Power Profile: Doug Beck, Missouri State Senator
Senator Doug Beck, D-St. Louis
It was his love for his community that led Sen. Doug Beck, D-St. Louis, to politics. He started off knocking doors for others, but after a stint at the local food bank and on the local school board, he was soon canvassing for himself. To Beck, serving in the Missouri General Assembly is another way he can give back to his community.
“Whether it is the school board, state House or Senate, it is just another form of public service,” Beck said. “It is a reverse pyramid, where the people you serve are your bosses, and the more constituents you serve, the more people you answer to.”
Beck was elected to the Missouri House of Representatives in 2016 and, after serving two terms, won election to the Missouri Senate in 2020. He currently serves as the assistant minority floor leader in the upper chamber. Before joining the Legislature, he served as the director of the Affton School Board for nine years. By trade, Beck is a pipefitter. For more than three decades, he installed, maintained and repaired mechanical piping systems and was a member of UA Local 562.
His background has given him a unique insight into politics. In an arena filled with business owners, Beck is one of the few who brings the perspective of an employee.
“I have that knowledge and as legislation comes through, I feel the need to protect working people,” Beck said.
Throughout his tenure in the General Assembly, he has fought for workers’ rights and advocated for public schools. Beck has worked on legislation to bring jobs to Missouri, raise accountability for those receiving public funds and improve education across the state.
From the 2023 legislative session, Beck is particularly proud of two bills he worked on during the year that eventually passed and made its way to the governor's desk. The first is an entertainment and film tax credit to promote Missouri as a filming location. The second requires the use of a device to remove the smoke plume for each medical procedure that generates surgical smoke from the use of energy-based devices, such as electrosurgery and lasers.
“My overall goal, at the center of all my decisions, is to make this place a little better than when I got here,” Beck said. “Whether it is being involved in policy, decision-making or legislation, I want to continue making improvements for people.”
Between politics, community involvement and spending time with his family (which includes his wife, Marilyn, two children, three grandchildren and two dogs), Beck does not have many hobbies. He joked that he has tried to take up golf, but he’s “really bad” at it and doesn’t play enough to get good.