As the former Governor of Alaska, Tony Knowles served two terms in office. He first moved to Alaska after graduating college and worked briefly on oil drilling rigs on the North Slope and in Cook Inlet. He gradually moved up the political chain, starting with getting elected to the Anchorage Assembly in 1975 and then elected to mayor in 1982. Stressing quality of life issues, Knowles ran for governor in 1994 and defeated his Republican contender. During his tenure in office he initiated the "Smart Start'' program, which ensures health care for all children, strengthens prevention programs, and insists on zero tolerance for child abuse and neglect. 

Knowles was honored by the National Congress of American Indians in 2001 for his longstanding support for Alaska Native Tribes and subsistence rights.