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Michael Bakalis

b. 1938

American politician and academic

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About Michael Bakalis

Born 1938. Michael Bakalis is an American politician, university teacher and academic administrator.

Michael J. Bakalis (born March 23, 1938) is an American educator, academic administrator, and politician. He was the Democratic nominee for Governor of Illinois in 1978, losing to incumbent Republican governor James R. Thompson.

Biography Bakalis received his bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees from Northwestern University in 1959, 1962, and 1966, respectively. His academic career includes service as assistant dean at Northern Illinois University, dean of the School of Education at Loyola University Chicago, and as the President of Triton College. He has also been a member of the faculty at the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University since 1994, where he teaches public and non-profit management, policy, and strategy.

In government and politics, Bakalis served as the Illinois State Superintendent of Education from 1971 to 1975 and as Illinois Comptroller from 1977 to 1979. Bakalis lost the election with 40% of the vote, as opposed to Thompson's 59%.

After his unsuccessful bid for governorship, Bakalis served as a Deputy Undersecretary in the United States Department of Education of the Jimmy Carter administration from 1980 to 1982, where he administered ten regional offices. In 2002, Bakalis made another run for governor but had to drop out before the Democratic primary because of a lack of money.

Bakalis is also the founder, President and CEO of American Quality Schools, an education management organization that operates charter schools in the Midwestern United States.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
Northwestern University
Positions held
Illinois Comptroller, Illinois State Superintendent
Employers
Northwestern University, Loyola University Chicago, Northern Illinois University, Triton College

People in Michael Bakalis's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Michael Bakalis's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Michael Bakalis?

American politician and academic

When was Michael Bakalis born?

Michael Bakalis was born on 23 March 1938 in Berwyn.

What is Michael Bakalis's occupation?

Michael Bakalis is a politician, university teacher and academic administrator.

What nationality is Michael Bakalis?

Michael Bakalis is American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Michael Bakalis

· Wikidata: Q6828366

· DBpedia: Michael Bakalis

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Michael Bakalis. https://biography.guide/michael-bakalis/

MLA: "Michael Bakalis." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/michael-bakalis/.

Chicago: "Michael Bakalis." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/michael-bakalis/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence

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