Chris Gebhard
{{Short description|American politician}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image =
| birth_name =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|46|2021|04|09}}
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| state = Pennsylvania
| state_senate = Pennsylvania
| district = 48th
| term_start = June 9, 2021
| predecessor = Dave Arnold
| constituency = Lebanon County and parts of Dauphin and York counties
| party = Republican
| profession = Business owner
| spouse = Sarah
| children = 2
| education = Vanderbilt University (B.A.)
}}
Christopher M. Gebhard{{cite web |url=https://senatorgebhard.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/180/2024/02/Gebhard-profile-04-23.pdf |title=Profile |website=Senator Gebhard |access-date=November 25, 2024}} (born 1974 or 1975) is a Pennsylvania state senator who represents the 48th district, which includes all of Lebanon County and portions of Berks and Lancaster counties. He is a member of the Republican Party and the owner of an insurance and risk management firm.
Early life and career
Gebhard was born in 1974/1975 to parents Peter and Lauralee Gebhard.{{cite web |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/pa-sen-chris-gebhard-nervous-but-ready-to-take-on-challenge-of-his-new-job/ar-AAKSa1Z |title=Pa. Sen. Chris Gebhard nervous but ready to take on challenge of his new job |work=The Patriot News |date=June 10, 2021 |first=Jan |last=Murphy |access-date=June 12, 2021 |via=MSN }} He attended Cedar Crest High School in Lebanon before graduating from The Hill School in Pottstown in 1992. Gebhard earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Vanderbilt University in Nashville,{{cite news |url=https://www.ldnews.com/story/news/2021/04/13/christopher-gebhard-hopes-fill-void-leadership-senate-race/6964987002/ |title=Republican candidate in 48th District special election hopes to fill 'void of leadership' |date=April 13, 2021 |newspaper=Lebanon Daily News |first=Matthew |last=Toth |access-date=June 13, 2021 }}{{cite news |url=https://www.pasenategop.com/blog/senate-republicans-welcome-senator-elect-chris-gebhard/ |title=Senate Republicans Welcome Senator-elect Chris Gebhard |date=May 19, 2021 |work=Pennsylvania Senate Republicans |access-date=June 13, 2021 |quote=graduated from Vanderbilt University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology }} after which he returned to Lebanon and began working for his father's insurance agency just after it had merged with a larger company in 1996. Later that year, Gebhard took a job with Cincinnati Insurance Company in Ohio, returning to Hoaster Gebhard in early 2000 but as a "regular employee" per his father.{{cite web |url=https://hoastergebhard.com/blog/hoaster-gebhard-co-a-generational-business/ |title=A Generational Business |date=April 4, 2019 |website=Hoaster Gebhard & Co. |access-date=June 13, 2021 }} By 2014, Gebhard became the CEO and president of Hoaster Gebhard & Co., an insurance and risk management firm in Lebanon.
Pennsylvania Senate
After Dave Arnold died in January 2021 while serving as state senator from Pennsylvania's 48th district, a special election to fill the position was scheduled for May 18, 2021.{{cite news |url=https://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-state/2021/01/26/Special-election-date-set-fill-seat-pennsylvania-senator-Dave-Arnold-s-death/stories/202101260113 |title=Special election date set to fill seat left vacant by Pa. Sen. Dave Arnold's death |date=January 26, 2021 |newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |first=Jan |last=Murphy |access-date=March 17, 2021 }} Gebhard was chosen by the Lebanon County Republican Committee as the Republican candidate, from a list of eight potential names. Running against three other candidates, he won the special election to complete Arnold's term with 62 percent of the vote.{{cite news |url=https://www.yorkdispatch.com/story/news/politics/2021/05/19/lebanon-county-republican-wins-48th-senate-district-special-election/5155412001/ |title=Lebanon County Republican wins 48th Senate District special election |date=May 19, 2021 |newspaper=York Dispatch |first=Logan |last=Hullinger |access-date=June 12, 2021 }} Gebhard was sworn in to office on June 9, 2021.{{cite news |url=https://www.stltoday.com/news/national/article_5c838aac-4bd7-561d-b60e-0524a32eb641.html |title=2 winners of May special elections sworn in to state Senate |date=June 9, 2021 |newspaper=St. Louis Post-Dispatch |agency=Associated Press |access-date=June 12, 2021 }} In 2022, he ran for re-election against Calvin Clements, who was his closest opponent in 2022, and won with 67% of the vote.{{Cite web |date=November 29, 2022 |title=Summary Results Report 2022 General November 8, 2022 OFFICIAL RESULTS |url=https://lebanoncountypa.gov/getmedia/5a2aaec1-5f0c-48fc-bdfe-c333026ec7f3/Voter-2022-General-Election-Summary-Results.pdf |access-date=August 25, 2023 |website=Bureau of Elections and Voter Registration for Lebanon County of PA}}
Personal life
Gebhard lives in North Cornwall Township with his wife Sarah and two sons.{{cite news |url=https://lebtown.com/2021/04/09/meet-chris-gebhard-republican-candidate-for-48th-senate-district-seat/ |title=Meet Chris Gebhard, Republican candidate for 48th Senate District seat |date=April 9, 2021 |work=LebTown |first=Tom |last=Knapp |access-date=June 12, 2021 }}
He has played golf since he was a teenager, and won most of the major local golf tournaments, including several better ball pairs tournaments.{{cite news |url=https://lebanonsportsbuzz.com/backed-by-strong-competitive-resume-chris-gebhard-takes-swing-at-political-arena/ |title=Backed by Strong Competitive Resume, Chris Gebhard Takes Swing at Political Arena |work=Lebanon Sports Buzz |date=March 24, 2021 |first=Jeff |last=Falk |access-date=June 12, 2021 }}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/member_information/Senate_bio.cfm?id=1928 State Senator Chris Gebhard]
- [https://ballotpedia.org/Chris_Gebhard Chris Gebhard at Ballotpedia]
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{{s-bef|before=Dave Arnold}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of the Pennsylvania Senate
from the 48th district|years=2021–present}}
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{{Current Pennsylvania State Senators}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Gebhard, Chris}}
Category:21st-century members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly
Category:American businesspeople in insurance
Category:Politicians from Lebanon County, Pennsylvania
Category:Republican Party Pennsylvania state senators
Category:The Hill School alumni
Category:Vanderbilt University alumni