Fred A. Kerr was born December 29, 1940 in Spearville, Kansas. He is a 3rd generation farmer and stockman in Coats, Pratt County, Kansas. Kerr served in the Kansas State Senate from the 33rd district for 16 years, from 1976 to 1992. During four of these years, he served as majority (Republican) leader. He was assigned the Chairman of Assessment and Taxation Committee in 1984. Kerr participated in the redistricting process after the 1990 census. His brother, Dave Kerr, has also been a Kansas Senator. Fred Kerr left the Senate in 1992 to run for governor for Kansas, losing to Bill Graves in the primary. He was appointed to the Kansas Board of Regents by Governor Graves. In 2012, Kerr was one of the founding members of Traditional Republicans for Common Sense, a group of former state senators advocating for common sense tax policy positions, such as job creation, funding schools, and sensible tax policy. Fred Kerr is married to Nancy. They have two children, Kathryn and Alan. Fred and Nancy Kerr helped to establish the South Central Community Foundation (Sccf), which serves 7 counties in Kansas.