Working first for Conda Partnership from 1981 to 1985, Geddes spent the bulk of his career with
Monsanto in Soda Springs as an environmental engineer from 1985 until 2011, taking a year-long leave of absence to serve on the Idaho State Tax Commission. On January 18, 2011, Governor
Butch Otter appointed him to be chairman of the Idaho State Tax Commission and Geddes immediately resigned his Senate seat. Geddes served in that position until February 21, 2012, when he resigned and returned to Monsanto.
Idaho Senate Governor
Phil Batt appointed Senator Dennis Hansen in 1995 to the Idaho Public Utilities Commission, creating a vacancy in the Senate for the 31st district, to which he later appointed Geddes. Geddes' father, Robert C. Geddes, was a state representative for 33 years, representing the same district. They served concurrently in the legislature for five years. In 1998, Geddes was selected to be Majority Caucus Chair where he served until 2000. Senator
Jerry Twiggs president
pro tempore suddenly died while jogging and Geddes was selected to succeed Twiggs. Geddes served as president
pro tempore until 2010, the longest any senator has ever held the position in state history.
Line of succession On two separate occasions Geddes as president
pro tempore was required to serve as acting lieutenant governor and first in line of succession to the governor under Article IV, Section 14 of the Idaho Constitution. First, in January 2001 after the resignation of Lieutenant Governor Butch Otter who was elected to the
United States House of Representatives until Lieutenant Governor-elect
Jim Risch was sworn into office. Later, Geddes was acting lieutenant governor again in May and June 2006 after Lieutenant Governor
Jim Risch became governor upon the resignation of Governor
Dirk Kempthorne to become
secretary of the interior until
Mark Ricks, whom Governor Risch appointed to fill the vacancy in the office he left, was confirmed by the Senate. == Personal life ==