Senator Charlie Shields was elected unanimously by his colleagues to serve as Senate Leader of the 95th General Assembly.

He represents the 34th Senatorial District that is comprised of Buchanan and Platte Counties. He began his public service in 1987 on the Mid-Buchanan R-V Board of Education. In 1990, he was the first Republican elected to the Missouri House of Representatives from Buchanan County since 1946. He was elected to the Missouri Senate in 2002 and is currently in his second term. 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.

Naming three strategies of job creation, more health coverage, and education past high school as ways to make Missouri a better place to live, work, and raise a family, Sen. Shields has said Missouri can find opportunities in today's difficult financial times. He has called on senators to work together with the House and Governor Nixon to improve the lives of Missourians by moving government from a short-sighted, reactionary organization to one with vision and purpose.

Alongside his duties at the capitol, Charlie is the Chief Marketing and Information Officer for Heartland Health System in St. Joseph. 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.