Sen. Gloor sets a course for the Unicameral

Above: Sen. Gloor enjoys his sailing hobby.

“Where there’s water, there’s sailing.”

It might seem like an odd philosophy for a Nebraskan, but Sen. Mike Gloor is passionate about sailing. His office shelves are filled with sailing references and his eyes light up when speaking of his hobby of 25 years.

Gloor is convinced that one can find great sailing anywhere, even in the Midwest.

In fact, he says, sailboat owners are happy to rent to those from places like Nebraska for one simple reason. “They know how to deal with the wind,” he said.

Most of the time, however, sailing and other hobbies take a back to seat to service for the new senator.

Gloor, who was born in Alliance and raised in Fullerton, credits his parents for instilling in him a commitment to community.

Both parents were often busy in the evenings with school board meetings and other obligations, he said. And in spite of it meaning that sometimes he had to eat his father’s cooking, he was proud of them.

“We were expected to give back,” he said. “That’s what grown-ups do.”

That commitment is what brought Gloor to the Legislature, he said.

As CEO of St. Francis Medical Center in Grand Island, he had overseen the completion of a $90 million addition and decided to retire and run for a seat in the Unicameral.

“I knew it was time to leave,” he said. “It was time to do something different.”

Gloor believes his many years as a health care administrator will add valuable experience to the Legislature. But Gloor is quick to point out that he also is interested in economic development and many other issues that come before the body.

“I’m not going to be a sole issue senator,” he said.

A wide range of interests also is evident in the variety found in Gloor’s hobbies. For 14 years, the senator performed with a madrigal group in medieval costume.

“It might surprise people to know that I wore tights,” he laughed.

And what has surprised Gloor about the Unicameral is the level of collegiality among senators.

“People have been over-the-top helpful,” he said. “You don’t get treated like a freshman senator in the traditional sense.”

Gloor acknowledged the hectic pace of a new lawmaker’s schedule, but said his life is well suited to the challenge.

“My children are grown and I’m retired, so I can concentrate on being a full time senator,” he said.