John Payne is no stranger to public service, having served as a Derry Township Supervisor, Dauphin County Commissioner, Dauphin County Planning Commission member, Hershey Volunteer Firefighter, and a member of the National Fire Protection Association Committee 1081.

John Payne is now serving his third term of office in the State House of Representatives as state representative for the 106th Legislative District, which includes the eastern portion of Dauphin County.

During the 2007-08 legislative session, John Payne is serving on four standing House committees: Tourism and Recreational Development, Urban Affairs, Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness, and Liquor Control, on which he serves as Republican Chairman of the Subcommittee on Licensing. In addition, John Payne is a member of the House Republican Policy Committee, which examines a range of priority policy issues and helps to define the Republican Caucus agenda with regard to those issues.

John Payne served as a Derry Township supervisor for 10 years, during which time he was chairman for two years, in 1992 and 1996. He was a member of the Derry Township Sewer Authority for 10 years and served as chairman in 1998. He also served on the Derry Township Library Board for five years.

Prior to running for elected office, John Payne worked full-time for Hershey Chocolate USA for almost 30 years and part-time for Hershey Entertainment and Resorts for 18 years. He was a member of Harrisburg Area Transportation Study Committee for four years, and is currently a warden for the state Forestry Department, with 35 years of service.

Active in the Hershey community, John Payne is a founding member and past president of the Hershey Civil War Roundtable and a Mason with Spring Creek Masonic Lodge No. 802.  He also has a long, distinguished 25-year history with the Hershey Fire Department, having served as captain, assistant chief and chief of the department for 11 years.  John Payne also was a member of the U.S. Army Pennsylvania National Guard.

A native of the Hershey area, he attended Hershey High School, Harrisburg Area Community College and Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute at the University of Maryland to become a certified fire protection specialist.

John Payne and his wife Deb, live in Hummelstown and have four grown children and three grandchildren.

11/20/2008 12:51 -0500