Gerald L. Baliles
| Gerald L. Baliles | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| 65th Governor of Virginia | |
|
In office January 18, 1986 – January 13, 1990 |
|
| Lieutenant | L. Douglas Wilder |
| Preceded by | Charles S. Robb |
| Succeeded by | L. Douglas Wilder |
| 34th Attorney General of Virginia | |
|
In office January 16, 1982 – June 30, 1985 |
|
| Preceded by | J. Marshall Coleman |
| Succeeded by | William G. Broaddus |
| Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from the 35th district |
|
|
In office January 14, 1976 – January 13, 1982 |
|
| Preceded by | Howard H. Carwile |
| Succeeded by | Charles Hardaway Marks |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Gerald Lee Baliles July 8, 1940 Stuart, Virginia, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) |
Jeannie Patterson (m. 1965; div. 1996) Robin Deal (m. 2003) |
| Residence | Charlottesville, Virginia |
| Alma mater |
Wesleyan University (B.A.) University of Virginia (LL.B.) |
Gerald Lee Baliles (born July 8, 1940) was the 65th Governor of Virginia and the former director of the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia.
Baliles served as the 65th Governor of Virginia from 1986 to 1990, and ushered in a period of economic development for Virginia. A Democrat, Baliles won the 1985 Gubernatorial election with 55.2% of the vote defeating Republican Wyatt B. Durrette, Jr. He could not run for re-election, as Virginia governors are limited to non-consecutive single terms in office. However, Baliles' popularity helped secure the narrow election of Lieutenant Governor Douglas Wilder in 1989.
Improving Virginia's transportation infrastructure and increasing its revenues was one of his signature accomplishments. Recognized by colleagues for his emphasis on strategic planning and preparation, Baliles was known as Virginia's "transportation governor" because of the premium he placed on improving transportation in the state. In 1986, Baliles guided a $422 million-a-year revenue package through a special session of the General Assembly to improve Virginia's transportation system, and observers still credit him with the foresight of that effort. Another key priority was ensuring the state's ability to participate and compete in world markets, and during his administration Virginia’s international trade grew substantially.
A champion of education, Baliles has long emphasized the need for workers to continually acquire new skills and training throughout their lives and careers. His administration increased faculty salaries, making pay for the state's higher-education teachers the highest in the South and among the highest in the nation. He began convening annual meetings of educators and education officials with the goal of building a flexible, statewide educational system that would be accessible to Virginians of all backgrounds and ages. In 1989, he hosted the nation's governors in Charlottesville for President George H. W. Bush's summit on education and has always been a staunch supporter of higher education.
...
Wikipedia