Commissioner John Matta

Elected Position

John was first elected to the Manhattan City Commission in April of 2011. He served as Mayor in 2013-14. John served on the Riley County Police Department Law Board from 2011-2014 and served as the Chairman 2013-14. He did not run for reelection in 2015. John was elected again to the Manhattan City Commission in November of 2021.
 
 

Biography

John and his family moved to Manhattan from California in 1998. John is currently the Advancement Director for Manhattan Catholic Schools. He retired from Foot Locker as Vice President of Logistics in 2019. Prior to Foot Locker, John held executive positions with The Walt Disney Company and Macy's. He holds Bachelor and Master's degrees from California State University, Sacramento. John's wife Karin is a Manager at Varney & Associates. They have two daughters, Tori and Jodi. Both are graduates of Manhattan High School. Tori is a K-State graduate with a B.S. in Biology and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. 
 

 

Community

Present:

  • Riley County Police Department Law Board Chairman
  • Manhattan Housing Authority Board Commissioner
  • Workforce Housing Steering Committee Member
  • Downtown Plan Steering Committee Member
  • Flint Hills Wellness Coalition Housing Workgroup Member
  • Sunset Zoological Park and Wildlife Conservation Trust Board Member
  • Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce Member
  • KSU Graduate Studies Advisory Council for the College of Business
  • KSU Adjunct Professor, College of Business
  • FAIR State of Kansas Coordinator & Flint Hills Chapter Leader - Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism (FAIR)
  • Chairman Yes for Liberty, Constitution Bee - Over $50K in scholarships awarded to Kansas High Schoolers over the past 10 years
  • Chairmen Our Manhattan - Local political action committee
  • Precinct Committeeman


Past:

  • Riley County Police Department Law Board Member & Chairman
  • Manhattan Public Library Board of Trustees Member
  • March of Dimes, March for Babies 2013 Honorary Chairman
  • Junction City Chamber of Commerce Board Member
  • Junction City Rotary Club Member
  • BSA (Boy Scouts of America) Coronado Council Board Member