New Jersey Governor. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the 48th Governor of New Jersey from 1982 until 1990. Born into a family of pubic servants, he was a descendant of Hamilton Fish who served in both branches of Congress, as well as Governor of New York and United States Secretary of State during the Presidential Administrations of Ulysses S. Grant and Rutherford B Hayes. His father Robert Winthrop Kean served New Jersey in the United States House of Representatives from 1939 until 1959. He was educated at St. Marks School (a private boarding school) in Southborough, Massachusetts. He later attended Princeton University from where he received his degree in History. His first experience in the political arena was when he helped run his father's unsuccessful bid for US Senator from New Jersey in 1958. He returned to St. Marks where he taught and later, he attained his Master of Arts degree in History from Columbia University. He was elected to and served in the New Jersey State Assembly from 1968 until 1977. In 1981, he defeated US House of Representative Jim Florio for the Governorship of New Jersey and during his tenure, he cut taxes which led to a massive job growth, he overhauled the state Welfare System and became a leading governor in the country on environmental issues. After leaving office, he served for 15-years as president of Drew University. In 2002, President George W. Bush appointed Kean to serve on the 9/11 Commission.
New Jersey Governor. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the 48th Governor of New Jersey from 1982 until 1990. Born into a family of pubic servants, he was a descendant of Hamilton Fish who served in both branches of Congress, as well as Governor of New York and United States Secretary of State during the Presidential Administrations of Ulysses S. Grant and Rutherford B Hayes. His father Robert Winthrop Kean served New Jersey in the United States House of Representatives from 1939 until 1959. He was educated at St. Marks School (a private boarding school) in Southborough, Massachusetts. He later attended Princeton University from where he received his degree in History. His first experience in the political arena was when he helped run his father's unsuccessful bid for US Senator from New Jersey in 1958. He returned to St. Marks where he taught and later, he attained his Master of Arts degree in History from Columbia University. He was elected to and served in the New Jersey State Assembly from 1968 until 1977. In 1981, he defeated US House of Representative Jim Florio for the Governorship of New Jersey and during his tenure, he cut taxes which led to a massive job growth, he overhauled the state Welfare System and became a leading governor in the country on environmental issues. After leaving office, he served for 15-years as president of Drew University. In 2002, President George W. Bush appointed Kean to serve on the 9/11 Commission.
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