Doug Ducey Bio
Douglas Anthony Ducey (born April 9, 1964) is an American businessman and Republican politician who served as the 23rd governor of Arizona from 2015 to 2023. Before entering politics, he built a career in sales and marketing and led the ice cream parlor chain Cold Stone Creamery as chief executive officer from 1995 to 2007. A native of Toledo, Ohio, Ducey later moved to Arizona to attend Arizona State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in finance.
After selling his business interests, Ducey was elected Arizona State Treasurer in 2010 and served from 2011 to 2015. He went on to win the Arizona governorship in 2014 and was reelected by a wide margin in 2018. He left office on January 2, 2023, and was succeeded by Democrat Katie Hobbs.
Early Life and Background
Douglas Anthony Ducey was born and raised in Toledo, Ohio, the son of Madeline Scott and Douglas Roscoe, a former member of the Toledo Police Department. His parents later divorced, and in 1975 his mother married businessman Michael Ducey. Michael Ducey adopted Ducey in 1976, and his legal last name was changed to match his adoptive father’s. The family continued to live in the Toledo area during his childhood years.
Ducey graduated from St. John’s Jesuit High School in 1982 and soon relocated to Arizona to attend Arizona State University. While in college, he worked at Hensley & Co., the Anheuser-Busch distributor owned by the family of Cindy McCain. He completed his Bachelor of Science degree in finance in 1986, and he has remained a member of the Catholic Church throughout his life.
Path to US Politics
After graduating from Arizona State University, Ducey joined Procter & Gamble and began a career in sales and marketing. In 1995, he became chief executive officer of Cold Stone Creamery. Over the following twelve years, he and a business partner expanded the company to more than 1,400 locations in the United States and ten other countries before selling it in 2007. He then served as lead investor and chairman of the board of iMemories, a photo and home movie digitizing service, from 2008 to 2012.
Ducey transitioned into public service in 2010 when he was elected State Treasurer of Arizona. As the state’s chief banker and investment officer, he oversaw more than $12 billion in state assets. His successful tenure in that office helped position him for a run at the governorship, which he announced in February 2014.
Doug Ducey Career
Early Career (2010–2014)
In 2010, Ducey was elected State Treasurer of Arizona, replacing Dean Martin. He took office in 2011 and served until 2015. During his tenure, he championed Arizona Proposition 118, a ballot measure approved by voters in 2012 that simplified how schools receive funding from the State Land Trust.
Ducey also took visible political stances during this period, including opposing Proposition 204, an effort to create a permanent sales tax for public education, transportation, and health services. Proposition 204 failed, with 63.8 percent of voters opposing it. His record as Treasurer laid the foundation for his later entry into the governor’s race.
Gubernatorial Campaigns (2014 and 2018)
In July 2013, Ducey filed paperwork to explore a run for governor and formally announced his candidacy in February 2014. He received endorsements from conservatives including Senators Ted Cruz and Mike Lee, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, and former Senator Jon Kyl. After winning the Republican primary, he picked up additional support from outgoing Governor Jan Brewer and Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake.
Ducey won the November 2014 general election, defeating Democrat Fred DuVal and Libertarian Barry Hess. He was sworn in on January 5, 2015. In 2018, he sought reelection, easily dispatching a primary challenge from former Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett before defeating Democratic nominee David Garcia by a 56 percent to 42 percent margin.
Governor of Arizona (2015–2023)
Shortly after taking office, Ducey signed a $9.1 billion budget that eliminated a $1.5 billion deficit without raising taxes and issued balanced budget proposals each year thereafter. On January 15, 2015, he signed an education bill requiring high school students to pass the U.S. citizenship test to graduate, making Arizona the first state to enact such a rule. The American Civics Act, signed the next day, cemented that requirement into law.
During his tenure, Ducey increased K-12 funding above inflation every year, led the campaign for Proposition 123 in 2015, and announced the 20×2020 plan in 2018 to raise teacher salaries by 20 percent over three years. He also signed a 20-year extension of Proposition 301, implemented dedicated funding for school counselors, and launched the Arizona Teachers Academy in partnership with state universities. In 2017, he signed a major school voucher expansion bill extending eligibility to every Arizona student.
Notable Events and Milestones
As governor, Ducey expanded the Arizona Supreme Court by two seats and made more than 71 judicial appointments, more than any other Arizona governor. In September 2018, he appointed former U.S. Senator Jon Kyl to the Senate seat vacated by the death of John McCain, and later appointed Martha McSally to fill Kyl’s seat. His fellow Republican governors elected him chair of the Republican Governors Association for 2021 and co-chair in 2022. He was also appointed to the bipartisan Council of Governors by President Donald Trump in February 2019.
Doug Ducey Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Ducey met his wife, Angela, while attending Arizona State University, and the couple married in 1992. They live in Paradise Valley, Arizona, with their three sons. Ducey is a lifelong member of the Catholic Church.
His mother, Madeline Scott, and his father, Douglas Roscoe Sr., divorced during his childhood, and his mother later married businessman Michael Ducey, who adopted the children and gave them his surname. The blended family remained based in Ohio until Ducey moved to Arizona for college.