Gov. John Kasich

Governor of Ohio

John R. Kasich was sworn in as Ohio’s 69th governor on January 10, 2011. In his inaugural address he called on Ohioans to come together to make the Buckeye State stronger and more prosperous for all.<br /> <br /> As Governor, John Kasich’s top priority is to create a jobs-friendly climate so Ohioans can get back to work. By closing an $8 billion budget shortfall without a tax increase, reducing taxes by more than $3 billion, cutting wasteful spending and eliminating red tape, Ohio is getting back on track. Unemployment is going down, more Ohioans are finding work, and all three credit rating agencies now give Ohio a “stable” credit outlook.<br /> <br /> Kasich is no stranger to taking on and solving big problems. He served as a member of Congress from central Ohio for 18 years and, as the chairman of the House Budget Committee, he led the effort to balance the federal budget for the first time since 1969 and helped enact historic welfare reform.<br /> <br /> After leaving Congress in 2000 and running for President, Kasich worked as a managing director in the Investment Banking Division of Lehman Brothers, where he helped companies secure the resources they needed to succeed and create jobs. He was also a commentator for FOX News and a Presidential Fellow at his alma mater, The Ohio State University.<br /> <br /> Kasich is the author of three New York Times best-sellers: Courage is Contagious; Stand for Something: The Battle for America’s Soul; and Every Other Monday, which was published in 2010 and focuses on the importance of faith in making both everyday choices and life-changing decisions.<br /> <br /> Known for being straightforward, optimistic and energetic, Kasich brings a commonsense, results-oriented focus to the Governor’s Office. His Lt. Governor is Mary Taylor, a CPA and the former Ohio Auditor of State, who reinforces this outlook and mission.<br /> <br /> Kasich, 62, is a 1974 graduate of The Ohio State University and lives in Westerville with his wife, Karen Waldbillig Kasich, and their twin daughters, Emma and Reese.