3, 2023: Tammy Miller Appointed Lieutenant Governor
Following Brent Sanford's resignation, Doug Burgum appointed Tammy Miller, his chief operating officer, to the position of Lieutenant Governor of North Dakota on January 3, 2023.
February 7, 2023: Potential Lawsuit Against Minnesota Over Carbon-Free Electricity Law
Doug Burgum, along with other North Dakota officials, threatened legal action against Minnesota over a law passed on February 7, 2023, requiring the state's electricity to originate from carbon-free sources.
March 2023: Burgum Expresses Interest in Presidential Run
Doug Burgum publicly expressed interest in running for the office of President of the United States in the 2024 election in March 2023.
March 20, 2023: Burgum Vetoes Speed Limit Increase
Doug Burgum vetoed a bill on March 20, 2023, that proposed raising the speed limit on interstate highways in North Dakota to 80 mph.
April 2023: Burgum Signs Near-Total Abortion Ban
In April 2023, Doug Burgum enacted a law in North Dakota that imposes a near-total ban on abortion.
June 5, 2023: Burgum Teases "Big Announcement"
In a strategic move to generate anticipation, Doug Burgum took to Twitter on June 5, 2023, posting a video hinting at a significant announcement scheduled for June 7.
June 2023: Burgum Announces Presidential Run
Doug Burgum launched a campaign for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination in June 2023.
July 10, 2023: Burgum Offers \$20 Gift Cards for Donations, Qualifies for GOP Debate
In an attempt to fulfill the requirement of individual donors for participation in the inaugural Republican primary debate, Doug Burgum began offering \$20 gift cards on July 10, 2023, in exchange for any amount of donation to his primary campaign. The tactic proved successful as he met the required donor threshold and subsequently qualified for the debate on July 25 after achieving the necessary polling threshold. Despite its effectiveness, the strategy faced criticism and mockery on social media platforms, with some users revealing they donated \$1 to Burgum to receive the \$20 gift card and subsequently donated \$20 to Joe Biden's re-election campaign. Federal election officials have not yet provided clarity on the legality of this and similar fundraising practices by other candidates. Burgum also secured his place in the second debate, which took place on September 27. However, he failed to qualify for the November 5 debate held in Miami.
October 2023: Burgum Condemns Hamas Attack, Addresses Stranded North Dakotans
Following the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023, Doug Burgum publicly condemned the act and highlighted the situation of 84 North Dakotans on a church tour who were stranded in Bethlehem. He confirmed their safe passage to Jordan a few days later.
October 2023: Burgum Attributes Hamas Attack to Biden's Iran Policy
Doug Burgum attributed the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel to Iran, suggesting that Iran was emboldened by Biden's decision to release \$6 billion in frozen Iranian assets.
December 2023: Burgum Ends Presidential Campaign
Doug Burgum ended his candidacy for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination in December 2023 and became an advisor to the Trump campaign.
2023: Mandatory K-12 Cybersecurity Education Law
In a pioneering move, Doug Burgum signed House Bill 1398 into law in 2023, making North Dakota the first state to mandate cybersecurity education for all students from kindergarten to 12th grade.
2023: Burgum Signs "Anti-Trans" Bills
During the 2023 legislative session, Doug Burgum signed multiple veto-proof bills passed by the North Dakota Legislative Assembly that have been labeled by some as "anti-trans." These include a near-total ban on gender-affirming care for minors.
January 22, 2024: Burgum Declines to Seek Third Term, Endorses Tammy Miller
On January 22, 2024, Doug Burgum announced his decision not to pursue a third term as Governor of North Dakota and formally endorsed Lieutenant Governor Tammy Miller as his successor.
2024: Burgum Announces Presidential Campaign
Doug Burgum officially launched his campaign for President of the United States in the 2024 election. His announcement was made through an article in The Wall Street Journal on the morning of June 7, coinciding with the launch of his campaign website and a planned rally in Fargo later that day. Following this announcement, he initiated his campaign with numerous stops in Iowa.
2024: Burgum Voices Concerns on China and Foreign Policy
During the 2024 Republican debate in Milwaukee, Doug Burgum expressed apprehension about China, labeling it as America's "number one threat" and advocating for the deployment of "anti-warship missiles in Taiwan." In his campaign speeches, he criticized President Biden's handling of foreign aid to Ukraine and hostage exchanges with Iran.
2024: Burgum Shares Personal Interests
While campaigning for president in 2024, Doug Burgum revealed in an interview that he enjoys the music of Keith Urban and is a fan of the TV shows "Yellowstone" and "Ted Lasso."
2030: North Dakota's Goal for Carbon Neutrality
Doug Burgum has set a goal for North Dakota to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030, aiming to balance this with a strong fossil fuel industry through carbon capture and storage technology and enhanced oil recovery. This initiative attracted significant private sector investment, reaching \$25 billion according to Burgum's statements at the North Dakota petroleum council annual meeting.
2030: Burgum's Energy Policies and Carbon Neutrality Goal
Doug Burgum, advocating for American energy independence as a national security imperative, has been critical of what he terms as an "assault on liquid fuels" and policies promoting electric vehicles. He proposes utilizing Bureau of Land Management land for energy-related purposes like rare earth metal mining and oil and gas drilling. Despite aiming to relax gas industry regulations, he remains committed to achieving carbon neutrality in North Dakota by 2030 and supporting clean energy initiatives.