Representative Mike Keown
Vice Chairman Special Rules
HD 173 (R - Coolidge)
Representative Mike Keown was first elected to serve the people of House District 173 in 2004 and subsequently re-elected in 2006 and 2008. Born in Canton, Georgia in 1954, Representative Keown and his wife Kathy have been married since 1972. Kathy is employed as Title One and Special Projects Coordinator for the Thomas County School System. The couple has two sons, Michael Jr. and Matthew. Michael is a teacher and coach at Rabun County High School. He and his wife, Keumele have two children, Carrie Elizabeth and Andrew Michael. Matthew is employed by the Thomasville Police Department. He and his wide, Christina have one child, Colt Matthew..
Representative Keown has served as Pastor of Coolidge Memorial Baptist Church since 2007. In 1972, he graduated from Cherokee County High School, later going on to attend and graduate with a B.S. in Social Sciences from Shorter College in 1977. In 1983, he graduated with a Master’s of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. In 2003, he graduated from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary with a Doctor of Ministry Degree. Keown has also completed the State of Georgia’s Management Development Training Program and has earned a Certified Public Manager’s Certificate from the University of Georgia. The Representative considers himself a life-long learner.
Along with serving as Pastor for several Churches in Georgia, Representative Keown has also done service through the State’s Prison System. He was hired to start up the chaplaincy program for the newly built Valdosta State Prison in 1988. He later served as Chief Counselor and Deputy Warden of Care and Treatment at Valdosta, Superintendent of the Thomasville Diversion Center, and Unit Manager of the Lowndes State Prison. Representative Keown resigned in 1996 to become the pastor of a First Newark Baptist, a new church start in Thomasville.
Keown’s political career began in 1986 when he was elected Mayor for the City of Coolidge. He later served 14 years on the Thomas County School Board. He is currently serving as Vice Chairman of the Special Rules Committee and as a member of the Education, Health and Human Services, and Natural Resources and Environment committees of the House