Thomas Kean

Thomas Kean
Kean in 2018
President of the Carnegie Corporation of New York
Acting April 15, 2021 – January 2023 Served with Janet L. Robinson
Preceded by	Vartan Gregorian
Succeeded by	Louise Richardson
Chair of the 9/11 Commission
In office December 15, 2002 – August 21, 2004
President	George W. Bush
Deputy	Lee Hamilton
Preceded by	Henry Kissinger
Succeeded by	Position abolished
10th President of Drew University
In office 1990–2005
Preceded by	Paul Hardin III
Succeeded by	Robert Weisbuch
48th Governor of New Jersey
In office January 19, 1982 – January 16, 1990
Preceded by	Brendan Byrne
Succeeded by	James Florio
Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly
In office 1972–1973
Preceded by	Barry T. Parker
Succeeded by	S. Howard Woodson
Member of the New Jersey General Assembly
In office 1968 – 1978 Served with Philip Kaltenbacher (1967–1974) Jane Burgio (1974–1977)
Preceded by	Proportional representation
Succeeded by	Frederic Remington
Constituency	11-F (1968–1972) 11-E (1972–1974) 25th (1974–1978)
Personal details
Born	Thomas Howard Kean (1935-04-21) April 21, 1935 (age 89) New York City, New York, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Deborah Bye ​ ​ (m. 1967; died 2020)​
Children	3, including Tom Jr.
Education	Princeton University (BA) Columbia University (MA)

Thomas Howard Kean (/ˈkeɪn/ KAYN;^[1] born April 21, 1935) is an American politician, statesman, and academic administrator from the state of New Jersey. A Republican, Kean served as the 48th governor of New Jersey from 1982 to 1990.

Kean is a member of the Kean political family. His father, Robert Kean, was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, and his grandfather, Hamilton Fish Kean, was a U.S. senator. After graduating from Princeton University, Kean worked as a history teacher and obtained a master's degree from Teachers College at Columbia University. He served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1968 to 1978 and held the role of speaker of the Assembly from 1972 to 1973. In 1981, Kean was elected governor of New Jersey; he was re-elected in 1985. A moderate Republican, Kean is regarded as a popular governor who promoted New Jersey tourism.

Following his two terms as governor, Kean served as president of Drew University from 1990 until 2005. After the September 11 attacks, Kean was appointed by President George W. Bush as chairman of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, widely known as the 9/11 Commission. On July 22, 2004, Kean and the commission released their findings in the 9/11 Commission Report.

Kean is the father of U.S. Representative Thomas Kean Jr.