Biography/History

John K. Kyle was born in the Town of Lima in Rock County, Wisconsin, the son of William and Jeanie (Burnside) Kyle. He attended Whitewater Normal School and received a B.A. degree in economics from the University of Wisconsin in 1928. During his college years Kyle also held part-time jobs as legislative reporter for the Madison Capital Times and as clerk in the state Senate, and served as president of the Madison chapter of the Young Men's Progressive Association and secretary of the state Association. From these party roots, Kyle became mananger of Robert M. La Follette, Jr.'s Senate campaign in 1928 and of Philip F. La Follette's gubernatorial race in 1930.

Kyle married Doris Bailey on December 24, 1931, and held a variety of government positions through the 1930s. From 1932 to 1936, he was an administrative assistant to Senator F. Ryan Duffy and United States Representatives Thomas Amlie and George Schneider. For two years Kyle was a planning counsel to Governor Philip La Follette and the Legislative Committee on State Government Reorganization. In 1938, he assumed the position of executive secretary of the Wisconsin Labor Relations Board, a post he resigned in 1939. He then became state chairman of the Progressive Party Central Committee for two years. Having been admitted to the bar in 1935, Kyle utilized his legal knowledge as city attorney of Whitewater from 1940 to 1946. In 1943 he became the public panel chairman and arbitrator for the National War Labor Board.

Kyle ran for Congress on the Progressive Party ticket in the 1st District in 1944, but was defeated. He then became president of the Walworth County Bar Association, and in 1946 he managed Robert M. La Follette, Jr.'s unsuccessful primary campaign for reelection against Joseph R. McCarthy. From 1948 to 1961, Kyle served as executive secretary of the Wisconsin Association of Cooperatives (WAC) and editor of the WAC monthly bulletin. He also served for several years on the Board of Directors of the Cooperative League of the United States, the Group Health Association of America, Co-op Auditing Services, the Co-op Services of Dane County, and as a United States delegate to four biennial congresses of the International Cooperative Alliance.

In 1960, Kyle was appointed to a five-year term on the Board of Regents of Wisconsin State Colleges; he served as its president in 1961-1962 and as the representative to the Coordinating Committee for Higher Education. Kyle was also named to a six-year term as director of the Wisconsin Department of Securities, and he served as secretary of the North American Securities Administrators, the editor of Blue Sky News (monthly publication of the organization), and chairman of the Midwest Securities Administrators. Kyle retired from public service in 1967 and moved to Florida, where he has lived since his retirement.

1903	John K. Kyle born in Town of Lima, Rock County, Wisconsin, son of William and Jeanie (Burnside) Kyle
1920-1922	Attended Whitewater Normal School
1924-1928	Attended University of Wisconsin; received A.B. degree in economics; held parttime positions as legislative reporter for the Capital Times (Madison) and as clerk in State Senate; served as president and as state secretary, Madison Chapter, Young Men's Progressive Association
1928	Manager, senatorial campaign of Robert M. La Follette, Jr.
1930	Manager, gubernatorial campaign of Philip La Follette
1931 Dec. 24	Married Doris Bailey
1932-1936	Administrative Assistant to Wisconsin Senator F. Ryan Duffy and to United States Representatives Thomas Amlie and George Schneider
1935	Admitted to Wisconsin Bar by examination
1936-1937	Planning Counsel to Governor Philip La Follette; Counsel to Legislative Committee on State Government Reorganization
1938-1939	Executive Secretary, Wisconsin Labor Relations Board
1939-1940	Wisconsin State Chairman, Progressive Party Central Committee
1940-1946	City Attorney of Whitewater (part-time)
1943-1946	Public Panel Chairman and Arbitrator, National War Labor Board (part-time)
1944	Progressive Patty nominee for Congress, 1st District of Wisconsin
1945	President, Walworth County Bar Association
1946	Manager, reelection primary campaign of Senator Robert M. La Follette, Jr.
1948-1961	Executive Secretary, Wisconsin Association of Cooperatives (WAC) and editor of WAC monthly bulletin; served for several years on the boards of directors of the following organizations: Cooperative League of the United States, Group Health Association of America, Co-op Auditing Services, Co-op Services of Dane County; also served as delegate from the United States to four biennial congresses of the International Cooperative Alliance
1960-1965	Appointed to five-year term on the Board of Regents of Wisconsin State Colleges; served as representative of the Board of Regents to the Coordinating Committee for Higher Education
1961-1962	President, Board of Regents of Wisconsin State Colleges
1961-1967	Appointed to six-year term as Director of Wisconsin Department of Securities
1966-1967	Secretary, North American Securities Administrators; Editor of Blue Sky News, monthly publication of North American Securities Administrators; Chairman, Midwest Securities Administrators
1967-	Retired; living in Florida