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About Dave Lindstrom
At the root of effective government is accountability according to Third District Commissioner David Lindstrom. This idea forms the core of his personal philosophy on effective government, and it guides his decisions as a member of the Board of County Commissioners on how the county government maximizes the returned value invested by taxpayers, whom he calls the community’s “stakeholders.” It is his vision to connect people within the community and ensure governmental fiscal responsibility.
Commissioner Lindstrom was sworn into office on January 13, 2003, filling a two-year unexpired term that was created by the implementation of the county’s Home Rule Charter, the first of its kind in the state of Kansas. Under the provisions of the Home Rule Charter, Lindstrom was appointed to office by vote of the Board of County Commissioners. He was then elected to the third district in 2004.
Lindstrom has long been politically active, serving as a Republican Party precinct committeeman as well as chairman of several county, district, and state-level campaigns. Prior to his appointment as the third commission district representative, Lindstrom was the Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, along with gubernatorial candidate Tim Shallenburger of Baxter Springs, in an unsuccessful bid during the 2002 elections. That experience gave him a deeper appreciation for the need for fiscal accountability and controlled budget growth, the obligation government has at all levels to protect its vulnerable and at-risk populations, and the important and changing role of public safety, including law enforcement, fire, emergency medical response, emergency communications, and—in the wake of the September 11th tragedy—homeland security.
A son of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Lindstrom is a 1976 graduate of Boston University with a degree in education. After leaving the university, Lindstrom enjoyed a nine-year stadium tour with the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the sixth round of the 1977 NFL entry draft. He played in the Bay Area for one year before joining the Kansas City Chiefs as a defensive end for the 1978 season. Lindstrom was inducted into both the Boston University Hall of Fame and Massachusetts High School Hall of Fame in 1993. Although he retired from the Chiefs in 1986, Lindstrom remains actively involved with the organization, serving as treasurer of the Chiefs’ alumni association, the Ambassadors.
During the off season, Lindstrom gained a hands-on education in the business world. He joined the local firm Kessinger-Hunter, based in Kansas City, and worked as a commercial real estate associate, and also worked as a registered broker for Yarmouth Brokerage. Today he is the owner and operator of four Burger King ® restaurants – two located in Overland Park and one each in Louisburg, Kansas, and Kansas City, Missouri. These business experiences, with a focus on bottom-line results that characterize the private sector, had a significant impact on Lindstrom’s drive to enhance government accountability at all levels.
Themes of fiscal accountability, efficiency, and return on taxpayer investment have characterized Lindstrom’s time on the Board. But at the heart of it all—beyond his success as a professional athlete, businessman, and politician—is a passion for people and for helping others and giving back to his community that has led to a long record of civic and charitable work. From 1993 to 1995, he chaired the Kansas Special Olympics. In 1995, he received a Distinguished Service Award and was named a Paul Harris Fellow in 1998. In 1999, Lindstrom was honored as the Leadership Kansas Alumnus of the Year. He served as a member of the boards for both the Shawnee Mission Medical Center Foundation and the Johnson County Community College Foundation. In 1989, he founded the Kansas City Sports Walk of Stars. Currently, he is the chairman of the Overland Park Visitors and Convention Bureau. Lindstrom takes great pride in being a part of these community efforts, which are a key source of inspiration that fuels his passion for public and community service.
A resident of Overland Park, Lindstrom has lived in Johnson County since 1979. He and Mary, his wife of 28 years, are the proud parents of two daughters, Halee and Adrienne.