Chuck Winder was born in Ontario, Oregon and raised in Vale, Oregon. After completing high school, Chuck attended the College of Idaho, where he earned a Bachelor Degree in Political Science and Pre- Law. Following graduation, Chuck joined the U.S. Navy where he served on active duty as a Naval Aviator and for eight years in the naval aviation reserve. He continues to maintain his commercial and instrument ratings to this day.

Chuck’s first experience with commercial real estate came after he left the Naval service and joined MAKAD, Inc., a joint venture company and later a subsidiary of Morrison Knudsen Company that developed and leased shopping centres across the western United States.

Chuck then joined Morrison Knudsen initially in their corporate real estate department and later as the project coordinator for the development of the MK Plaza II office building in Boise. He helped initiate the opening of Emkay Development, a wholly owned subsidiary of Morrison Knudsen, in Boise and shortly thereafter in the Northwest. While with Emkay, Chuck was instrumental in the development of many projects including the Idaho First Plaza, now the US Bank Plaza, and ParkCenter, home to Albertsons and many local companies. Chuck advanced to Vice President of Real Estate while with Emkay Development.

In May of 1979, Chuck left Emkay and joined forces with his wife Dianne to start Winder Development Services, Inc., a consulting entity that provides expert assistance to commercial real estate owners, developers and local governments.  In 1980 Chuck and Dianne formed Winder Realty Company, one of Idaho’s first exclusively commercial real estate brokerages.  Winder Realty was renamed The Winder Company in 1987.

In the more than 29 years of its existence, The Winder Company has been involved to some extent in many of the significant commercial real estate projects in the Treasure Valley.  Chucks list of clients is a who’s who of the regional real estate and business communities.  Chuck has a reputation as an honest businessman and he is known for advising his clients not to make a deal unless it’s a fair deal for all parties involved.  It’s an ethic that has served him and his clients well.  Chuck is still doing business with many of the same people he started working with almost 30 years ago.  In June of 2008 Chuck joined with Lee & Associates, a leading national commercial real estate firm, to form a new company called Lee & Associates Idaho, Inc.  Chuck’s new associates with the Lee organization now offers the opportunity to market to and through the other 38 Lee offices from L. A. to New Jersey and many major cities in between.

Chuck was elected to his first term in the Idaho Senate in November of 2008.  Chuck represents citizens in west Boise, north Meridian, Eagle, State, Hidden Springs and the adjoining unincorporated areas of Ada County.  He is currently serving on the Senate Agricultural Affairs committee, as Vice Chairman, the Senate Education Committee and the Senate Transportation Committee.  Governor Otter asked Chuck to service on his Task Force to evaluate the current and future funding needs for Idaho’s transportation system.

Current Service Organizations:
Co-chairman Treasure Valley Transit Coalition
Children’s Home Society of Idaho
Boise Chamber of Commerce
Boise Valley Economic  Partnership
Lifetime member of U.S. Navy League

Past Service Organizations:
Chairman of the Idaho Transportation Board 11 years
Co-Chairman of the Governors Blue Ribbon Task Force
Trustee at the College of Idaho - 12 years
Bible Study Fellowship (Boise Evening Men's) - 20+ years
Boise City Planning & Zoning Commission - 3 years
Boise City Design & Review/Committee - 4 years
Ada County Highway District Commission - 12 years
Ada Planning Association - 12 years
Boise Visions Steering Committee - 2 years
President of Junior Achievement of Idaho - 2 years
Vice President for Boy Scouts of America, Ore-Ida Council

Personal Information:
Family: Wife, Dianne, and two adult children, Dave and Buffy; five grandchildren, Brianna, Ty, Ashley, and Ryan and Trevor identical twins.

Interests: aviation, fishing, golf, skiing, current events.