Sen. Putnam is chair of the Agriculture, Broadband, and Rural Development Committee, and serves on the Higher Education Committee, Jobs and Economic Development Committee, and Taxes Committee. He was first elected to the Minnesota Senate in 2021. He represents the communities of St. Cloud, Waite Park, St. Augusta, Haven, and Minden Townships. Aric graduated from San Francisco State University, finished his Master’s in Maine, and then came to Minnesota, where his Mom is from, for his Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota. He was then hired as a professor of communication at Saint John’s University and the College of St. Benedict, where he has taught and researched for the last 17 years.

He currently lives in Saint Cloud, MN with his wife, Laurie (Superintendent for District 742), and two children. One of his favorite parts of being the Ag. committee chair has been the opportunity to go on over 90 farm visits over the past two years where he has been able to meet farmers in their homes to learn what they have to teach.