John Carey appointed Board of Regents chancellor

Gov. John R. Kasich has appointed John Carey to serve as Chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents.

As Chancellor, Carey will lead the University System of Ohio – the largest comprehensive system of public higher education in the nation – and will further the Administration’s efforts to better integrate higher education into the state’s job creation and workforce development efforts.

Carey’s appointment is effective April 29, and is subject to the advice and consent of the Ohio Senate. Carey replaces Jim Petro who retired effective February 1. Dr. Stephanie Davidson has been serving the Board as Interim Chancellor since Petro’s retirement.

Said Kasich, "John Carey can help to continue to transform Ohio's system of universities into a university system, and in doing so, higher education can become a stronger partner in Ohio's job creation efforts.

"As Chancellor, Carey will work with businesses to ensure that coursework and curricula give students the skills they need to meet the needs of employers. The reforms we've made to date have led to greater collaboration among the universities, an increased emphasis on research commercialization, and a funding plan that focuses on improving graduation rates.

[[In-content Ad]]"As a result, universities can better control their costs and help more Ohioans get their degrees so they are better prepared for the jobs that exist. John Carey is a thoughtful, devoted public servant who focused on job creation throughout his legislative career, and I am excited to see him inject this job creation mentality into the Ohio Board of Regents."

John Carey served 9 years in the Ohio House of Representatives, where he served as Chairman of the Primary and Secondary Education Subcommittee, and 8 years in the Ohio Senate, where he served as Chairman of the Senate Finance and Financial Institutions Committee. Most recently, Carey was Assistant to the President for Government Relations and Strategic Initiatives for Shawnee State University in Portsmouth (Scioto Co.). Prior to his work as a legislator, Carey was mayor of the City of Wellston (Jackson Co.). 

Carey is a graduate of Ohio University with a degree in political science. He was born in Chillicothe (Ross Co.) and currently resides in Wellston with his wife and two sons.