John Carlson (radio host)

John Carlson
Personal details
BornJohn Eric Carlson
(1959-06-03) June 3, 1959
Harvey, Illinois, U.S.
PartyRepublican
EducationUniversity of Washington,
Seattle (BA)

John Eric Carlson (born June 3, 1959) is an American business executive and civic leader. He is President of the Kemper Development Company[1], a Bellevue, Washington-based real estate development firm. He is also a former Seattle-area radio host, newspaper columnist, and television commentator.

Business Career

Carlson is President of the Kemper Development Company (KDC), which developed, owns, and operates the Bellevue Collection[2], a large mixed-use shopping, dining, and entertainment complex in Bellevue, Washington. Prior to becoming President[3], he served as a vice president of the company.

Media Career

Before transitioning fully into business leadership[4], Carlson was a prominent figure in Seattle-area news media. From the early 1990s until 2025, he hosted a daily radio talk show on KVI (570 AM) and KOMO (1000 AM), where his programming focused on public policy, regional issues, and civic affairs. Several times he was listed in Talkers Magazine as one of America's 100 leading talk radio hosts.

He also served as a television commentator for KIRO-TV (CBS), KOMO-TV (ABC), and KCTS (PBS). His time as a commentator on KIRO-TV evening news included a debate segment with local liberal historian Walt Crowley[5].

Carlson has authored opinion pieces that have been published in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, USA Today, and every major daily paper in Washington state.

Public Service

From 2011 to 2019, Carlson served as a Planning Commissioner for the City of Bellevue, during a period that included major revisions to the city's shoreline management plan and downtown growth strategy. He serves on the boards of several civic and nonprofit organizations, including The Salvation Army[6], the Boy Scouts of America (Chief Seattle Council)[7], the Bellevue Police Foundation[8], the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce[9], and the Bellevue Downtown Association[10].

Policy Work

Carlson was a co-founder and former president of the Washington Policy Center[11], a free-market public policy research organization based in Washington state. He led three successful statewide initiative drives, including America's first Three Strikes You're Out[12] statutes in 1993.

Personal

Carlson grew up in West Seattle, Washington, attending Jefferson and Holy Rosary Elementary, Madison Jr. High, and West Seattle High School (Class of '77). Carlson graduated in 1981 with a bachelor's degree in political science in the Honors Program at the University of Washington. In late 1999, he was listed as one of the university's one hundred "Alumni of the Century".[13] In 2008 the UW's alumni magazine listed him as one of its "Wondrous 100" living alumni.[14]

Carlson rides Indian motorcycles. He has climbed Mount Rainier three times[15][16][17] to benefit the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center's Climb to Fight Breast Cancer.[1] He is married with two sons and lives in Bellevue, Washington, a Seattle suburb.[18]

References

  1. ^ "Home - Kemper Development Company". Kemper Development Company. Archived from the original on 2026-01-29. Retrieved 2026-02-17.
  2. ^ "Home - The Bellevue Collection". The Bellevue Collection. Archived from the original on 2026-01-29. Retrieved 2026-02-17.
  3. ^ "Kemper Development appoints familiar face to president role". Puget Sound Business Journal. 2025-02-13. Retrieved 2026-02-17.
  4. ^ "Longtime KVI Seattle Host John Carlson Announces Retirement". Insideradio.com. 2025-02-14. Retrieved 2026-02-17.
  5. ^ "Point-Counterpoint debates between John Carlson and Walt Crowley debu". historylink.org. Retrieved 2026-02-17.
  6. ^ "Advisory Board - King County". kingcounty.salvationarmy.org. Retrieved 2026-02-17.
  7. ^ "Home". Chief Seattle Council. Retrieved 2026-02-17.
  8. ^ "John Carlson". Bellevue Police Foundation. Retrieved 2026-02-17.
  9. ^ "Board of Directors - Bellevue Chamber". www.bellevuechamber.org. Retrieved 2026-02-17.
  10. ^ "Board of Directors | About | Bellevue Downtown Association". www.bellevuedowntown.com. Retrieved 2026-02-17.
  11. ^ "Washington Policy Center". www.washingtonpolicy.org. Retrieved 2026-02-17.
  12. ^ "Three-strikes law", Wikipedia, 2026-01-19, retrieved 2026-02-17
  13. ^ UW Alumni Magazine (Dec 1999). "100 Alumni of the Century A-D".
  14. ^ University of Washington Alumni Magazine - Columns (June 2008). "Our Wondrous One Hundred".
  15. ^ Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. "Media Personalities Climb to Fight Breast Cancer".
  16. ^ John Carlson (July 30, 2008). "Climbing high for a cause". Bellevue Reporter. Archived from the original on January 8, 2009. Retrieved October 31, 2009.
  17. ^ John Carlson (August 31, 2009). "Why people climb Mt. Rainier". Bellevue Reporter. Retrieved October 31, 2009.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
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