Doug Ducey
He transformed a single ice cream shop into a global franchise before pivoting to slash taxes and reshape Arizona's political landscape.
Born 1964 (age 62)·Governor of Arizona from 2015 to 2023·Birthday: April 9·Baby Boomers
Biography
Doug Ducey's story is a classic American pivot from business to politics. After a decade as the CEO of Cold Stone Creamery, where he masterminded its explosive franchise growth, he entered public service as Arizona's state treasurer. Elected governor in 2014, his two terms were defined by a relentless focus on fiscal conservatism. He championed and signed significant income tax cuts, aiming to make Arizona a magnet for business, and presided over a period of rapid population growth. His tenure was also marked by sharp political battles, including a high-profile clash with teachers over education funding and a firm stance on border security. Ducey left office having fundamentally shifted the state's economic policy, cementing Arizona as a redoubt of Republican governance in the Sun Belt.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Doug was born in 1964, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Doug Was Born
The biggest hits of 1964
#1 Movie
Mary Poppins
Best Picture
My Fair Lady
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Doug's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1964Born
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1969Started school
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1977Became a teenager
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Could drive
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1982Could vote
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Turned 21
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1994Turned 30
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 40
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 50
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 60
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 62 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- As CEO, grew Cold Stone Creamery from a single location to over 1,400 stores worldwide.
- Served as the 23rd Governor of Arizona for two terms, from 2015 to 2023.
- Signed one of the largest income tax cuts in Arizona history, flattening the rate to 2.5%.
- Appointed three justices to the Arizona Supreme Court, shaping the state's judiciary.
Did You Know?
He worked as a field representative for the Procter & Gamble company before joining Cold Stone.
Ducey is a graduate of Arizona State University, where he was student body president.
He and his wife, Angela, have three sons and are practicing Catholics.
He was the first Arizona governor in over 25 years to serve two consecutive full terms.
“We’re going to continue to compete. We’re going to continue to win.”
