Kean, Thomas H., 1935-

Variant names

Hide Profile

Thomas H. Kean was born on April 21, 1935. Kean received his B.A. degree from Princeton University and his M.A. from Columbia University Teachers College. He taught private school in Massachusetts before entering politics.

Kean was a member of the New Jersey Assembly from 1968-1977. He was elected governor of New Jersey in 1982. As Governor, Kean was rated among America's five most effective state leaders by Newsweek magazine; noted for tax cuts that spurred 750,000 new jobs; a federally replicated welfare reform program; landmark environmental policies, and over 30 education reforms. He delivered the keynote address at the 1988 Republican National Convention. He was re-elected for a second term by the largest margin in state history. Kean served on the President's Education Policy Advisory Committee and as chair of the Education Commission of the States and the National Governor's Association Task Force on Teaching. He holds more than 25 honorary degrees and numerous awards from environmental and educational organizations.

In 1990, after completing two terms in office, Kean became president of Drew University in Madison, New Jersey. While President of Drew, Kean has served on several national committees and commissions. He headed the American delegation to the UN Conference on Youth in Thailand, served as Vice Chairman of the American delegation to the World Conference on Women in Beijing; and served as a member of the President's Initiative on Race. He also served on the National Endowment for Democracy. He is chair of the Newark Alliance and the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy and former chair of the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Educate America, and the National Environmental Education and Training Foundation.

On December 16, 2002, Kean was named by President George W. Bush to head the national commission to investigate the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

Kean is on the board of a number of organizations including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the National Council of the World Wildlife Fund. He is also the author of The Politics of Inclusion, published by the Free Press. He writes a regular column for The Star Ledger with former Governor Brendan Byrne and appears as a regular commentator on New Jersey Network News. His wife is the former Deborah Bye of Wilmington, Delaware. They have twin sons, Tom and Reed, and a daughter, Alexandra. The Keans live in Bedminster, New Jersey.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Records of Commissions of the Legislative Branch. 1928 - 2007. Master Files Center for Legislative Archives
creatorOf Records of Temporary Committees, Commissions, and Boards. 1893 - 2008. Video Recordings Documenting the Activities and Meetings of the Bipartisan Commission on Entitlement and Tax Reform. 2/10/1994 - 12/14/1994. Hearing coverage, eighth meeting National Archives at College Park
creatorOf Kean, Thomas H. Thomas H. Kean : commercials , 1981. University of Oklahoma, Political Community Archives
creatorOf Records of Temporary Committees, Commissions, and Boards. 1893 - 2008. Video Recordings Documenting the Activities and Meetings of the Bipartisan Commission on Entitlement and Tax Reform. 2/10/1994 - 12/14/1994. Hearing. No. 3, Third meeting, public hearing National Archives at College Park
creatorOf Records of Temporary Committees, Commissions, and Boards. 1893 - 2008. Video Recordings Documenting the Activities and Meetings of the Bipartisan Commission on Entitlement and Tax Reform. 2/10/1994 - 12/14/1994. Hearing coverage, ninth meeting, final National Archives at College Park
referencedIn New York Times Company records. A.M. Rosenthal papers, 1955-1994, 1967-1986 New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn Martini, Nicholas, 1904-1991. The Nicholas Martini Collection, 1931-1991. William Paterson University of New Jersey, David and Lorraine Cheng Library
creatorOf Records of Temporary Committees, Commissions, and Boards. 1893 - 2008. Video Recordings Documenting the Activities and Meetings of the Bipartisan Commission on Entitlement and Tax Reform. 2/10/1994 - 12/14/1994. Hearing. No. 6, Sixth meeting, public hearing National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Pew Charitable Trusts. Office of the Executive Director. Records of Rebecca W. Rimel, 1988- Hagley Museum & Library
referencedIn Fien (Family : 1923-1988 : N.J.). Fien family collection, 1923-1988. Jewish Historical Society of Metrowest
creatorOf Governor Thomas H. Kean Collection Drew University Library, Rose Memorial Library
referencedIn Heningburg, Gus. Gus Heningburg Collection (Box #1-#8), 1967-2008. Newark Public Library, Main Library
referencedIn Dean A. Gallo Congressional Papers, 1982-1994, bulk 1984-1994 Rutgers Special Collections and University Archives
referencedIn Heningburg, Gus. Gus Heningburg Collection (Box #9-, 1967-2008. Newark Public Library, Main Library
referencedIn Pew Charitable Trusts. Office of the President. Records of Rebecca W. Rimel, 1994-1997. Hagley Museum & Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Place Name Admin Code Country
New York City NY US
New Jersey NJ US
Subject
Advertising, political
Radio advertising
Television advertising
Occupation
Governors
Activity

Person

Birth 1935-04-21

English

Information

Permalink: http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6vn558p

Ark ID: w6vn558p

SNAC ID: 87960762