Leadership

Kathleen Sebelius was sworn in as Governor of Kansas in 2003 and was elected to a second term in November 2006. Since taking office, Governor Sebelius has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to growing the Kansas economy and creating jobs for Kansas workers. She has been a strong supporter of initiatives designed to make the Kansas business climate more attractive to businesses and has balanced the State budget without raising taxes. The Governor has also made a priority of cutting government waste, helping the State realize nearly $1 billion in savings during her first term. In 2005, Time magazine named her one of the nation’s Top Five Governors, citing her work to curb government spending, as well as her efforts to bridge the partisan divide.

As Secretary of the Kansas Department of Commerce, David Kerr heads the state’s lead economic development organization in its mission to empower individuals, businesses and communities to realize prosperity in Kansas. Kerr oversees the state's efforts to create jobs through business recruitment and expansion, agriculture marketing, workforce development, community development, international trade and travel and tourism.

Kerr joined Commerce after serving as President of AT&T Kansas from 2003-2007, where he was responsible for all regulatory, legislative, and governmental and external affairs activities in the state. Prior to being named President, Kerr served as Vice President and General Manager, Local Interconnection Services, with responsibility for serving competitive local telephone companies.

Kerr joined AT&T in Topeka in 1979. In 1981, he moved to St. Louis, where he held positions of increasing responsibility while leading marketing, account and finance teams.  He moved to Dallas in 1997 to become Vice President, Access Marketing.

Kerr grew up in the western Kansas town of Ness City, graduated from Savior of the World High School in Bonner Springs and attended Fort Hays State University. He earned bachelor’s degrees in both economics and business administration from Avila University in Kansas City and is a former Topeka Jaycee of the Year.

A committed volunteer and community leader, Kerr has served as a board member of the Jayhawk Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America, United Way of Greater Topeka, Topeka Performing Arts Center, and Kansas Big Brothers Big Sisters. He served as Chairman of the Board for the Kansas Chamber of Commerce and was the 2006 Chairman of the Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce Board. Kerr also served on the Advisory Board for Kansas State University’s College of Business and Kansas University’s School of Engineering Advisory Board. 

Kerr currently serves as a board member of the Kansas State Fair, Kansas Post Secondary Technical Education Authority, Kansas Inc., Kansas Technology Enterprise Corporation, Kansas Energy Council, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kansas and The Capper Foundation Easter Seals. 

Kerr and his wife, Mary, live in Topeka.  Their son Douglas and his wife live in St. Louis, Missouri while their daughter Alicia resides in Durham, North Carolina. 

Steve Kelly plays a dual role for the Department of Commerce, serving as both the Deputy Secretary for Business Development and the Director of the Business Development Division. Since joining the Department in 1990, Steve has served as a finance and venture capital specialist and field office supervisor, among other responsibilities. As Director of Business Development, a position which he has held for the past 11 years, Steve has had the opportunity to lead teams and participate in the successful expansion or attraction of a number of major economic development projects, including the Kansas Speedway, Fairfax General Motors facility, York/Evcon, Abbott Labs/Hospira and more recently, CapitalOne Homeloans, Applebee's, Quintiles and the BRAC expansion at Fort Riley. Prior to joining Commerce, Steve was the marketing and operations manager for a software firm.