John Graham

John Graham

Mayor

Phone: 719-400-8106
Email John Graham
Term expires: January 2, 2024

Biography

Manitou Springs is my hometown. I am a life-long resident of the region, the majority of that time as a Manitou Springs resident.

My family owned and operated the local weekly newspaper, the Pikes Peak Journal, and I started working there about age 9, sweeping floors and emptying trash cans. I worked there after school and during the summers. Eventually I took over the paper and was editor and publisher for roughly 20 years.

(In college I first majored in engineering but later changed to psychology, thinking that it would be better background for studying law. However, I decided against a legal career and have never regretted it.)

I sold the newspaper in 1997, returned to school to earn a computer science degree, and started a second career as a software engineer. All of that time was spent at Schriever AFB working on classified projects. I retired last April.

My role with the newspaper led to involvement in a variety of Manitou activities. I’ve served on the Business of Arts Center (now the Manitou Art Center) board, in various capacities with Manitou’s Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, and was president of the AdAmAn Club for four years. The latter is a quirky hiking club that annually ascends Pikes Peak in late December to usher the New Year in with fireworks from the summit.

My wife, Sue, and I will have been married for 40 years this August. We have two adult sons, one an Air Force Major and the other a college professor.