Governor Doug Burgum took office as the 33rd governor of North Dakota on December 15, 2016. Prior to being elected Governor, Gov. Burgum led Great Plains as CEO through its initial public offering in 1997 and acquisition by Microsoft Corp. in 2001. In 2006, Gov. Burgum reaffirmed his passion for North Dakota by founding Kilbourne Group, a real estate development firm committed to creating smart, healthy cities through vibrant downtowns.