ANTHONY S. EARL was born in St. Ignace, Michigan. He received a bachelor's degree from Michigan State University in 1958 and a J.D. degree from the University of Chicago in 1961. From 1961 to 1965, he served in the U.S. Navy. Earl served as assistant district attorney of Marathon County from 1965 to 1966 and the city attorney of Wausau from 1966 to 1969. He was elected to the State Assembly in 1969 and reelected in 1970 and 1972, serving as assembly majority leader from 1970 to 1974. Earl was the secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Administration in 1975 and secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources from 1975 to 1980. From 1980 to 1982, he was a partner in the law firm of Foley & Lardner. He was elected governor in 1982. After leaving public office, he began practicing law in Madison, Wisconsin, specializing in environmental law and he chaired the Center for Clean Air Policy and directed the Great Lakes Protection Fund.