Senator Max E. Benitz, Sr.

The biography of the Late Senator Max E. Benitz, Sr., has been twenty years in the making. Daughter Eileen Benitz Wagner with Dr. Michele Gerber has chronicled his life. From his pioneering of raw sagebrush land near Prosser, Washington, to his life and career including representing the United States to China, the U.S.S.R. Europe and Asia. The book covers his political service as President of Washington State Farm Bureau, Washington State House of Representative and Washington State Senate as well as the many committees he chaired and served on. Senator Max was deeply involved with education and in bringing Washington State University to the Tri-Cities, Washington. Known as “Mr. Energy,” he worked closely with Nuclear Scientists and Engineers at Hanford. On the national level he worked for a comprehensive national energy policy. He stood steadfast by his values of limited government, free markets and fiscal responsibility. Making “the issue” his priority, he had the ability to work with both sides of “the isle.” Senator Max’s passion was the wine industry. He was a wine pioneer who helped change the history of Washington State wine industry. Always working with his “headlights” on high beam, this book will bring you to issues that are as important today as where he left off with his sudden death.