Introduction
Terry Lee Bruce (born March 25, 1944) is an American politician, lawyer, and educator from Illinois.
Early life
Born in Olney, Illinois, Bruce graduated from East Richland High School in Olney in 1962, from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1966, and from the University of Illinois Law School in Urbana in 1969.
He was admitted to the bar in 1969. When he announced his candidacy for the Illinois Senate in November 1969, he was occupied as an attorney in Olney, Illinois.
Career
Bruce's initial election to the Illinois Senate representing the 55th District in 1971 was in part made possible by the retirement of the incumbent, Paul W. Broyles. In 1972, the incumbent Bruce faced a challenge from Henry Hendren for representation of the 54th district.
Bruce served as member of the Illinois Senate from 1971–84, and assistant majority leader from 1975–84. In 1981, Bruce was among those who opposed an "eleventh-hour action", ultimately accepted, to increase Illinois General Assembly compensation. He was an unsuccessful candidate for election to the 96th Congress in 1978.
Defeating Dan Crane who was implicated in a sex scandal, Bruce was elected as a Democrat to the Ninety-ninth and to the three succeeding Congresses and served as United States Representative for the nineteenth district of Illinois from January 3, 1985 – January 3, 1993. He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1992 to the 103rd Congress.
From 1996 to 2019 Bruce served as the chief executive officer of Illinois Eastern Community Colleges (IECC) with colleges in Olney, Fairfield, Robinson, and Mt. Carmel.
Governor Pat Quinn appointed him to the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) in September 2012. He replaced former ICCB member Dianne Meeks. He still serves on the board with an expiring term of June 30, 2021. He at one point served as Vice Chairman of the board. He served as vice president of federal regulations for a regional telephone company.
Family life
A resident of Olney, Illinois, Bruce is married to Charlotte and they have two daughters, Emily and Ellen.