Ohio Governor Mike DeWine appointed Ohio University alum John Carey ’81 as the Director of the Governor’s Office of Appalachia, according to a Feb. 1 news release.
Carey served as the Chancellor of the Ohio Department of Higher Education from 2013 to 2018. As Chancellor he worked to align higher education programs with Ohio’s job creation and workforce needs. He also implemented initiatives that increased collaboration among colleges, universities, technical schools, local businesses, and community organizations.
John Carey
Prior to joining the Department of Higher Education, Carey was Assistant to the President for Strategic Initiatives at Shawnee State University, where he led university workforce initiatives, working closely with local businesses. Carey also served in the Ohio House of Representatives and the Ohio Senate. Additionally, he was the Mayor of Wellston (in Jackson County) for seven years. A graduate of Ohio University, he lives in Wellston with his wife, Lynley, and two sons.
The Governor’s Office of Appalachia works to coordinate economic and community development initiatives to improve the lives of those living in the 32-county region. The office also works with the Appalachian Regional Commission in Washington, D.C. and with local entities to promote the region’s assets and support initiatives that positively impact the economic activity of the region.
Carey earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the College of Arts & Sciences.
Ohio Today wrote a feature story about Carey headlined “Alumnus continues life of public service as director of Governor’s Office of Appalachia.”
“I personally hope that we can talk more about the success stories in Appalachia,” Carey said of his goals in this new position. “We have a lot of great things going on.”
Growing up in Wellston, Carey recalled many in his community feeling the need to leave the area in order to find work. As director of the Governor’s Office of Appalachia, he hopes to create more opportunities for Ohioans living in the Appalachian region to work in their hometowns.
“We’re seeing entrepreneurs create jobs,” Carey said of Appalachian Ohio, noting a company in Albany, just west of Athens, that is preparing to open and bring hundreds of jobs to the community. “That’s a big deal for the state. Creating that entrepreneurship and that opportunity is something that we want to continue to support and also giving people the tools they need to be successful.”
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