Brian D. Rude, a Westby native, was born in Viroqua, Wisconsin on August 25, 1955. Rude graduated from Westby High School and earned a B.A. in history and political science from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa in 1977. While at Luther College, Rude met his wife, Karen Ann Thulin. They were married on October 24, 1981, at First English Lutheran Church in Platteville, Wisconsin and have two sons. Prior to being elected to the Wisconsin Legislature, Rude worked as a researcher in the Iowa Senate and an administrative assistant in the Wisconsin Senate. When Rude ran for the Wisconsin Assembly in 1982, he was a communications specialist at The Trane Company.
He was elected Representative from Vernon, Crawford, and part of Grant County and in 1984, in a special election, Rude was elected to the Wisconsin Senate representing the 32nd Senate District where he served until 2000. While in public service, Rude earned a M.A. in public administration and public policy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1994.
Rude was chosen President of the Wisconsin Senate in April 1993; he held the post of Senate President until 1996 and again in 1998. He served on several committees including: Health and Human Services and Aging; State Historical Society of Wisconsin Board of Curators; Joint Committee on Legislative Organization (co-chairperson 1993, 1996, 1998); Joint Legislative Council (co-chairperson 1998); Labor, Business, Insurance, Revenue and Economic Development; Legislative Advisory Committee to the Minnesota-Wisconsin Boundary Area Committee; Legislative County Committee on Historic Building Code (chairperson 1997); Senate Organization; State Strategies for Economic Development (co-chairperson 1997); and State of Wisconsin Building Committee and Veterans and Military Affairs. His community organization memberships include: the Sons of Norway; Kickapoo Valley Association; Lions; Norwegian-American Historical Association (executive board); National Trust for Historic Preservation (board of advisors); Moose; Friends of Norskedalen; Friends of Villa Louis; Viterbo College (board of advisors); and the E.L.C.A. National Church Council.
Rude resigned from the Senate on May 25, 2000 when he accepted the position of Vice-President, External and Member Relations at Dairyland Power Cooperative. In January 2003, Rude was appointed by Governor Jim Doyle to the Wisconsin Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Relations Board. Rude is still active in community organizations including acting as former Chair of the Greater La Crosse Chamber of Commerce, and Ex-Officio of the Foundation Board and President-Elect of the Board of Curators at the State Historical Society of Wisconsin.
