John C. Bear Named Among City & State PA’s “Fifty Over 50”
HARRISBURG, PA, December 1, 2023 – John C. Bear, Senior Managing Director of GSL Public Strategies Group, has been recognized by City & State PA as among its 2023 honorees for the “Fifty Over 50” listing.
Honorees are distinguished for their professional accomplishments and impact as change-makers in Pennsylvania. Mr. Bear was spotlighted for his decades-long service in state government and leadership roles in Lancaster County’s local government and economic development efforts. He was also listed among City & State PA’s most recent “Pennsylvania Power 100” list published in April.
Mr. Bear co-founded GSL Public Strategies Group, one of the Commonwealth’s premier government consulting, public affairs and strategic communication companies. With over 24 years of experience working with private and public sector clients throughout the U.S. and within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Mr. Bear specializes in devising, structuring and facilitating complex public sector deals between both public and nonprofit entities and public and private sector participants.
Mr. Bear has worked with governors, legislators, state agencies, counties, cities, boroughs, townships, municipal authorities, school districts and economic development corporations in a wide range of areas. He also advises private companies seeking to do business with, locate to or receive assistance from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; assists clients in developing new state programs or amending existing ones to address specific unmet business needs; provides revenue and operational consulting services to state and local governments to develop creative ways to save money or create new funding streams; and helps private and public sector clients identify, secure and implement grants from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
He served three terms in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, representing the 97th Legislative District in Lancaster County. First elected in 2006, John served on the House Appropriations, Finance, Labor and Industry and Professional Licensure Committees. He was part of Governor Tom Corbett’s Transition Team as part of the Budget, Pension & Revenue Committee, a 2007 Pennsylvania Leadership Academy Fellow and an alumnus of the American Swiss Foundation’s Young Leaders Conference, Class of 2008. In 2011, the Pittsburgh Tribune “10 to Watch in 2011” identified him as one of the state’s most capable legislators. Prior to serving in the Pennsylvania General Assembly, he worked nine years as a management consultant for the professional service companies BearingPoint and KPMG.
Mr. Bear serves on various boards, including: the Manheim Township Board of Commissioners; Pennsylvania Builders Association Board of Directors and GA Leadership Team; Executive Director of the Lititz Regional Community Development Corporation; and is Chairman of the Building a Stronger Pennsylvania PAC.
