Arthur Laverne Peterson (born June 27, 1926) is an American educator and politician. Peterson was born in Glyndon, Minnesota. He served in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War. In 1947, he graduated from Yale University. He then received his master's degree from the University of Southern California in 1949. In 1962, he received his doctorate degree from University of Minnesota. He lived in Prescott, Wisconsin and worked for Eaton Plumbing and Heating. From 1951 to 1955, Peterson served in the Wisconsin Assembly and was a Republican. He taught political science at University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire and Ohio Wesleyan University. In 1966, Peterson accepted the position of President at Thunderbird School of Global Management, then known as the American Institute for Foreign Tr