John Gregg [D-IN]
Former Indiana House Speaker
Track Record
Challenging Mike Pence (R) and Jim Wallace (R) in the general election for Governor
John Gregg is a native Hoosier, a lifelong Democrat and a committed public servant who has been a leader throughout our state for more than 20 years. Throughout his career, John has focused on two things: serving others and creating opportunity right here in Indiana.
John grew up in Knox County and still calls Sandborn his home. He got his start in public service in 1986 when he was elected to represent Southwest Indiana in the Statehouse.
John was in the Statehouse for eight terms, rising to the office of Speaker of the House. He served as speaker for six consecutive years, making him the longest-serving Democratic speaker in Indiana's history, when he left office.
John is a Democrat, and he is guided by his Democratic values. As Speaker, John realized his job was to bring people together from throughout Indiana to work on the issues that matter to Hoosiers and the middle class. John cut taxes and balanced budgets, all while overseeing record surpluses. Just as importantly, he accomplished these things by working with people on the issues that unite us — not the politics of division that are far too common today.
In 2002, John voluntarily left office to spend more time with his two sons and to enter into the private sector. Since 2002, John has been the interim President of Vincennes University and is an attorney in Vincennes. In 2008, John re-entered politics, serving as honorary chair of the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign in Indiana.
While his career has been defined by incredible professional success, John's proudest achievement and greatest love are his two sons, John and Hunter. And those who know John say with certainty that no matter what his future holds, that will always remain true.
John is an author, Hoosier Hero award winner, former university president, loyal Democrat and genuine leader with a proven record of winning all eight elections in which he's run. With your help, John Gregg will be the next governor of the great state of Indiana.
The following information all comes from Wikipedia
Early Life and Education
Born on September 6, 1954 to Don and June (née Blackwood) Gregg in the rural Indiana community of Sandborn in Knox County, he is a 1972 graduate of North Knox High School.
Gregg graduated with an associate’s degree from Vincennes University in 1974, and is a member of Sigma Pi Fraternity. He graduated from Indiana University (B.A., Political Science and History) in 1976; Indiana State University (M.P.A., Public Administration) in 1978; and the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law (J.D., Juris Doctor) in 1984.
Law Practice and Early Career
From 1978–1985, Gregg worked as a land agent for Peabody Coal Company and as a governmental affairs representative for Amax Coal Company. After earning his J.D. and passing the state bar in 1984, he opened a private practice in Vincennes until 2002, when he joined the Indianapolis law firm Sommer Barnard PC. In 2005 he became partner at the Vincennes, Indiana office of the law firm Bingham McHale LLP. He is a member of the Indiana State Bar Association and the Knox County Bar Association, where he served as President in 1992.
Political Career
Indianapolis Star/ John Severson
Gregg served his Sandborn community as a Democratic precinct committeeman from 1974–1986, when he ran against and defeated Republican incumbent Rep. Bill Roach to represent District 45 in the Indiana House of Representatives.
He served as the House majority leader from 1990–1994 and as the House Democratic leader from 1994–1996.
Gregg was first elected Speaker of the House in 1996, when the general election had left an equally divided House with 50 Democrats and 50 Republicans. For the first time in Indiana history, the Speaker presided over an equally divided House. Gregg was re-elected Speaker following the 1998 general election when Democrats took control of the House of Representatives with a 53-47 majority. During his tenure as Speaker, Gregg championed many causes, including reforms in education, campaign finance, property tax, lobbying and ethics.
During his terms as Speaker, Gregg implemented improvements in House procedures, including on-time convening of sessions, the support of a bipartisan clerk's office, staffing parity for both caucuses, and the prohibition of smoking within the interior hallways and offices surrounding the House chamber. A House Resolution to honor Speaker Gregg on his retirement in 2002 credited him with returning civility and congeniality to the House chamber.
Gregg introduced measures to help streamline the workload of legislators and staff, including reducing the number of standing committees from 21 to 17 and initiating stricter adherence to House rules regarding how members vote and conduct themselves on the House floor.
Gregg was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2008. As an honorary chair of the Hillary Clinton for President, Indiana Campaign, Gregg accompanied former President Bill Clinton to events across Indiana during the 2008 primary.
Vincennes University President
Following his service as an Indiana state representative, Gregg became interim president of Indiana’s oldest college, Vincennes University, from 2003–2004, where he was instrumental in helping the institution move from a two-year to a four-year curriculum.
Radio Talk Show Host
Since 1999, Gregg has hosted a radio call-in show in Vincennes and in Washington, Indiana. Gregg hosted the popular early morning talk show, “Indiana Open Phones,” on an Indianapolis radio station from 1999–2004. The forum covered topics from Indiana politics to folksy western Indiana cuisine.
Awards
In addition to his 2002 recognition as "Public Official of the Year” by Governing Magazine, Gregg has been honored with a Hoosier Hero Award (1996) an Honorary Doctorate Degree from Vincennes University in 2002, and four Sagamore of the Wabash awards (Governors Robert D. Orr, 1989; Evan Bayh, 1996; Frank O’Bannon, 2002; and Joe Kernan, 2003.
Personal
PHOTO/Frank Espich
Gregg chose to end his career as Indiana House Speaker to devote more time to his two sons, John Blackwood Gregg, born in 1992, and Hunter Wallace Gregg, born in 1993. In his parting announcement, he told his colleagues: “I think I’ve been a pretty good Speaker, but I want to be an even better father.”
In 2004, Gregg was diagnosed and successfully treated for prostate cancer, and in 2011 he remained cancer-free. A Weight Watchers program helped him gradually lose 60 pounds.
He is a member of Sandborn First Christian Church, and is a 33rd Degree Mason and past Master in the Sandborn Masonic Lodge #647.
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