For immediate release

Contact: Jack Penchoff

859-244-8153

jpenchoff@csg.org

Keon Chi, National Expert on State

Government, A ‘treasured human being’

CSG’s Dr. Keon Chi killed in a Tragic Traffic Accident

Dr. Keon S. Chi, who died in a traffic accident Wednesday night, was a nationally recognized expert on federalism and state government with The Council of State Governments in Lexington, Ky.

Chi was the Director of CSG’s National Center for State Governance and editor in chief of The Book of the States, the premier reference book on American state government published annually by the Council.

Chi, 71, died in a traffic accident Wednesday as he was driving out of CSG headquarters on Ironworks Pike in Lexington. His vehicle was struck on the driver’s side by an oncoming pickup truck.

“We lost an incredibly gifted and truly treasured human being,” Daniel M. Sprague, CSG executive director, said in announcing Chi’s death to CSG staff. “This is a devastating loss for all who knew Keon.”

Chi joined CSG in October 1981 as a senior policy analyst and became a senior fellow in 1991. In 2006, he retired from Georgetown College, where he taught government and political science for 36 years.

After his retirement from Georgetown he became director of CSG’s National Center for State Governance  and continued as editor in chief of The Book of the States, which he edited for 16 years.

Chi was the author or co-author of more than 100 journal articles, monographs, book chapters and columns dealing with cutting edge issues such as strategic planning, and structural and management innovations in state government. He also served on editorial and review boards of Public Administration Review, State and Local Government Review, American Journal of Public Administration and Public Integrity.

Because of his national reputation, Chi was often invited to speak to state legislative committees and national organizations such as the American Political Science Association and the World Future Society.

When he died, Chi was organizing a workshop that will be held in Lexington May 29-June 1 in conjunction with CSG’s 75th anniversary celebration and spring conference. About 40 national experts on state government are expected to participate in the two-day workshop discussing transformation strategies for state governance and sharing practical information about innovations that worked in states.

In addition, Chi has completed a commemorative history book on CSG’s 75 years as a national organization of state governments.

Chi held Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Government from Claremont Graduate University in California. Even in college, Chi showed an interest in how state government operates. His dissertation was titled, “Creative Federalism:  A study of Intergovernmental Relations under the Johnson Administration, 1964-68.”