Mike Frerichs

Frerichs was born and raised in the small farming town of Gifford. Upon graduating from Rantoul Township High School, Frerichs attended Yale University and received his BA in 1995. He then attended National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan where he studied Mandarin Chinese while teaching English courses.[2] Upon returning home, Frerichs began to teach at his alma mater and became involved in the community serving on his local volunteer fire department, on the board of a local non-profit nursing home, and as a member of the Urbana Rotary Club.

In 1998, Frerichs ran against then-State Representative Tim Johnson and though he lost, it was the closest margin in Johnson’s political career.[3] In 2000 Frerichs was elected to the Champaign County Board and reelected in 2002.[4][5]

Later that year, Frerichs was appointed to succeed Gerrie Parr as the Champaign County Auditor by his fellow board members.[6] As Auditor he was responsible for preparing budget reports, maintaining financial records, ensuring the county meet state and federal reporting requirements, preventing fraud, and improving the financial health of the county.[7] At the time, he was the only auditor in the state to become a Certified Public Finance Officer, a credential he continues to maintain.[8][2] Two years later he was elected to the position.

In 2005, Frerichs announced he would run for the 52nd Legislative District seat that includes most of Champaign County and Vermilion County to fill the vacancy caused by Rick Winkel’s retirement.[9] In what became the most expensive state senate race of 2006,[10] Senator Frerichs was elected over former Senator Judith Myers by a margin of approximately five hundred votes.[11][12] as the first Democratic State Senator to represent East Central Illinois since 1936.[13]

Frerichs served as Chairman of the Illinois State Senate's Committee on Higher Education[8] and was a past-chair of the Agriculture & Conservation and Enterprise Zone Extensions Committees.[14][15] He also sat on the committees for Financial Institutions, Licensed Activities and Pensions, Public Pensions & State Investments and the Agriculture & Conservation.[8]

During his time in the Senate, Frerichs led efforts to eliminate the corrupt legislative scholarship program,[16] advocated for the disclosure of chemicals used in fracking,[17] and funded improvements at the University of Illinois, Parkland College and Danville Community College while fighting to reduce Illinois' disparities in education funding.[18] After Governor Rod Blagojevich was removed from office for corruption, Frerichs moved to have the former governor barred from ever holding office again in Illinois. This motion carried unanimously.[19]

In the 98th General Assembly, Frerichs served as the chairman of the Higher Education committee[8] and had previously served as chairman of the Agriculture & Conservation and Enterprise Zone Extensions committees.[14][15]

Frerichs married Laura Appenzeller in 2003.[30] They had one daughter in 2008 and divorced in 2013.[31] Frerichs stands 6 feet, 8 inches, making him one of the tallest politicians in Illinois' history, four inches taller than Abraham Lincoln. [32]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mike Frerichs.

• Illinois State Treasurer's Office
• Mike Frerichs for Illinois Treasurer
• Senator Michael W. Frerichs (D) 52nd District at the Illinois General Assembly
  • By session: 98th, 97th, 96th, 95th

• Profile at Vote Smart