{{short description|20th century American politician}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Joe Leean | image = | order = 1st | title = Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services | governor = Tommy Thompson | term_start = July 5, 1995 | term_end = March 10, 2001 | predecessor = Richard Loring ''(acting)''<br />Gerald Whitburn ''(confirmed)'' | successor = Phyllis Dube | state1 = Wisconsin | state_senate1 = Wisconsin | district1 = 14th | term_start1 = January 7, 1985 | term_end1 = July 5, 1995 | predecessor1 = Gerald Lorge | successor1 = Robert Welch | party = Republican | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1942|3|10|mf=y}} | birth_place = Iola, Wisconsin, U.S. | alma_mater = Augustana College {{small|(B.A.)}} | spouse = Virginia "Ginny" Leean | children = 3 | occupation = | website = | death_date = February 2, 2022 }} '''Joseph S. "Joe" Leean''' (born March 10, 1942) is an American businessman and retired Republican politician. He 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.
Leean subsequently worked as a consultant to Thompson after his appointment as United States Secretary of Health and Human Services. Earlier in his career, he served ten years in the Wisconsin State Senate, representing the 14th Senate district.
==Early life and career== Leean was born in Iola, Wisconsin.<ref name="wihist">{{cite web|url= https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS9773 |title= Leean, Joseph 1942 |website= Wisconsin Historical Society |accessdate= October 22, 2021 }}</ref> He earned his bachelor's degree from Augustana College in 1964 and went on to do graduate studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and Western Michigan University.<ref name="wihist"/> He 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.<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87556281/chain-o-lakes-tourism/ |title= Tight economy not affecting busy Chain tourist areas |newspaper= The Post-Crescent |date= July 27, 1982 |page= 2 |accessdate= October 22, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com }}</ref>
==Political career== Leean was first elected to the Senate in 1984, representing the 14th District, and was re-elected in 1988 and 1992.<ref name="wihist"/> 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.<ref name="wihist"/>
He resigned from the Senate in July 1995 to accept an appointment as the head of the newly reorganized Department of Health and Family Services (now the Wisconsin Department of Health Services).<ref name="resign-senate">{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87559003/leean-to-dhfs/ |title= Leean resigns Senate seat to take state Cabinet post |newspaper= La Crosse Tribune |date= July 6, 1995 |page= 17 |accessdate= October 22, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com }}</ref> He was succeeded in the 14th Senate district by Robert Welch after a September special election.
At the time of his appointment, Governor Thompson said Leean had demonstrated his "diplomacy, skill, and ability" as co-chair of the Joint Finance Committee—where he had to forge consensus with a Democratic co-chair Barbara Linton.<ref name="resign-senate"/> 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, D.C.<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87557551/leean-to-dc/ |title= Familiar face joins Thompson in D.C. |newspaper= The Post-Crescent |date= January 31, 2001 |last= Miller |first= Cliff |page= 1 |accessdate= October 22, 2021 |via= Newspapers.com }}</ref>
Leean retired to Wisconsin after his stint with the Department of Health and Human Services. He remained active in state politics, however, 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.<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87561283/badgercare-leean-nelson/ |title= BadgerCare is worth saving |newspaper= The Dunn County News |date= March 2, 2003 |last1= Leean |first1= Joe |last2= Nelson |first2= Helene |page= 4 |accessdate= October 22, 2021 |via= Newspapers.com }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87560966/state-health-insurance/ |title= Universal care deserves bipartisan look |newspaper= The Capital Times |date= July 11, 2007 |last= Zweifel |first= Dave |page= 6 |accessdate= October 22, 2021 |via= Newspapers.com }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87561096/leean-endorse-health-reform/ |title= GOP shouldn't block health care idea |newspaper= The Post-Crescent |date= July 11, 2007 |last= Leean |first= Joe |accessdate= October 22, 2021 |via= Newspapers.com }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87561735/state-health-insurance/ |title= 'Show me how' health plan works |newspaper= The Capital Times |date= June 21, 2005 |last= Nathans |first= Aaron |page= 18 |accessdate= October 22, 2021 |via= Newspapers.com }}</ref>
==Personal life== Leean and his wife, Ginny, lived in Waupaca, Wisconsin. He is survived by three adult daughters.<ref name="wihist"/>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-wi-sen}} {{s-bef|before = Gerald Lorge }} {{s-ttl|title ={{nowrap|Member of the Wisconsin Senate}} {{nowrap|from the 14th district}} |years= January 7, 1985{{spaced ndash}}July 5, 1995 }} {{s-aft|after = Robert Welch }} {{s-gov}} {{s-bef|before = Richard Loring ''(acting)''<br />Gerald Whitburn ''(confirmed)'' }} {{s-ttl|title = Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services |years= July 5, 1995{{spaced ndash}}March 10, 2001 }} {{s-aft|after = Phyllis Dube }} {{s-end}} {{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Leean, Joseph}} Category:People from Iola, Wisconsin Category:Republican Party Wisconsin state senators Category:University of Wisconsin–Madison alumni Category:Western Michigan University alumni Category:State cabinet secretaries of Wisconsin Category:1942 births Category:Living people Category:20th-century members of the Wisconsin Legislature