Biography

My name is Richard “Rick” Keasey. I was born in Youngstown, Ohio in 1963. After graduating high school in 1981, I attended Michigan State University and graduated in 1985 with a BS in Packaging and was simultaneously commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force through the ROTC Program.

Shortly thereafter, I attended navigator training at Mather AFB, California and received my wings in May of 1986. I was assigned to Castle AFB, California as a KC-135A Stratotanker Navigator and Instructor Navigator, where I served my active duty commitment from 1986 to July 1990. After leaving active duty, I joined the 126^th Air Refueling Wing of the Illinois Air National Guard serving as a KC-135E Instructor and Evaluator Navigator. There I attained over 3,500 hours of flying time and have logged combat and/or combat support sorties in virtually every major operation and contingency, which began with my first deployment to OPERATION DESERT STORM in 1990.

I had several leadership positions throughout my military career. My assignments within the Wing included:

- Chief of Current Operations (Major)

- Commander 126th Operations Support Flight (Lieutenant Colonel)

- Liaison Officer/Detachment Commander to NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen, Germany (Lieutenant Colonel)

- Aircraft Maintenance Group Commander (Colonel)

In addition, I served in several other diverse, Temporary Duty, (TDY) staff positions in support of Contingency Operations and the Global War on Terror, both at home and abroad.

- Operation Joint Endeavour, Combined Air Operations Center, Vicenza, Italy

- Operation Enduring Freedom, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, IL

- Operation Enduring Freedom, Joint Forces Operations Center, Stuttgart, Germany

- Operation Enduring Freedom, Crisis Action Team, Ramstein, Germany

I retired in July 2015 after proudly serving my Country for 30 years

I met the love of my life, Cathleen, on a Carnival Cruise after returning from OPERATION DESERT STORM. We were married in November of 1991 and have five children, Sean, Adam, Kyle, Lydia, and Rebecca. My family and I moved to Edwardsville in 1999 when the Illinois Air National Guard transferred from Chicago O’Hare to Scott AFB. Aside from a 2-year assignment 2006-2008, we have lived in Edwardsville for almost 21 years.

I pride himself, not as a politician, but as a leader. Throughout my career I have been placed in numerous leadership positions. I have a take charge, no-nonsense attitude, and my ability to question processes and critically think, allows me to find solutions to complex problems. As a Colonel, I was a sworn steward of taxpayer money and meticulously scrutinized the spending of every portion of my multimillion-dollar annual budget, requiring explanations for all expenditures. As a County Board Member, I look to extend my leadership and military experiences into growing and improving Madison County by ensuring taxpayer dollars are spent judiciously and effectively.

My family and I have been parishioners of St Boniface since 1999. I enjoy working out at the YMCA, renovating old houses, woodworking, keeping bees, and shooting as a member of the Highland Pistol & Rifle Club. I am also a national award-winning plastic model builder and am President of the International Plastic Modelers’ Society (IPMS), Gateway Chapter in St Louis.