Doug Burgum facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Doug Burgum
Official portrait, 2025
55th United States Secretary of the Interior
Incumbent
Assumed office February 1, 2025
President	Donald Trump
Preceded by	Deb Haaland
33rd Governor of North Dakota
In office December 15, 2016 – December 15, 2024
Lieutenant	Brent Sanford Tammy Miller
Preceded by	Jack Dalrymple
Succeeded by	Kelly Armstrong
Personal details
Born	Douglas James Burgum (1956-08-01) August 1, 1956 (age 68) Arthur, North Dakota, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouses	Karen Stoker ​ ​ (m. 1991; div. 2003)​ Kathryn Helgaas ​ (m. 2016)​
Children	3
Education	North Dakota State University (BA) Stanford University (MBA)
Signature

Douglas James Burgum (born August 1, 1956) is an American businessman and politician. He became the 55th Secretary of the Interior on February 1, 2025, serving under President Donald Trump. Before this, he was the 33rd governor of North Dakota from 2016 to 2024. He is a member of the Republican Party.

Burgum grew up in Arthur, North Dakota. After getting degrees from North Dakota State University and Stanford University, he started a business career. In 1983, he invested in Great Plains Software, an accounting software company. He became its president in 1984 and later sold it to Microsoft for $1.1 billion in 2001. At Microsoft, he managed business software. He also founded Kilbourne Group, a real estate company, and co-founded Arthur Ventures, which invests in software companies.

In 2016, Burgum was elected governor of North Dakota. He won again in 2020. In 2023, he ran for president but ended his campaign later that year. In November 2024, President-elect Trump announced he would nominate Burgum as Secretary of the Interior.

Early Life and Education

Doug Burgum was born on August 1, 1956, in Arthur, North Dakota. His parents were Katherine and Joseph Boyd Burgum. His family owned an agribusiness that started as a grain elevator in 1906.

When Doug was in high school, his father passed away. He later said this experience helped shape him. He graduated from North Dakota State University (NDSU) in 1978. While in college, he was student body president and even started a chimney-sweeping business.

Burgum then went to the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He earned his MBA in 1980. There, he became friends with Steve Ballmer, who later became the CEO of Microsoft.

Business Career

After finishing his MBA, Burgum worked as a consultant in Chicago.

Great Plains Software

In 1983, Burgum invested $250,000 in Great Plains Software. This company, based in Fargo, created accounting software. He became the vice president of marketing. In 1984, Burgum and other investors bought most of the company.

Under Burgum's leadership, Great Plains Software grew quickly. It became known as a great place to work. By 1989, it had about 250 employees. The company used the internet to expand beyond North Dakota. In 1997, Great Plains Software became a public company, meaning its shares could be traded. In 2001, Burgum sold the company to Microsoft for $1.1 billion.

Working at Microsoft

After the sale, Burgum became a Senior Vice President at Microsoft. He was in charge of the Microsoft Business Solutions Group. This group focused on software for businesses. In 2006, he decided to leave Microsoft.

Investment and Development

In 2008, Burgum co-founded Arthur Ventures. This company invests money in new businesses, especially in technology and life sciences. It started with a $20 million fund.

Burgum also founded the Kilbourne Group. This company focuses on developing real estate in downtown Fargo. They have worked on projects like the RDO Building, which is one of the tallest buildings in Fargo. They also renovated old buildings, like a former church and a high school.

Political Career

Governor of North Dakota (2016–2024)

In 2016, Doug Burgum decided to run for governor of North Dakota as a Republican. He had no previous political experience. He won the primary election and then the general election with over 75% of the votes. He became governor on December 15, 2016.

Burgum meets with a general from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 2018.

During his time as governor, North Dakota continued to have a strong fossil fuel industry. Burgum set a goal for North Dakota to become carbon-neutral by 2030. He planned to do this by using technology to capture and store carbon dioxide. This goal led to billions of dollars in private investments.

Burgum was reelected in 2020 with over 65% of the vote. In December 2022, his lieutenant governor, Brent Sanford, resigned. Burgum then appointed businesswoman Tammy Miller to the role.

Burgum with President Donald Trump and Colorado Governor Jared Polis in May 2020.

As governor, Burgum gave out the Rough Rider Award, which is North Dakota's highest civilian honor. He also signed bills to provide tax relief for citizens. In 2023, he announced a task force to help with the shortage of schoolteachers.

On January 22, 2024, Burgum announced he would not run for a third term as governor.

2024 Presidential Campaign

Burgum's logo for his 2024 Presidential campaign.

In March 2023, Burgum showed interest in running for president in the 2024 United States presidential election. He officially announced his campaign on June 7, 2023. He campaigned in states like Iowa.

Burgum spent a lot of money on advertisements during his campaign. He was supported by North Dakota's U.S. Senators and Representative. Actor Josh Duhamel also endorsed him.

On December 4, Burgum announced he was ending his campaign. He mentioned that it was hard to meet the requirements to qualify for the presidential debates.

Secretary of the Interior (2025–Present)

Nomination and Confirmation

On November 15, 2024, President-elect Trump announced his plan to nominate Burgum for Secretary of the Interior. The Department of the Interior manages public lands, natural resources, and Native American affairs. Trump reportedly told Burgum to focus on increasing oil drilling.

Burgum being sworn in on February 1, 2025.

Trump also named Burgum as his new "energy czar." This role means Burgum will help with energy policies and private investments. He will also be part of the National Security Council.

Many Republican senators supported Burgum's nomination. Some tribal leaders also expressed their support. However, environmental groups were concerned about his ties to the fossil fuel industry.

Burgum's confirmation hearing was held in January 2025. During the hearing, he said that America's public lands and waters are like a financial "balance sheet." He supported extracting oil, gas, and minerals from these lands. He also stated that he believes "climate change is a global phenomenon." The Senate approved his nomination on January 30.

Tenure

Burgum signing his first order as Secretary of the Interior on February 3, 2025.

On February 1, 2025, Burgum was sworn in as the 55th Secretary of the Interior. His first action was to send an email calling for fewer regulations and more natural resource extraction. He signed orders to speed up project development and remove some regulations.

Many Native American tribes praised Burgum for protecting programs related to Indigenous communities from government cuts.

Burgum on Air Force One with President Donald Trump in February 2025.

Burgum is also leading efforts to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America." This includes contacting mapping companies like Google Maps. On February 18, 2025, Trump announced that Burgum would lead his "National Energy Dominance Council."

Political Views

Burgum has often shared his thoughts on political leaders and policies. He supported former president Donald Trump in both the 2016 and 2020 elections. Trump also supported Burgum during his campaigns for governor.

Energy

Burgum strongly supports the fossil fuel industry, especially in the Bakken formation in North Dakota. However, he also signed a bill in 2021 to support clean energy in the state. Burgum supports the Dakota Access Pipeline.

Personal Life

Doug Burgum married Karen Stoker in 1991. They had three children and later divorced in 2003. In 2016, Burgum married Kathryn Helgaas. As the First Lady of North Dakota, Kathryn Burgum champions a program called "Recovery Reinvented," which focuses on addiction and recovery.

During his presidential campaign, Burgum mentioned that he enjoys the music of Keith Urban. He also likes watching TV shows such as Yellowstone and Ted Lasso.

Board Work and Philanthropy

Burgum has served on the boards of several companies, including Atlassian and SuccessFactors. He was also the interim CEO of Intelligent InSites for a time.

In 2001, Burgum donated a renovated school building to North Dakota State University. It was named Renaissance Hall and became home to the university's arts and architecture departments. In 2008, he started the Doug Burgum Family Fund, which supports youth, education, and health. In 2011, his family donated money to the Plains Art Museum in Fargo to support its Center for Creativity.

Awards and Honors

Burgum has received honorary doctorates from North Dakota State University (2000) and the University of Mary (2006).

In 2009, he received the Theodore Roosevelt Roughrider Award from Governor John Hoeven.

Electoral History

See also

In Spanish: Doug Burgum para niños