Mark Parkinson Information & Mark Parkinson Links at HealthHaven.com

Mark Parkinson
	Mark Parkinson
	;
45th Governor of Kansas
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; April 28, 2009
Lieutenant	Troy Findley
Preceded by	Kathleen Sebelius
47th Lieutenant Governor of Kansas
	In office; January 4, 2007 – April 28, 2009
Governor	Kathleen Sebelius
Preceded by	John E. Moore
Succeeded by	Troy Findley
Born	June 24, 1957 (age 52); Wichita, Kansas
Political party	Democratic (2006-present), previously Republican
Spouse(s)	Stacy Abbott Parkinson
Children	Alex, Sam, and Kit
Residence	Olathe, Kansas
Alma mater	Wichita State University (B.A., 1980), University of Kansas (J.D., 1984)
Profession	Lawyer
Religion	Methodist
Website	Kansas Governor - Mark Parkinson

For the member of the Missouri House of Representatives, see Mark Parkinson (Missouri politician).

Mark V. Parkinson (born June 24, 1957) is an American lawyer, businessman, and Democratic politician who serves as the 45th Governor of Kansas.

[edit] Early life and career

A successful businessman and former legislator, Governor Parkinson is a native Kansan with roots in Scott City, where the Parkinsons still own the family farm.

Born in Wichita, Governor Parkinson attended Wichita Public Schools and graduated from Wichita Heights High School before going on to graduate summa cum laude from Wichita State University in 1980. He graduated first in his class from the University of Kansas School of Law in 1984.

Governor Parkinson then entered private practice, forming his own law firm in 1986. He also served as president of the Johnson County Bar Foundation.

In 1996, Governor Parkinson’s career path focused on a new passion: helping enhance older Kansans’ quality of life through first-class elder-care retirement facilities. His company’s assisted living facilities have received national recognition for their design and the business has been named as an outstanding business in Northeast Johnson County.

Governor Parkinson served as chairman of the Shawnee Area Chamber of Commerce board in 2004, and in 2005 was the “Chair of the Chairs” of the nine Chambers of Commerce in Johnson County. ^[3]

[edit] Political career

Governor Parkinson was elected to the Kansas House of Representatives in 1990. Two years later, he was elected to the Kansas Senate. While in the Legislature, Governor Parkinson was known as someone who bridged party lines. He worked to strengthen Kansas schools and enhance local control.

In May 2006, Governor Kathleen Sebelius announced that Parkinson had switched parties and was her running mate for her reelection campaign, succeeding retiring lieutenant governor John E. Moore (also a former Republican who had switched parties shortly before he joined a ticket with Sebelius).^[4] Parkinson's business experience and track record of working with both Republicans and Democrats were the reasons Sebelius gave for choosing him.^[4]

In March 2009, Barack Obama announced Governor Sebelius as his nominee for U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services.^[5] Sebelius resigned following her confirmation April 28, 2009, and Parkinson was sworn in as Governor of Kansas the same day.^[1] Parkinson stated he would not be a candidate for Governor in 2010.^[6]

[edit] Family and personal life

Married to his wife, Stacy, for more than 25 years, the Parkinsons are active in community and charitable organizations, including co-chairing the successful Sunflower House Capital Campaign which raised $4.2 million to support the child abuse assistance agency. They also completed a $6.7 million Capital Campaign for SAFEHOME, one of the most comprehensive domestic violence agencies in Kansas. Both involvements led the United Community Services of Johnson County to name the Parkinsons 2006 Co-Citizens of the Year. They are parents to three children: Alex, Sam, and Kit. They belong to the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood.^[7]

[edit] Organizations

Chairman, Shawnee Area Chamber of Commerce, 2004
American Bar Association
Church of the Resurrection, Leawood, Kansas
Former President, Johnson City Bar Foundation
Kansas Bar Association
Olathe Chamber of Commerce.

[edit] Electoral history

Kansas State House 014 election, 1990^[8]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Mark Parkinson	2,880	71.73	-
	Democratic	Michael R. Norlen	1,135	28.27	-

[edit] References

^ ^a ^b Goldstein, David; Klepper, David (2009-04-28). "Sebelius sworn in to Cabinet, Parkinson becomes Kansas governor". The Kansas City Star. http://www.kansascity.com/105/story/1168432.html. Retrieved 2009-04-29.
^ "Parkinson chooses former Lawrence legislator Troy Findley as lieutenant governor". Lawrence Journal-World. 2009-05-14. http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2009/may/14/parkinson-chooses-former-lawrence-legislator-troy-/. Retrieved 2009-05-14.
^ www.governor.ks.gov
^ ^a ^b Twiddy, David (2006-05-31). "Kan. Gov. Selects Running Mate for Race". Associated Press (The Washington Post). http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/31/AR2006053101150.html. Retrieved 2009-02-19.
^ "Obama Taps Kansas Gov. Sebelius as Health Secretary". FOXNews.com. 2009-03-01. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/first100days/2009/03/01/heavy-challenges-await-sebelius-accepts-health-chief-post/. Retrieved 2009-04-29.
^ Baker, Peter; Pear, Robert (2009-02-19). "Kansas Governor Seen as Top Choice in Health Post". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/19/us/politics/19health.html. Retrieved 2009-02-19.
^ Governor's website
^ "KS State House 014". KSSOS. 1990-11-06. http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=372083. Retrieved 2009-11-06.

[edit] External links

Political offices
Preceded by Kathleen Sebelius	Governor of Kansas April 28, 2009–present	Incumbent
United States order of precedence
Preceded by Ted Kulongoski Governor of Oregon	United States order of precedence (Outside of Kansas)	Succeeded by Joe Manchin Governor of West Virginia
Preceded by Joe Biden Vice President of the United States Jill Biden Second Lady of the United States	United States order of precedence (In Kansas)	Succeeded by All city mayors in Kansas(if present), followed by Nancy Pelosi Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives

[TKCS090428-0] Goldstein, David; Klepper, David (2009-04-28). "Sebelius sworn in to Cabinet, Parkinson becomes Kansas governor". The Kansas City Star. http://www.kansascity.com/105/story/1168432.html. Retrieved 2009-04-29.

[1] "Parkinson chooses former Lawrence legislator Troy Findley as lieutenant governor". Lawrence Journal-World. 2009-05-14. http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2009/may/14/parkinson-chooses-former-lawrence-legislator-troy-/. Retrieved 2009-05-14.

[2] www.governor.ks.gov

[AP-3] Twiddy, David (2006-05-31). "Kan. Gov. Selects Running Mate for Race". Associated Press (The Washington Post). http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/31/AR2006053101150.html. Retrieved 2009-02-19.

[4] "Obama Taps Kansas Gov. Sebelius as Health Secretary". FOXNews.com. 2009-03-01. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/first100days/2009/03/01/heavy-challenges-await-sebelius-accepts-health-chief-post/. Retrieved 2009-04-29.

[health-5] Baker, Peter; Pear, Robert (2009-02-19). "Kansas Governor Seen as Top Choice in Health Post". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/19/us/politics/19health.html. Retrieved 2009-02-19.

[6] Governor's website

[7] "KS State House 014". KSSOS. 1990-11-06. http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=372083. Retrieved 2009-11-06.

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