Focus on the Family is pleased to announce its partnership with the North Dakota Family Alliance, a state group dedicated to the preservation of the family.
Tom Freier, a former North Dakota state legislator and former director of the state Department of Transportation, serves as executive director of the North Dakota Family Alliance. For two years, he's been building the organization.
Freier is a former teacher and owned his own business for 16 years. He has two sons and five grandchildren.
He spoke with Turn Signal during his recent visit to Focus on the Family.
1. Tell me a little bit about yourself — what you do, your family, those kinds of things. What led you to become involved in family policy?
I’m a proud grandpa of five grandchildren and soon to be six. I’m a lifelong resident of North Dakota; and I’ve had a number of career changes, including a business owner, teaching, serving in the state Legislature and then serving as an appointed position in our state government. Two years ago, I decided to take on the challenge of coming to the North Dakota Family Alliance and being involved with this great mission. I visited with the board and knew instantly this was something that God was directing me to do.
2. What does a typical day look like for you?
We have a small staff, so I wear different hats throughout the day. I may be working on fundraising, policy issues, dealing with the Legislature, dealing with public policy makers, trying our very best to communicate with our constituents, visiting with people (to) bring them on board.
3. Why are family policy councils (FPCs) so central to the battle for our culture?
We need someone to stand in that gap and to share from a faith-based, Christian-based organization like ours (on) the important cultural issues of the day. We see the FPCs as fulfilling that duty, obligation and responsibility.
4. What are your goals for the North Dakota Family Alliance?
Our vision is to be a trusted voice, impacting our cultural legacy. My grandchildren are some folks that I think very fondly of that I want to make sure that five and 10 and 15 years from now, the cultural issues they are confronted with will be affected positively by us. I would hope that we can affect and impact that cultural legacy.
5. What are the key issues you’ll be working on?
We will be working on all of the issues you might suspect. We are planning to introduce a number of pro-life pieces of legislation. We will be working, of course, on marriage, abstinence, the pornography issue. We will most likely have legislation dealing with parental rights again this year. All of those issues that prevent us from maintaining the strong families we all want. (We will) promote strong families, strengthen families.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Visit the North Dakota Family Alliance Web site.
