John Allen Polk (born March 18, 1949) is an American businessman and politician. A member of the

Republican Party Republican Party is a name used by many political parties around the world, though the term most commonly refers to the United States' Republican Party. Republican Party may also refer to: Africa *Republican Party (Liberia) * Republican Part ...

, he has served as the Mississippi State Senator from the 44th district since 2012.

Early life

John A. Polk was born on March 18, 1949, in Columbia, Mississippi. He was educated at the

Prentiss High School Prentiss High School was a high school located in Prentiss, Mississippi, United States. It was a part of the Jefferson Davis County School District. It ceased operations at the end of the 2016–17 school year. Notable alumni * Al Jefferson A ...

in Prentiss, Mississippi. He graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1974.

Career

Polk was an executive at Polk Meat Products, his family meat business. Since 2012, he has served as a Republican member of the

Mississippi State Senate The Mississippi Senate is the upper house of the Mississippi Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Mississippi. The Senate, along with the lower Mississippi House of Representatives, convenes at the Mississippi State Capitol ...

, representing District 44. In 2015, he proposed a bill for the repeal of annual vehicle inspections, arguing that cars are less dangerous now than they were when car stickers were introduced. Polk was honored as the 2011 Alumni of the Year by the College of Business at his alma mater, the University of Southern Mississippi.

Personal life

Polk is married to Jan Barnett. They have a son, Brian Polk and a daughter, Julie Polk Breazeale. They reside in

Hattiesburg, Mississippi Hattiesburg is a city in the U.S. state of Mississippi, located primarily in Forrest County, Mississippi, Forrest County (where it is the county seat and largest city) and extending west into Lamar County, Mississippi, Lamar County. The city popu ...

. He is a Baptist.

References

Living people 1949 births People from Columbia, Mississippi People from Hattiesburg, Mississippi University of Southern Mississippi alumni American food industry business executives Businesspeople from Mississippi Republican Party Mississippi state senators 21st-century American legislators {{mississippi-politician-stub