10 Facts About Joseph Leean

Joseph S "Joe" Leean was born on March 10,1942 and is an American businessman and retired Republican politician.

Joseph Leean served as Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services for seven years under Governor Tommy Thompson and was instrumental in the creation of BadgerCare, Wisconsin's state health insurance program.

Joseph Leean worked as a high school math and physics teacher for several years, then became owner and operator of a recreational boating company on the Chain O' Lakes outside Waupaca, Wisconsin.

Joseph Leean was first elected to the Senate in 1984, representing the 14th District, and was re-elected in 1988 and 1992.

Joseph Leean was appointed to the influential budget-writing Joint Finance Committee in 1989, and became co-chair of the powerful committee after Republicans secured the Senate majority in 1993.

Joseph Leean resigned from the Senate in July 1995 to accept an appointment as the head of the newly reorganized Department of Health and Family Services.

Joseph Leean served seven years as head of the Department Health and Family Services under Governor Thompson.

In 2001, Thompson was appointed United States Secretary of Health and Human Services in the George W Bush administration and Leean was asked to join Thompson as a consultant in Washington, DC.

Joseph Leean retired to Wisconsin after his stint with the Department of Health and Human Services.

Joseph Leean remained active in state politics and was an outspoken supporter of Wisconsin's medicaid program, BadgerCare, and worked with Democratic Governor Jim Doyle's administration to develop a bipartisan state health insurance plan.