Senator Charlie Shields, elected unanimously by his colleagues to serve as Senate Leader of the 95th General Assembly, is dedicated to creating jobs, expanding educational opportunities for Missouri students and making healthcare more available and affordable for all Missourians.

Born July 25, 1959, in Kansas City, Missouri, Charlie and his family now live in Buchanan County where he began his public service in 1987 when he was appointed to fill a vacancy on the Mid-Buchanan R-V Board of Education. He was first elected to the seat in 1988 and served on the board until 2004. In 1990, he was the first Republican elected to the Missouri House of Representatives from Buchanan County since 1946. Having served six terms in the House, he was elected to the Missouri Senate in 2002. He has been entrusted by his colleagues to serve in many leadership roles beginning with President of the Mid-Buchanan R-V Board of Education, House Minority Whip, Senate Majority Floor Leader, and culminating in January of 2009 with the Senate's top leadership position, Senate President Pro Tem.

Charlie is a proven leader in improving Missouri children's opportunities for a world class education and making sure all Missourians have available, affordable healthcare. In his first year as Majority Floor Leader, the Legislature had a historic session improving citizens' daily lives from school, to work, to a day in court. Beyond his duties of coordinating the floor debate schedule, Charlie served as the architect of a new school funding formula based on student needs rather than local wealth. Critics said it was an impossible feat to accomplish in one year, but building on his more than two decades of local school board experience, Charlie forged ahead, passing a new formula that created a balance so that no matter where a student lives they have an equal opportunity for a world class education.

As the ink was drying on the new school funding formula, Charlie took on the difficult task of reforming healthcare in Missouri. After more than two dozen hearings held across the state, he released the Medicaid Reform Commission Recommendation Report that laid the framework to begin the process of dramatically changing healthcare to focus on keeping people healthy instead of only treating them when they are sick, and making sure all Missourians have available, affordable healthcare.

Charlie is also a leader in making sure more students are able to attend and afford to complete education experiences past high school. He recently completed a year-long term as Chair of the Midwestern Higher Education Compact(MHEC). The Compact consists of twelve states and is committed to sharing dialogue between the states to improve college access and completion through efforts to improve the overall productivity of colleges and universities.

Charlie's efforts have been recognized by an array of state and national organizations. Some of his awards include: The Missouri PTA "A Better Missouri for Children" Award, Missouri State Teachers' Association Legislative Award for multiple years, University of Missouri Geyer Award, Missouri Chamber of Commerce "Spirit of Enterprise" Award, Missouri Farm Bureau "Friend of Agriculture" Award, National Alliance of the Mentally Ill Outstanding Legislator Award, St. Louis Business Journal Legislative Award for multiple years, and the St. Louis Children's Hospital Advocacy Award.

Alongside his duties at the capitol, Charlie is the Chief Marketing and Information Officer for Heartland Health System in St. Joseph where he has worked with children's and mental health policy and community benefit analysis. He is also involved in his community as a member of the United Way Applications Committee, Pony Express Boy Scout Council Troop 216 Assistant Scoutmaster, Tribe of Mic-O-Say, Success by Six board member, Northwest Missouri AHEC board member, Project Discovery Advisory board member, member and past President of the East Side Lions Club. He is also a member of the Moila Shrine Temple in St. Joseph and he and his wife have served as co-chairs of the Arts Fund Drive for the Allied Arts Council.

He attended public schools in Independence and Kansas City, Missouri. He earned a Bachelors Degree in Marketing and a Masters Degree in Business Administration, both from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

He and his wife Brenda live in rural Buchanan County where she is the president and CEO of the United Way of Greater St. Joseph. They have two sons. Brandt is a junior at Missouri State University in Springfield and Bryce is a senior in high school.