It was a homecoming Thursday evening at the Salina Regional Airport when Democrat Kansas Gubernatorial Candidate Josh Svaty landed to introduce his running mate Katrina Lewison.
An enthusiastic crowd of family, friends, and well-wishers greeted the duo as they arrived.
Before introducing Lewison, Svaty spoke to the crowd. He told how he first met Lewison, and how she immediately impressed him. He also spoke about the things he believes the duo can accomplish together if elected.
Lewison also spoke. She told a little bit about herself, and then spoke about how she and Svaty share a similar vision of what Kansas can be.
Josh Svaty is a Central Kansas native who farms in Ellsworth County. He is a former state legislator from the 108th district representing portions of Saline and Ellsworth Counties, and a former Kansas Secretary of Agriculture.
The 37-year-old Svaty represented the 108th District in the Kansas Legislature from 2003-2009. In 2009 Democratic Gov. Mark Parkinson appointed him Kansas State Agriculture Secretary. Svaty also served as a Senior Adviser to the Regional Administrator at EPA Region 7, and was a Vice President at The Land Institute in Salina.
Lewison was born and raised in Hutchinson and Buhler. She is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and served in the 101st Airborne Division as a Black Hawk helicopter platoon leader during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Lewison then commanded an aviation company of American and Korean soldiers in South Korea. She concluded her 15 years in the Army teaching cadets at West Point as part of the Eisenhower Leader Development Program in conjunction with Columbia University.
After her Army career concluded, Lewison moved back home to Kansas. She has worked for two of the fastest-growing companies in America, GTM Sportswear and CivicPlus. She is currently the director of consulting & training at CivicPlus in Manhattan, Kan., a company offering products and services that help local governments better communicate with their citizens. She holds graduate degrees in both public policy and organizational psychology & leadership. In 2017, Lewison was elected to the USD 383 Board of Education and serves on three committees, including strategic planning.
The stop in Salina was part of a whirlwind tour of the state. It was the 10th of 11 stops in 2 days.
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