Jared Polis

Jared Polis – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes

Learn about Jared Polis (born May 12, 1975) — entrepreneur-turned-politician, former U.S. Representative, and current Governor of Colorado. Discover his background, achievements, policy priorities, and memorable statements.

Introduction

Jared Schutz Polis is an American entrepreneur, philanthropist, and politician representing a new kind of tech-savvy public servant. Born on May 12, 1975, he has served as the 43rd Governor of Colorado since January 2019. Before that, he spent a decade in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Colorado’s 2nd District. He is also well known for founding multiple businesses, engaging in education reforms, and breaking ground as one of the most prominent openly gay elected officials in U.S. history.

Early Life and Family

Jared Polis was born in Boulder, Colorado, to Stephen Schutz and Susan Polis Schutz, the founders of Blue Mountain Arts, a greeting card and book publishing company. He grew up in a household that valued creativity, entrepreneurship, and literature.

In his youth, he lived for a time in San Diego, California, and graduated from La Jolla Country Day School in just three years, earning multiple honors.

Polis legally adopted his mother’s surname “Polis” (dropping “Schutz”) in 2000—as part of fundraising awareness and because he preferred it.

Polis is Jewish and has been open about his identity and personal life. He married Marlon Reis in September 2021. They have two children.

Youth, Education & Entrepreneurial Beginnings

Polis attended Princeton University, where he graduated with a B.A. in politics in 1996. “Paradigm Shift: Politics in the Information Age.”

While still at Princeton, Polis co-founded American Information Systems (AIS), an Internet service provider. / a free electronic greeting card site (involving his parents’ greeting card publishing roots). That business was sold to Excite@Home in 1999 in a high-value deal.

Following that, he founded ProFlowers (later Provide Commerce), which also achieved commercial success and was acquired.

His business success gave him the financial freedom and public profile to pivot into education reform, philanthropy, and politics.

Political Career & Achievements

State Board of Education (2001–2007)

Polis’s formal political career began when he was elected at-large to the Colorado State Board of Education in 2000, taking office in January 2001.

During his time, he served as both chairman and vice chairman, focusing on K–12 policy, school quality, and educational access.

U.S. House of Representatives (2009–2019)

In 2008, Polis ran for Congress in Colorado’s 2nd District and won.

While in Congress, Polis was known for:

• Advocating for education policy reforms, technology in schools, and internet access.

• Sponsoring the Affordable College Textbook Act to lower textbook costs.

• Being an early and vocal supporter of cannabis legalization, and later, pardoning over 1,300 Coloradans convicted of marijuana possession as governor.

• Supporting free trade, civil liberties, and people’s rights over heavy regulation in many domains.

• Accepting Bitcoin donations during his 2014 campaign—he was one of the first members of Congress to do so.

Governorship (2019–present)

Polis was elected Governor of Colorado in 2018 and sworn in January 2019. He was reelected in 2022.

His governorship is historically notable:

• He is the first openly gay man elected governor of any U.S. state.

• He is also Colorado’s first Jewish governor.

• He and his husband, Marlon Reis, became the first same-sex “First Family” in Colorado’s history.

As governor, Polis has pushed policy priorities including:

• Expanded early childhood education and full-day kindergarten access.

• Transition to renewable energy with goals of electrification and sustainability.

• Affordable housing, cost-of-living measures, and efforts to rein in rising housing prices.

• Criminal justice reform, healthcare access, and civil liberties protections (especially LGBTQ+ rights).

• He has sometimes portrayed himself as a “libertarian Democrat”, though critics argue his policy record is not always aligned with traditional libertarianism.

In 2025, he served as Chair of the National Governors Association.

Historical & Political Context

Jared Polis’s career is situated at the intersection of technology, entrepreneurship, and public service—a trend prominent in 21st-century politics. Colorado, historically a swing state, has become more solidly Democratic in recent years, and Polis was part of a wave of technocratic, centrist, and socially progressive leaders rising in state politics.

His election as governor was a milestone for LGBTQ+ representation in U.S. politics, pushing forward the normalization of openly gay individuals in high office.

Moreover, Polis’s background in business and tech influences his approach: he often frames government as a platform for enabling innovation, entrepreneurship, and efficient public service delivery.

He also operates in a polarized climate, balancing progressive ambitions with constraints of state budgets, partisan opposition, and public skepticism. His efforts on energy transition, housing, and social policy reflect broader national debates over climate, equity, and government scope.

Legacy and Influence

• Representation & Milestones: As the first openly gay man elected governor, and one of the first openly LGBTQ+ federal officeholders, Polis is often cited as a role model for inclusive politics.

• Innovative governance: His fusion of entrepreneurship and public policy sets an example for newer generations of public servants.

• Advancement in education & early childhood: His focus on expanding access to kindergarten and pre-K is likely to have long-term social impact.

• Green energy & sustainability: If his energy transition goals progress meaningfully, they may serve as a model for other states.

• Complex public scrutiny: His personal wealth, tax strategies, and business background sometimes invite controversy and challenge the “self-funded politician” narrative.

Though he’s relatively young in political terms, Polis has already reshaped what a modern state leader looks like and carved a distinctive niche in national politics.

Personality, Strengths & Challenges

Strengths:

• Visionary & entrepreneurial mindset

• Ability to self-fund or leverage private resources to support political and social goals

• Strategic at messaging and combining policy with innovation

• Deep commitment to inclusive values, especially LGBTQ+ rights and civil liberties

Challenges:

• Risk of being perceived as elitist or disconnected, given wealth and tech background

• Balancing progressive ambitions with political feasibility in a diverse state

• Scrutiny over personal financial practices and tax strategies (e.g. the 2021 ProPublica report)

• Maintaining credibility among both moderates and progressives, navigating criticisms from multiple sides

Famous Quotes of Jared Polis

Here are some memorable remarks that reflect his values, priorities, and style:

“I think government should be an accelerator of human flourishing, not a barrier.”

“We need to make sure every child, regardless of zip code, has access to great early education.”

“Just because you are born into a ZIP code doesn’t have to define your destiny.”

“We all do better when we help others to do better.”

“Colorado has to lead the clean energy future—not follow it.”

While not always widely circulated like the quotes of longstanding national figures, his statements often emphasize education, inclusion, opportunity, and the role of government as enabler and steward.

Lessons from Jared Polis

1. Leverage entrepreneurship in public service.
   Polis demonstrates how business acumen and innovation practices can complement governance.

2. Representation matters.
   His success shows that openly LGBTQ+ individuals can win broad-based elections and lead states.

3. Public policy rooted in values.
   His priorities often reflect a consistent moral compass—education equity, inclusion, sustainability.

4. Wealth and politics is a double-edged sword.
   Financial resources can empower campaigns and initiatives, but also bring scrutiny and questions about fairness.

5. Ambition must contend with pragmatism.
   Transformative goals (e.g. energy transition, universal preschool) require incremental steps, coalition-building, and willingness to compromise.

6. Narrative energy is vital.
   Polis often frames challenges in stories—inequality of access, seed opportunity—enabling voters to see issues personally.

Conclusion

Jared Polis represents a new generation of American leaders: entrepreneurs turned public servants, pushing for inclusive, forward-looking policy while navigating the pressures of modern governance. His path—from founding internet businesses, to schooling reform, to Congress, and finally to Colorado’s governorship—is a narrative of ambition, identity, and innovation. Whether one agrees with all his policies or not, his influence—especially in representation, education, and climate ambition—is already shaping how state-level leadership is perceived in the 21st century.