John Carlin is currently Vice-Chair of Midwest Superconductivity, Inc. in Lawrence, Kansas, a high technology company engaged in research and development in the field of superconductivity.

Carlin served two four-year terms as Governor of Kansas from 1979 to 1987 (Kansas law provides for a two term limit) during which time he oversaw a state budget of approximately $4 billion per annum and almost 40,000 state employees. During his tenure he earned a reputation for excellence, leadership and effectiveness as an administrator and manager of complex government organizations.

As Governor he demonstrated a strong commitment to the management, preservation, access and use of government records and a keen interest in and understanding of the public policy issues relating to archival collections. For example, while Kansas law allows a former governor to restrict access to their papers during his or her lifetime, Carlin worked hand-in-hand with the Kansas State Historical Society to catalog and chronicle both his personal and gubernatorial papers quickly after he left office and to make them available to the public without restriction approximately one year after leaving office.

As Governor, Carlin spearheaded an $11.1 million appropriation to build a state-of-the- art Museum of History. He was also a strong advocate of educational outreach and public programming at the Kansas State Historical Society.

Carlin has served as Chair of the National Governors' Association and as Chair of the Midwest Governors' Conference. During his tenure he earned a reputation for working effectively and creatively with his fellow governors, members of Congress and other governmental officials and for his ability to build consensus among the diverse, bi-partisan Governors' Association.

Carlin currently serves on the Boards of Directors of the Foundation for the National Archives (since 1992) and the Kansas State Historical Society (since 1988).

Prior to his service as Governor, Carlin served as a Kansas State Representative from 1971-79 and was Speaker of the House from 1977-79 and Minority Leader from 1976-77.

Carlin's academic and scholarly credentials include teaching assignments at Duke University, the University of Kansas, Wichita State University and Washburn University. He taught at the graduate school and was a full-time Visiting Professor of Public Administration and International Trade at Wichita State University from 1987-88. Carlin has lectured widely on a variety of governmental, historical, educational, economic and business topics and is the author of many scholarly pieces published in professional journals.

He holds a BS degree from Kansas State University and a Doctorate of Law (honorary) from Kansas State University.