Joe Kernan (politician) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Joe Kernan
Kernan in 2008
48th Governor of Indiana
In office September 13, 2003 – January 10, 2005
Lieutenant	Kathy Davis
Preceded by	Frank O'Bannon
Succeeded by	Mitch Daniels
47th Lieutenant Governor of Indiana
In office January 13, 1997 – September 13, 2003
Governor	Frank O'Bannon
Preceded by	Frank O'Bannon
Succeeded by	Kathy Davis
30th Mayor of South Bend
In office January 3, 1988 – January 3, 1997
Preceded by	Roger Parent
Succeeded by	Steve Luecke
South Bend Controller
In office January 1, 1980 – February 17, 1984
Appointed by	Roger Parent
Preceded by	Peter Mullen
Succeeded by	Michael Vance
Personal details
Born	Joseph Eugene Kernan III (1946-04-08)April 8, 1946 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died	July 29, 2020(2020-07-29) (aged 74) South Bend, Indiana, U.S.
Resting place	Cedar Grove Cemetery, Notre Dame, Indiana, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Maggie McCullough
Education	University of Notre Dame (BA)
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Navy
Years of service	1969–1974 (Active) 1974–1982 (Reserve)
Battles/wars	Vietnam War

Joseph Eugene Kernan III (April 8, 1946 – July 29, 2020) was an American politician. He was a member of the Democratic Party. Kernan served as the 48th Governor of Indiana from 2003 to 2005.

Before becoming governor, he was the 47th Lieutenant Governor of Indiana. He served in this role from 1997 to 2003 under Governor Frank O'Bannon. Kernan became governor after O'Bannon passed away. He also served as the mayor of South Bend, Indiana. During the Vietnam War, Kernan was a prisoner of war for almost a year.

Early Life and Education

Joe Eugene Kernan III was born in Chicago, Illinois, on April 8, 1946. He was the oldest of nine children.

His family moved to South Bend, Indiana, when he was ten. Kernan graduated from St. Joseph High School in South Bend in 1964.

He then went to the University of Notre Dame. In 1968, he earned a degree in Government. Kernan also played on the university's baseball team. He started as an infielder and later became a catcher.

Military Service

Kernan joined the United States Navy in 1969. He served as a Naval Flight Officer on the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk.

In February 1972, he flew missions over Laos and North Vietnam. On May 7, 1972, his plane was shot down during a mission over North Vietnam. Kernan was captured and became a prisoner of war. He was held for 11 months.

He was released on March 27, 1973. Kernan continued serving in the Navy until December 1974. For his service, he received the Distinguished Flying Cross, two Purple Hearts, and the Navy Commendation Medal.

Early Career

After leaving the Navy, Kernan worked in business. In 1975, he worked for Procter & Gamble in Cincinnati. He helped manage the making of soaps like Camay and Safeguard.

Later, he returned to South Bend. He worked for South Bend Community Schools and then for the Schwarz Paper Company.

South Bend City Controller

Kernan served as the South Bend city controller from 1980 to 1984. Mayor Roger Parent appointed him to this role.

As controller, Kernan helped manage the city's $40 million yearly budget. He also helped negotiate contracts for city employees, including police and firefighters. Kernan left this job in 1984 to work in the private sector.

South Bend Mayor

Kernan was elected mayor of South Bend in 1987. He was reelected in 1991 and 1995. In 1995, he won with 82% of the votes, which was a record for South Bend mayoral elections. He was the first mayor since 1905 to win a third term.

Kernan was a very popular mayor. People liked that he was friendly and easy to talk to. As mayor, he focused on creating jobs, improving public safety, and making the city's finances stronger.

City Development

Kernan helped bring the College Football Hall of Fame to South Bend.

Kernan was known for bringing new businesses and projects to South Bend. A big success was getting the College Football Hall of Fame to choose South Bend. The city was chosen over 89 other cities.

He also supported the Blackthorn development, which included a golf course and office park.

Some projects, like the College Football Hall of Fame, didn't meet all expectations later on. The Hall of Fame eventually moved to Atlanta. However, Kernan believed the Blackthorn development was a success.

Job Creation

Kernan worked hard to create and keep jobs in South Bend. Many companies had left the city before he became mayor. He helped stop companies like Allied Products' South Bend Stamping from moving away. He also helped bring new jobs to the city. For example, he helped keep the Hoosier Lottery's regional office in South Bend in 1993.

City Improvements

A new South Shore Line station was built during Kernan's time as mayor.

Even though the city lost federal funds, Kernan oversaw many important projects. One major project was moving South Bend's South Shore Line train station. It moved from a shared facility to a new location at the city's airport in 1992. This made it easier for people to travel by air, bus, and train from one spot.

The South Street Station, a bus center, was planned during Kernan's time as mayor.

Kernan also worked to create a new transit center in Downtown South Bend. This center, called the South Street Station, opened in 1998 as a bus center.

Parks and Recreation

Many changes happened in South Bend's parks during Kernan's time. New facilities opened, like the Blackthorn Golf Course in 1994. Funds were set aside to improve the parks. The city's recreation commission was also changed, with the Department of Parks taking over recreation programs.

Working with Notre Dame

As mayor, Kernan worked to build a better relationship between South Bend and the nearby University of Notre Dame.

Kernan helped refinance Coveleski Stadium.

In 1988, Kernan helped refinance Coveleski Stadium. This saved the city money because interest rates were lower.

Kernan also started "mayor's night out" events. These events allowed people to meet with him and share their concerns.

Lieutenant Governor

In 1996, Kernan was elected Lieutenant Governor of Indiana. He ran with Frank O'Bannon, who was running for governor. Kernan was hesitant at first, as he wanted to stay mayor.

Kernan, being from Northern Indiana, helped balance the ticket with O'Bannon, who was from Southern Indiana. They had a good working relationship. O'Bannon and Kernan won the election, even though they started as underdogs.

When Kernan became Lieutenant Governor in January 1997, he helped choose his successor as mayor. He endorsed Steve Luecke, who was then chosen unanimously.

As Lieutenant Governor, Kernan was known as a good speaker and was very popular. He served until September 2003.

Key Roles as Lieutenant Governor

Kernan had several important roles as Lieutenant Governor:

• He was the President of the Indiana Senate.
• He was the Director of the Indiana Department of Commerce.
• He was the Commissioner of Agriculture.

He worked on projects to help Indiana's economy and agriculture. For example, he chaired the Pork Crisis Working Group and the Hoosier Farmland Preservation Task Force. He also launched the Veterans Outreach Initiative to help veterans get benefits.

In 1999, Kernan became chairman of the Indiana 21st Century Research and Technology Fund.

Second Term and Tax Reform

O'Bannon and Kernan were re-elected in 2000. In 2001, Kernan helped create a plan to change Indiana's tax system, called the 21st Century Tax Plan. A version of this plan was passed in 2002.

In 2002, Kernan announced changes to the Indiana Department of Commerce. They also proposed a job-creation plan called "Energize Indiana."

Acting Governor

On September 10, 2003, Kernan became acting governor. Governor O'Bannon had a stroke and could not perform his duties. This was the first time Indiana used its state constitution's rule for the governor to temporarily hand over power. The Indiana Supreme Court ruled that Kernan would become acting governor.

Governor of Indiana

Kernan officially became governor on September 13, 2003, after Governor O'Bannon passed away. Many people praised how smoothly he took over the office.

New Appointments

Kernan appointed Kathy Davis as his Lieutenant Governor. She became the first female Lieutenant Governor in Indiana's history. He also made other important appointments, like Cheryl Sullivan to lead the Family and Social Services Administration.

Economy and Jobs

Kernan became governor during a tough economic time. The state faced budget problems and job losses. He launched the Opportunity Indiana initiative to help the state's businesses.

In 2004, he introduced the Indiana@Work program. This program helped 30,000 Hoosiers get skills assessments by the end of the year.

Education Initiatives

In January 2004, Kernan announced the Early Learning Trust. This plan aimed to give every child in Indiana access to full-day kindergarten by 2007. It also created programs for young children who needed extra help.

He asked public colleges to limit tuition increases to 4% for the 2004-05 school year. In October 2004, he planned to expand the state's community college system. The goal was to have 23 campuses by fall 2005, so everyone would live within 30 miles of a community college.

Healthcare and Highways

Kernan worked to lower healthcare costs. He made changes to HoosierRx to help senior citizens save money on prescription drugs. He also supported a project to extend Interstate 69 and upgrade U.S. Route 31.

Other Actions

In 2004, Kernan became the first Indiana governor in 48 years to spare the life of an inmate on death row. He changed Darnell Williams' sentence to life in prison without parole.

Campaign for a Full Term

In December 2002, Kernan had said he would not run for governor in 2004. However, after becoming governor, he changed his mind and decided to run.

Kernan and Kathy Davis ran for a full term as governor and lieutenant governor. They lost to the Republican team of Mitch Daniels and Becky Skillman. This election was the most expensive gubernatorial election in Indiana's history at the time. Since Kernan left office, Republicans have held the governor's position in Indiana.

Kernan criticized his opponent, Daniels, for selling an Indiana utility company to an out-of-state company. Kernan also promised to continue upgrading U.S. Route 31 without making it a toll road.

After Being Governor

Kernan returned to private life in January 2005 and moved back to South Bend in 2006.

He volunteered as acting director for the St. Joseph County Red Cross. He also taught as a professor at the University of Notre Dame. Kernan served on advisory boards for Indiana University South Bend. He also worked with the Mitch Daniels Leadership Foundation, partnering with his successor.

Kernan owned a consulting firm called South Bend Enterprises, Inc.

South Bend Silver Hawks

In 2005, Kernan became the president and a main investor in the South Bend Silver Hawks baseball team. He convinced about 50 other people to invest. This helped keep the team in South Bend.

Kernan's time with the Silver Hawks ended in 2011. He sold the team to Andrew Berlin, who wanted to develop the team further and keep it in the South Bend area. The team is now called the South Bend Cubs.

Honors and Awards

For his military service, Kernan received the Distinguished Flying Cross, two Purple Hearts, and the Navy Commendation Medal. In 2015, he was inducted into the Indiana Military Veterans Hall of Fame.

The University of Notre Dame gave Kernan an honorary doctorate in 1998. He also received the Edward “Moose” Krause Distinguished Service Award in 2012 and the Rev. Edward Frederick Sorin, C.S.C., Award in 2018, which is one of the university's highest honors.

In 2017, a park in South Bend along the St. Joseph River was named after Kernan. That same year, Indiana University gave him an honorary doctorate.

Personal Life

Kernan was the oldest of nine children, with one brother and seven sisters.

He married Maggie McCullough in April 1974. They lived in South Bend, Indiana. Maggie worked as a marketing specialist. Joe and Maggie Kernan did not have any children.

Kernan was Catholic.

Several years before his death, Kernan was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. His family shared this news in July 2020, shortly before he passed away.

Death

Kernan died on July 29, 2020, in South Bend. He passed away from complications related to Alzheimer's disease.

Political Views

As governor, Kernan supported giving special help to large companies to bring jobs to Indiana. He argued that if Indiana didn't do this, other states would.

In 2017, Kernan and former Ohio Governor Bob Taft wrote an article together. They argued that the death penalty should not be used for criminals with mental illness.

Electoral History

Mayor

Lieutenant Governor

Governor

See Also

• List of governors of Indiana
• U.S. prisoners of war during the Vietnam War