Since 1987, John Gard served as a member of the State Assembly, representing the 89th Assembly District and eventually leading the Republicans as Speaker of the Assembly in the Wisconsin State Legislature. He is married to Mrs. Cathy Zeuske who is a former Wisconsin State Representative.
John has a record of leadership and knows how to work with the state legislature to get things accomplished for the people in Northeast Wisconsin. John Gard has been a leader on many conservative causes. He is strongly pro-life and has been a strong defender of the 2nd Amendment. As Speaker and the Republican leader, Gard’s main focus has been fighting wasteful government spending, opposing tax increases and authoring Wisconsin’s welfare reform law that requires able-bodied people to find work and get off welfare.
A native of Lena, Wisconsin, Gard grew up on his family’s dairy farm and is one of eight children. He has a degree in political science and public administration from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse.
Gard is married to Cate Zeuske, who formerly served as Secretary of the Department of Revenue, Wisconsin State Treasurer, and member of the Assembly. They have two children, Elisabeth (Libby) and John Vincent.
John has received a number of awards and honors, including:
Outstanding Leadership Award, Wisconsin Department of Veteran’s Affairs, March 2004
• Legislator of the Year, Wisconsin State Council of Vietnam Veterans of America, 1999-2000
• Commander’s Award for Public Service, Department of Army, October 1999
• Legislator of the Year, American Legion, July 1999
• Legislator of the Year, National Republican Legislators Association, 1997
• Award of Distinction, Wisconsin State Troopers’ Association, 1997
• Friend of Industry, Wisconsin Landscape Federation, 2003
• Friend of Agriculture, Farm Bureau, 1995-96
• Friend of Forestry, Wisconsin County Foresters Association, November 2002
• Law Enforcement Support Award, Milwaukee Police Association, October 2003
• Bipartisan Legislators Organized Outreach (BLOOD) Award, American Red Cross, September 2003