Glenn was raised on a dairy farm just outside of Glencoe, where he learned the importance of hard work. He graduated from Glencoe High School. During Glenn’s first year at Willmar Junior College, his lottery draft number came up, and he enlisted in the Marine Corps. After his discharge from the Marines, he attended college at North Hennepin Junior College, followed by attending the U of M with a Business Major.

Glenn married his wife, Emily, also from Glencoe, in 1975. In 1978, they moved back to the Glencoe area, where he began his career as an insurance agent and now owns his own independent agency.

Glenn is a member of the Glencoe Rotary, and he also participated in jail ministry for 13 years. In 1994 he was elected to the Glencoe Silver Lake school board, where he served for 16 years. In 2010 he was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives, and he served his district for six terms. In 2022, Glen was elected to the Minnesota State Senate, representing the people of Senate District 17.

Glenn and Emily have three daughters and five grandchildren.