[2] Herb worked at Fidalgo Island Packing, later a part of Trident Seafoods, and later at a pulp mill.
[2] Gardiner graduated from Ketchikan High School in 1968 and studied political science and history at Western Washington State College in Bellingham.
[2][1] Gardiner's early employment was as a deckhand, starting in 1966 on the troller Pam.
[2] His political career began with a legislative internship in Olympia in 1971 for Representative Gladys Kirk.
[2] In 1972, Gardiner worked in the Alaska Legislature for Representative Mike Miller and the House Local Government Committee.