Tom Carper became Delaware's 71st Governor on January 19, 1993, after serving five terms as Delaware's Congressman in the U.S. House of Representatives and six years as State Treasurer.  With a second gubernatorial win under his belt in 1996, he has been elected to statewide office 10 times - more than anyone in Delaware history.

Born in Beckley, West Virginia on January 23, 1947, Tom Carper grew up in Danville, Virginia.  He attended Ohio State University, graduating in 1968 with a bachelor's degree in economics.  He completed five years of service as a Naval flight officer, serving in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War.

In 1973, Carper moved to Delaware to earn an MBA at the University of Delaware.  He worked in Delaware's economic development office from 1975 to 1976, and then was elected State Treasurer at age 29 - serving three consecutive terms.

Governor Carper was elected in 1982 to the U.S. House of Representatives.  As Congressman, he chaired the House Subcommittee on Economic Stabilization and was a member of the Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs Committee, as well as the Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee.

As Governor since 1993, Governor Carper has focused on job creation; overhauling the state's education and welfare systems; strengthening families and reducing teenage pregnancy; and improving the state's credit rating while lowering taxes and preventing crime.

Governor Carper is also a former member of the nation's nine-member Amtrak Board of Directors. He currently serves as board vice-chairman of the American Legacy Foundation, board vice-chairman of jobs for America's Graduates and chairman of the National Governors' Association Center for Best Practices.

He is married to the former Martha Ann Stacy.  They reside in Wilmington, Delaware with their two sons.