It has been less than two years since Paul Patton took office as Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, but he has already earned the respect of his peers across the country through his work as a member and leader of several national organizations.
Governor Patton has been especially active this year on the national scene. He is currently serving in two leadership positions for the National Governors' Association (NGA), a bipartisan group that consists of the leaders of all 50 states and five U.S. territories. Recognized for his innovative efforts to improve Kentucky's economy, he is serving as Chairman of the NGA Economic Development and Commerce Committee. He's also the Co-Chair of the NGA Task Force on Transportation.
During his administration, Governor Patton has placed a great emphasis on improving education in our Commonwealth. His visionary bill establishing the framework for postsecondary education reform has received praise from across the country. He has made his commitment to providing quality academic and skills training programs a priority during his brief tenure.
Because of this commitment, Governor Patton has been called on to lead several national education organizations. He is one of only eight governors involved in the National Education Goals Panel (NEGP), a group that is working to implement eight critical education goals set by our nation's leaders at a 1989 summit. This year, he received one of four Bell Awards from the NEGP, given nationally to states that meet their own educational goals.
In July 1997, Patton was named the Chairman-Elect of the Education Committee of the States (ECS). ECS is a non-profit organization made up of 49 U.S. states along with Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the Virgin Islands. Its goal is to assist state leaders in the development of educational policies.
Governor Patton was elected as Chairman of the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) in June 1997. The SREB represents 15 southern states -- Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Maryland, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, West Virginia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Virginia. He is among a small, select group of governors who have led both the ECS and the SREB.
SREB is not the only regional group led by Governor Patton. He has also served as an Executive Committee member of the Southern Governors' Association (SGA), a bipartisan organization representing 19 states and U.S. territories. Also, in 1997 Governor Patton co-sponsored an SGA resolution in support of STEP 21, a program designed to bring more transportation dollars to southern states. He later testified before Congress on behalf of STEP 21 as well.
Governor Patton was named the Chairman of the Southern Growth Policies Board (SGPB) in June 1997, which represents 14 southern states and Puerto Rico. Its job is to provide a forum for leaders to examine governmental policies that affect our region. As the Chairman, he is very active with the SGPB's Commission on the Future of the South, and it is his job to appoint the Commission's members. Their charge is to assist in forming an economic development agenda for the southeastern states.
Governor Patton is also involved in several other groups on the national level, including the Council of State Governments (CSG). In April of this year, he acted as the honorary host of the CSG meeting. He hopes to become even more involved with CSG throughout the remainder of his term.
Two other regional groups count Governor Patton among their membership - the Southern Technology Council (STC), of which he is the former Chairman, and the Southern States Energy Board. (SSEB).
Finally, Governor Patton is a member of the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), a group including representatives from 13 states in the Appalachian region. This organization is a partnership between federal, state, and local governments. Members address concerns of their citizens in the area (including 49 eastern Kentucky counties) like health care, education, and economic development.