Governor Ernie Fletcher has led a remarkable life -- as an Air Force fighter pilot, family doctor, engineer, lay minister, state legislator, and congressman. He was born in Mt. Sterling and is a longtime resident of Lexington. He received his B.S. degree from the University of Kentucky College of Engineering in 1974 and later graduated from the University of Kentucky College of Medicine.
Governor Fletcher's service to our nation began in the United States Air Force, where he served as an F-4E Aircraft Commander and NORAD Alert Force Commander. As a fighter pilot, he led flights that intercepted Soviet military aircraft during the Cold War.
Governor Fletcher's legislative career began in 1995 as a State Representative for Kentucky's 78th District, serving on the Kentucky Commission on Poverty and the Task Force on Higher Education. Governor Fletcher's public service continued when he was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1998 from Kentucky's 6th Congressional District. Prior to his election to Congress, Governor Fletcher was a Family Practice physician for 12 years, serving as CEO of the Saint Joseph Medical Foundation for two years, and pastored a small Baptist church in Lexington. In Congress, he served as a member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and was selected to chair the Policy Subcommittee on Health.
Governor Fletcher is married to his high school sweetheart, Glenna Foster. Their daughter Rachael and her husband, Daniel, have four children: Callie, Hannah, Joshua and Mason. Their son Ben and his wife, Kara, are both attorneys in Washington, D.C.
