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Tony Knowles (born January 1 1943 in Tulsa, Oklahoma), American Democratic politican and businessman, was Governor of Alaska from 1995-2003.
After three terms on the Anchorage Municipal Assembly, he served two-terms as mayor of Anchorage from 1981-1987. Knowles first ran for governor in 1990, but was defeated by Walter Joseph Hickel. In 1994, he defeated former lieutenant governor Steve McAlpine in the Democratic primary. In the generally Republican state of Alaska, Knowles's victory was largely brought about by the extremely negative campaign strategy used by the Republican candidate Jim Campbell. In the election, Knowles received 41.1%, Campbell 40.8% and lieutenant governor Jack Coghill of the Alaskan Independence Party 13%. Knowles won the 1998 election in a landslide, defeating Republican John Lindauer 65%-22%. He did not run for reelection in 2002.
During the eight years of the Knowles administration, 30,000 new jobs were created in Alaska and unemployment dropped to its lowest level in a generation. By establishing a pro-business environment North Slope oil production increased for the first time in a decade. More than three million new acres of federal and state lands were opened for exploration.
As a supporter of responsible resource development, Knowles insisted that oil, gas, mining and other activities include necessary protections for air, land and water. Knowles voiced that theme as chair of the Western Governor's Association in 1997, as two-term chair of the Interstate Oil & Gas Compact Commission, and a member of the Pew Oceans Commission.
During his term, Knowles helped nearly 6,000 Alaska families make the transition from welfare to work, saving the state $228 million to invest in child care and children's health care. He championed initiatives on child health care, day care, and child abuse prevention and early education. Knowles established Denali Kid Care, which provided basic health care for 25,000 children and 5,000 pregnant women. In recognition of his commitment to children's issues, the National Child Welfare League named Knowles as their Child Advocate of the Year in 1998.
On education, Knowles boosted funding for public schools, pushed through the Quality Schools Initiative to help students meet new scholastic standards, invested $1 billion in repairing and building new classrooms, and initiated steps to revitalize the University of Alaska.
Alaska's overall crime rate dropped 23 percent during the Knowles administration. Knowles addressed juvenile crime with a landmark commission on youth and justice. He pushed "get tough" legislation to protect children and victims of domestic abuse and to crack down on drunk drivers. Knowles responded to the heightened security challenges of the September 11 terrorist attacks. A strong supporter of the role the Alaska National Guard plays in responding to state emergencies and national defense, Knowles was recipient of the Guard's Pro Patria award and the 2001 Charles Dick Silver Medal of Merit.
Governor Knowles worked closely with Alaska Natives to protect subsistence rights, formally recognized tribes, and forged the "Millennium Agreement", a government-to-government agreement with tribes to foster rural delivery of services and economic development. His support for Alaska's Native peoples earned him special recognition by the National Congress of American Indians in 2001 and the Alaska Federation of Natives Denali Award, the highest award given to a non-native.
As governor, Knowles was a fierce protector of Alaska interests against intrusive Federal intervention. He sued the Federal government to ensure access to historic roads and trails, to stop federal interference of responsible fishing, and to allow sustainable forest practices in accordance with adopted management plans. He helped persuade the Federal Government to lift discriminatory export bans and open 1.5 million acres in the National Petroleum Reserve Alaska for a major new oil and gas development.
Knowles sued the EPA which fought state regulators when they offered more innovative measures to protect air quality in expanding the world's largest zinc mine in Northwest Alaska. Knowles pushed Canadian officials to adopt his "safe passage" principle to protect Pacific salmon and their freshwater habitat, leading to the successful negotiation of the first coast wide salmon treaty in decades. He introduced and got passed the first state legislation in the nation that forced the growing cruise ship industry to take responsibility for their air and wastewater emissions.
Knowles volunteered for the U.S. Army in 1962, joining the 82nd Airborne Division, and later served his country in Vietnam. A strong advocate of veterans' issues, Knowles gave an official voice to Alaska veterans, pushed for and achieved passage of legislation to create guaranteed veterans housing in the state's Pioneer's Homes, and honored their service through official days of recognition and a mountain named to honor POW/MIAs.
He earned a degree in economics from Yale University in 1968. After graduation, he moved to Alaska and worked on oil drilling rigs on the North Slope and in Cook Inlet. In 1969, Knowles started his first of four restaurants including the Downtown Deli in Anchorage.
An avid fly fisherman, cross country skier, and (retired) marathon runner, Tony Knowles and his wife Susan currently reside in Anchorage. They have three children, Devon, Luke, and Sara, all in college and graduate school.
