Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush to speak Sept. 21 at Saint John’s

As of Sept. 11, this event is sold out. However,  if you would like to be put on the waiting list should any tickets become available, please call Fine Arts Programming at 320-363-5777. 

Former Florida Governor and 2016 Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush will be interviewed for the 11th annual Eugene J. McCarthy Lecture at 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 21, in Saint John’s Abbey and University Church. 

Governor Bush, the son of former President George H.W. Bush and the younger brother of former President George W. Bush, will be interviewed by award winning journalist Gary Eichten ’69. 

Jeb Bush was the 43rd governor of the State of Florida, serving from 1999 through 2007. He was the third Republican elected to the state’s highest office and the first Republican in the state’s history to win reelection. 

During Bush’s tenure as governor, he was praised for generating widespread economic growth in Florida. He also championed major reform of government, in areas ranging from health care and environmental protection to civil service and tax reform. 

His top priority was the overhaul of the state’s failing education system. Under Governor Bush’s leadership, Florida established a bold accountability system in public schools and created the most ambitious school choice programs in the nation. Today, Florida remains a national leader in education and is one of the only states in the nation to significantly narrow the achievement gap.

Governor Bush has led a successful career in the private sector spanning more than three decades, and currently serves as Chairman of Dock Square Capital LLC, a merchant bank headquartered in Miami.

Governor Bush maintains his passion for improving the quality of education for students across the country by serving as the Chairman of the Foundation for Excellence in Education, a national nonprofit education reform organization he founded to transform education in America.

He has written three books, “Profiles in Character;” “Immigration Wars: Forging an American Solution;” and “Reply All: A Governor’s Story 1999-2007.” Governor Bush lives in Miami with his wife Columba. They have three children and four grandchildren.

Eichten, who will interview Bush, is a Saint John’s graduate and award winning journalist. Eichten has worn many hats during his 40-plus-year career at Minnesota Public Radio, including news director, special events producer and station manager. He has served as host for Minnesota Public Radio's live, special events news coverage, and has hosted for all of the major news programs on Minnesota Public Radio, including Midday, which he hosted for more than 20 years. 

Among the honors Eichten has received during his career is the Corporation for Public Broadcasting award for best local news program. He also assisted in the development of two Peabody award-winning documentaries. In 2007, he was inducted into the Pavek Museum of Broadcasting's Hall of Fame. 

Eichten has also been awarded the prestigious 2011 Graven Award by the Premack Public Affairs Journalism Awards Board for his contribution to excellence in the journalism profession.