Biography of Attorney General Gary K. King
Gary King is currently the New Mexico Attorney General. He is also a businessman,
attorney, scientist, and former legislator. Since 1987, he has been married
to Yolanda Jones King, also a scientist and community leader. Gary grew up
with his ranching family in Stanley, New Mexico.
Dr. King attended New Mexico State University and obtained a Bachelor’s degree
in Chemistry. He received his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Colorado University
at Boulder. He then attended law school at the University of New Mexico, where
he received his J.D. In 1984, Gary formed the law firm of King and Stanley
in Moriarty, where he carried out the general practice of law. In 1990, he
assumed the position of Corporate General Counsel and Senior Environmental Scientist
with Advanced Sciences, Inc., an environmental consulting firm.
Gary served for 12 years in the New Mexico State Legislature. During 10 years
as the Chairman of the Consumer and Public Affairs Committee, Gary used his leadership
position to work vigorously on health care, environmental and civil rights issues.
In 1998, Gary became the Policy Advisor to the Assistant Secretary for Environmental
Management at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in Washington, D.C.
Within a year, he became the Department’s Director of the Office of Worker
and Community Transition. While at the DOE, he developed and implemented a
program fostering cooperation between federal, state, local and Native American
governments to enhance cleanup activities.
Attorney General King has been a long-time active participant in his local community.
He has served as President of his Rotary Club, President of his homeowners association
and Chair of the Manzano District of the Boy Scouts of America. He volunteered
his services as legal counsel for Keep New Mexico Beautiful and the Music Theater
of the Southwest, as well as serving as the Chair of the Legal Services Committee
of the New Mexico State Bar Association. He has been a member of the executive
committee of his local Health Planning Counsel and was a Domestic Violence Special
Commissioner and served as guardian ad litem for abused and neglected children in
the Seventh Judicial District. He was the Chairman of the New Mexico Mining
Commission and still serves on the Environmental Advisory Board to the Federal Aviation
Administration. Dr. King was also of counsel with Law and Resource Planning
Associates, one of New Mexico’s most respected water and natural resource
law firms.