  |
 |
| ||
|
Gov. Mark Parkinson
Kansas Gov. Parkinson to be chamber speaker
By I-R staff
Last Updated: February 07, 2010
Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson will be the keynote speaker March 15 at the 62nd annual meeting and banquet of the Ellsworth-Kanopolis Chamber of Commerce.
Also at the meeting, David Brownback, president of Citizens State Bank & Trust Co., will be recognized at the chamber's Citizen of the Year.
“The date seems a good fit as the school district is on spring break that week," said Margaret Bourne, chamber president.
The event will begin at 6 p.m. at Ellsworth High School with the banquet in the school commons and Parkinson's speech in the Performing Arts Center.
Parkinson, a native of Wichita, was elected in 1999 to the Kansas House of Representatives. Two years later, he was elected to the Kansas Senate. While in the Legislature, Parkinson was recognized as someone who bridged party lines. He worked to strengthen Kansas schools and enhance local control.
In May 2006, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, a Democrat, announced that Parkinson had switched parties and was her running mate for her re-election campaign. He suceeded retiring Lt. Gov. John E. Moore, also a former Republican.
In her announcement, Sebelius cited Parkinson's business experience and track record of working with both Republicans and Democrats as reasons for her decision.
Parkinson became governor this past April after Sebelius resigned to become U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Since then, he has been forced to deal with revenues that continue to fall short of budget expectations.
He and his wife of more than 25 years, Stacy, are the parents of three children.
Comments? Please Respond.
Home | News | Sports | Opinion | Obituaries | Area Communities | Community | Public Notices | Backyard Adventures
Blogs | NIE | Classifieds | Photo Gallery | Subscribers Only | Archives | About Us | Subscribe