Meet Howard

Senator Howard Marklein - 17th Senate District - Southwest Wisconsin

Howard Marklein was raised on a dairy farm in rural Spring Green. He is the oldest of five children. He attended St. Luke's and St. John's Grade Schools and graduated from River Valley High School, Spring Green in 1972.

Howard graduated from UW-Whitewater in 1976 with a BBA in accounting. Howard worked for Virchow Krause during his junior and senior years in college. He accepted a promotion and transfer to the Whitewater and Fort Atkinson offices of Virchow Krause in 1980 and was promoted to partner in the firm in 1984. His practice was focused on the forensic accounting area and white collar crime investigations. He is also credentialed as a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE).

Howard is married to Peggy, a retired registered nurse and is the father of Nicole, William and three stepchildren. Howard has six grandchildren.

Howard was first elected to the State Assembly in 2010. While in the State Assembly, he served as the Chairman of the Assembly Committee on Ways & Means and the Vice-Chair of the Joint Audit Committee.

Howard was elected to the State Senate in 2014 and re-elected in 2018 and 2022. In the State Senate, he currently serves as Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Finance, Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Tourism and is a member of the Joint Committee on Employment Relations, Joint Legislative Audit Committee and the Joint Legislative Council. He has been appointed to the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority Board of Directors, the Wisconsin State Fair Board and the Wisconsin Mississippi River Parkway Commission.

Howard enjoys hunting and gardening on his beautiful farm in the driftless area. He is a member of the Spring Green Knights of Columbus and volunteers at numerous events throughout the 17th Senate District year-round. Howard’s favorite thing about being a State Senator is the tremendous opportunity to meet and connect with the people he serves over a ribeye steak, ice cream for breakfast or a homemade piece of pie.

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