Biography
Jim Pillen is the 41st Governor of Nebraska, having been sworn into office on January 5, 2023. A member of the Republican Party, he succeeded Pete Ricketts, who was term-limited. Pillen grew up on a farm in Platte County, Nebraska, where he raised pigs with his father, Dale. He graduated from Lakeview High School and later earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Animal Science from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Pillen then obtained a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Kansas State University. In 1983, he returned to Nebraska to open a small animal practice and swine consulting business. In 1993, he founded Pillen Family Farms, which has grown into a multigenerational family-run business with over 1,100 team members. Pillen and his wife, Suzanne, have four children and seven grandchildren.
Education and Political Experience
-
Education:
- Bachelor’s Degree in Animal Science from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln
- Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Kansas State University
-
Political Experience:
- Served on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents from 2013 to 2023
- Elected as the 41st Governor of Nebraska in 2022
- Appointed predecessor Pete Ricketts to the U.S. Senate in January 2023
As governor, Pillen has focused on cutting taxes, growing agriculture, and defending conservative values. In his first State of the State address, he proposed significant tax cuts and increased funding for public schools.
