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| Affiliation | Republican |
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| <- |
2007-01-01 |
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| Name | Roger A. Keats |
| Address |
Wilmette, Illinois , United States |
| Email | None |
| Website | [Link] |
| Born |
August 12, 1948
(76 years)
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| Contributor | COSDem |
| Last Modifed | ev
May 09, 2010 07:43pm |
| Tags |
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| Info | State House, 1976-1979
State Senate, 1979-1993
Roger Keats was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1948. In 1950 his family returned to his father’s home town, Chicago, living in the Hyde Park area until they moved to Evanston when he was seven. Roger attended Evanston schools and graduated from Evanston Township High School where he was an All-American swimmer.
Keats began his political career at the age of fourteen when he worked on his first congressional race as a precinct captain. In 1978, he was elected to the Illinois legislature. During his 16 years in the Illinois Senate, Roger Keats was instrumental in cleaning up corruption in the Cook County court system uncovered by Operations Greylord and Gambat.
Roger’s role in pushing the legislature to adopt judicial sub-circuits for Cook County cleared the way for minorities and Republicans to hold judgeships. Operation Push, the Rev. Jesse Jackson and the Rev. Willie Barrow honored Roger for his work in 1989. The Illinois Judicial Council cited Roger’s contribution to cleaning up the Cook County courts during Black History Month in 2009.
Roger Keats spearheaded legislation that reformed the Illinois Banking system by creating branch banking. Prior to the reform, Illinois was subject to archaic, 19th century banking rules preventing banks from opening branch offices. This reform improved access to banking services for consumers, increased competition among banks lowering costs to consumers and allowed Illinois banks to compete with banks outside of the state.
In 1983, Keats pushed through legislation reforming the public transit system in Illinois which was near bankruptcy. The legislation implemented a fare box requirement that fares cover a minimum percentage of the total cost of operations. This requirement provided an incentive to control costs. The Illinois transit system became a model for the nation and financially viable for 25 years until the Democrat controlled legislature removed the fare box requirement ushering in a new era of financial chaos.
In 1968, while still an undergraduate at Michigan, Roger worked as the state’s co-chair for the Reagan for President campaign. In 1974-75 Keats worked with Congressman Jack Kemp and for the Republican Study committee under Ed Feulner, currently President of the internationally renowned free market think tank, the Heritage Foundation. Roger was active in the campaigns of President Reagan and Jack Kemp among others.
After serving on active duty in the U.S. Army (1972-1974), Keats spent 26 years in the Army Reserves, retiring at the rank of lieutenant colonel with a top-secret security clearance.
He earned B.A. from the University of Michigan and an M.A. from the University of Illinois.
Roger is married to Kristina Keats, a political consultant and former small business owner. The couple lives in Wilmette.
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