Michael Beard (born July 22, 1953) is a Minnesota politician and former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives, who retired in 2014. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, he represented District 55A, which includes portions of Scott County in the southwestern part of the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Communities in the district include Shakopee, Jackson Township, and Louisville Township. He is also a local businessman and newspaper publisher. He is now also co-chair of a coal energy advocacy group, Coalition for a Secure Energy Future and serves as Scott County Commissioner, District 3.