About Monte

About Monte Shadwick

Born in Great Bend, my interest in public policy and community involvement began at a young age. My father, Gerald Shadwick, served as Chief of Staff for United States Senator Frank Carlson of Concordia, Kansas. Dad later ran for the 1st District seat in 1968 and after the election we moved to Salina where he was President of the First National Bank (now Sunflower Bank) for 18 years. I was fortunate to have parents who were great role models and encouraged me to serve my community. Dad was the son of a railroad worker from Emporia and mom’s father was a business and oil man in Great Bend. Mom and Dad believed individuals and institutions could build and sustain great communities that served the common good. Those values have influenced me ever since.

Today I am passing on these same beliefs and strong Kansas values to my own children. My wife Jannell and I are blessed to have four wonderful children – Sam, Will, Tom and Anne. Every day I think about their futures and will work hard to ensure that they have education and career opportunities here at home. It is vital that we find ways for our children to grow and prosper as they are the future of our great state.

Growing up in Salina I could be found playing sports including golf and basketball. Summers were spent working at the golf course and for local farmers during harvest. I attended Salina Central High School and following graduation I went on to the University of Kansas. It was a summer internship during college for Kansas’ U.S. Senator Nancy Kassebaum in 1981 that sparked my interest in politics. President Reagan was in his first term and it was an exciting time in our nation’s capital. During that summer in Washington D.C. spent working for the well-respected Senator Kassebaum, I learned a great deal about serving the people of Kansas.

After graduating from college with a degree in Secondary Education in 1983, I became a middle school teacher and high school basketball coach in Goddard, Kansas. It was a trying time as a tragedy took place at our school involving a young student shooting several people and killing our principal. The incident at Goddard was a devastating event but one that has shaped my views on life, friendship, and family. I was fortunate to be part of a community that grieved and grew together during this difficult time.

After teaching in Goddard I returned home to Salina where I continued to be involved in the lives of young people as a basketball coach at Salina Central High School. I worked as a financial advisor and decided to further my education by obtaining a Masters Degree in Business Administration from Kansas State University. My MBA was put to good use as I opened and operated a downtown restaurant in Salina for 11 years.

As a small business owner, I know the hard work and dedication many of you display on a daily basis to create jobs and grow your community. My experience as a small business owner allowed me to become more involved in the local business community and has prepared me to better understand the needs of small business owners. It has become difficult for many of our homegrown business owners to make a living while dealing with the often burdensome demands of an increasingly larger and more intrusive government.

My wife Jannell and I also became involved in the purchase and renovation of numerous empty downtown buildings - even constructing one of Salina’s first downtown lofts. It was important for us to be part of a vibrant and growing downtown business community. As we continued to build a life and family in Salina we strived to give back to the community. I’ve served on numerous volunteer boards and committees, including as Chair of the Red Cross and the National Day of Prayer Committee. I also ran and won my first election in 1997 for the Salina City Commission.

It was a great time for my young family and we were thriving in a community we loved. However, adversity struck again in 1999 when my wife suffered a brain aneurysm. After many years, I am happy to say that Jannell is doing great and is very busy raising our family and serving the community. While troubling events and illness are difficult, I am a better person because of the trying times. These events, while difficult, made my family, our faith, and our friendships stronger and more meaningful. There simply isn’t a better place to live than the 1st District of Kansas and I remain grateful for the help and support of our friends, church, and community.

I was fortunate to serve eight years on the Salina City Commission, including two terms as Mayor of Salina. While serving the City of Salina in this capacity, I developed an expertise in local and state government. I understand the importance of our elected officials listening to their constituents and being good stewards of tax dollars. My experience also deepened my resolve that the best government is one that is limited, accountable, and practices common sense. As a City Commissioner I made many tough decisions and cast many difficult votes. It was my objective to serve with enthusiasm and integrity while looking out for the common good of the community by balancing the needs of many diverse interests.

During my time on the Salina City Commission, I was introduced to Congressman Jerry Moran. In 2004 he decided to open a district constituent office in Salina and asked me to join his staff. I remain grateful for the opportunity to work for the great people of Kansas on Congressman Moran’s behalf. I have long admired his tireless work ethic and unwavering dedication to his constituents in the 1^st District and will carry on those traits as your next congressman.

During my 3 ½ years traveling the 1st District for Congressman Moran, I became well acquainted with the people of our state and the issues that affect each of us. It is important that our next representative remembers that there are numerous issues that impact the families and livelihoods of Kansans which do not appear in the national headlines. The lives of farmers, ranchers, educators, veterans, small businesses owners, health care providers, and senior citizens in our state must not be compromised by outside agendas. I will work for the interests of the people of the 1^st District of Kansas, not those of Washington or well-funded special interest groups.

Many candidates enter political races out of career ambition or for a sense of fulfillment. I run for neither reason. I am running because I love Kansas and believe that I am uniquely qualified to represent your interests in Washington D.C. We need citizen representatives who are in touch with the people they represent, not career politicians. It is critical for voters all across our country to elect officials that believe government should be limited and accountable. I will listen to the people of the 1st District and take their message to Congress. Together we can make a difference by returning control of government to the people of our country. After all, the U.S. Constitution states that our government is one that is “by the people, for the people.”

I look forward to working with you and serving the 1st District of Kansas. I truly appreciate your support and I ask for your vote in 2010.