Allen I. Olson

Allen Ingvar "Al" Olson (November 5, 1938 – December 26, 2025) was an American Republican politician and attorney who served from 1981 to 1985 as the 28th governor of North Dakota. He defeated incumbent Arthur A. Link in the 1980 election and served one term.

Education, military service and legal career Olson was born on November 5, 1938, in Rolla, North Dakota. He received a law degree from the University of North Dakota, where he joined Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity and served in the United States Army as a judge advocate general's corps lawyer. In 1967 he served as Chief of Military Justice in Munich. From 1967 to 1969 he served as the assistant director of the Legislative Research Committee, which directed the state's first study of surface mining, soil banks, and land reclamation. He entered private practice as an attorney in 1969 with the law firm of Conmy, Rosenberg, Lucas, and Olson. He ran for attorney general of North Dakota in 1972 and served two terms in that position.

Governor of North Dakota In 1980, Olson sought the governor's office and defeated the incumbent, Arthur A. Link. His achievements during his term include creating the Department of Human Services and converting the Cross-Ranch into a state park. He also worked with the Task Force on drunk driving and supported the Garrison Diversion program. A controversial lawsuit against the state by the Association of Retarded Citizens was also filed during his years as governor. He ran for reelection in 1984 and lost to Democratic nominee George A. Sinner, 55% to 45%.

Later professional career After leaving office, Olson returned to private law practice in Bismarck for a year before leaving for Minneapolis to join the law firm of Fredrikson and Byron. In 1987, he left the firm to become co-owner of a die casting company based in New Hope, Minnesota. He also ran a community bank association for many years. He served as a commissioner of the International Joint Commission of Canada and the United States, having been appointed to the position by President George W. Bush in 2002.

On October 4, 2010, Olson announced that he supported Independence-Alliance Party candidate Tom Horner in the 2010 Minnesota gubernatorial election.

Personal life Olson was married to Barbara Benner Olson. They had three children.

He died on December 26, 2025, at the age of 87.