John C. Bear

John is the CEO and Chief Innovation Officer of GSL and a member of The Stevens & Lee Companies’ Executive Committee. A former Pennsylvania State Representative of the 97th Legislative District, he co-founded GSL Public Strategies Group, which is recognized as among the Commonwealth’s premier government consulting, public affairs and strategic communication companies. John has also been a long-time Principal in The Stevens & Lee Companies, leading GSL Government Consulting which he founded in 2012. He currently serves on the Manheim Township Board of Commissioners and has more than 27 years of experience working with public and private sector clients throughout the United States and within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. John was named to City & State PA’s “2023 Fifty Over 50” and the 2023, 2024 and 2025 “PA Power 100 Lists.” He was also included in the Central Penn Business Journal’s “2025 Powerlist.” In 2011, the Pittsburgh Tribune recognized him as among the “10 to Watch in 2011” for being the state’s most capable legislators. Prior to being elected to the General Assembly, John worked for nine years as a management consultant/project manager for the global professional services firms BearingPoint and KPMG LLP. He is an active member of Pennsylvania’s business, civic and political community.

Among his notable honors and appointments, John served on Gov. Tom Corbett’s Transition Team as a member of the Budget, Pension & Revenue Committee. Additionally, he was selected to attend the prestigious American Swiss Foundation’s Young Leaders Conference in 2008 and was named a Fellow of the Pennsylvania Leadership Academy in 2007.

Affiliations

• American Legislative Exchange Council
  • Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force
• Associated Builders and Contractors Keystone Chapter, Board of Directors
• Building Industry Association of Lancaster County, Board of Directors, Presidential Advisor, Government Affairs Chairman
• Discover Lancaster, Board of Directors
• Lancaster Chamber of Commerce and Industry
  • Strategic Planning Committee
• Lancaster County Career & Technology Foundation, Gold Collar Society Member
• Landis Valley Associates, Board of Directors
• Lititz Borough Council, Borough Councilman
• Lititz recCenter, Board of Directors
• Lititz Regional Community Development Corporation, Board of Directors, Board President and Executive Director
• Manheim Township Board of Commissioners, Commissioner, Board Vice-President
• National Conference of State Legislatures
  • Executive Committee Task Force on State and Local Taxation of Communications and Electronic Commerce
• Pennsylvania Builders Association, Board of Directors
  • Government Affairs Leadership Team
• Pennsylvania Higher Education Facilities Authority, Board of Directors
• State Public School Building Authority, Board of Directors
• University of Pennsylvania, Fels Alumni Leadership Council, Member

Recognition

• Listed among “PA Power 100” by City & State PA, 2023-Present
• Named to the “2025 Powerlist” by Central Penn Business Journal
• Recognized in the “Fifty Over 50” listing by City & State PA, 2023
• Listed among the “10 to Watch in 2011” by the Pittsburgh Tribune

Education

• University of Pennsylvania, Fels Institute of Government, Master of Governmental Administration
• Temple University, B.A., Political Science, with honors
• Georgetown University, Fund for American Studies, Engalitcheff Institute on Comparative Political and Economic Systems, Graduate
• George Mason University, Institute for Humane Studies, Graduate