Matt Bevin is a businessman and former Kentucky governor. Explore his age, family, military service, business career, politics and net worth in 2026.
Matt Bevin is an American businessman, military veteran and Republican politician who served as the 62nd Governor of Kentucky from 2015 to 2019. Before entering politics, he built a career in investment management, manufacturing and other private businesses.
Bevin first gained national political attention by challenging longtime U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell in the 2014 Republican primary. He later won the Kentucky governorship in 2015, serving one term before losing reelection to Democrat Andy Beshear.
Quick Facts About Matt Bevin
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Matthew Griswold Bevin |
| Popular Name | Matt Bevin |
| Date of Birth | January 9, 1967 |
| Age | 59 years old |
| Birthplace | Denver, Colorado, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Businessman and politician |
| Political Party | Republican |
| Former Position | 62nd Governor of Kentucky |
| Governorship | 2015–2019 |
| Military Service | United States Army |
| Military Rank | Captain |
| Former Wife | Glenna Bevin |
| Children | Nine |
| Education | Washington and Lee University |
| Net Worth | Exact figure not reliably confirmed |
Matt Bevin Early Life and Family
Matthew Griswold Bevin was born on January 9, 1967, in Denver, Colorado. He was the second of six children and spent much of his childhood in rural New Hampshire.
His family lived on a farm where they raised livestock and produced some of their own food. Bevin has often described his upbringing as modest and centered on work, responsibility and self-reliance.
As a young person, he participated in 4-H and developed an interest in leadership and public speaking. He later attended Gould Academy, a private school in Maine, where financial assistance and work helped cover his education.
Matt Bevin Education
Bevin attended Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, with support from an ROTC scholarship.
He studied East Asian Studies and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1989. During college, he also spent time studying in Japan and developed knowledge of the Japanese language and culture.
After graduation, his military commitment led him into the United States Army rather than directly into the business world.
Matt Bevin Military Career
Bevin served on active duty as an officer in the United States Army.
He was assigned to the 5th Mechanized Infantry Division and eventually reached the rank of captain. His military career included training in artillery and leadership responsibilities.
Bevin later moved into the Army Reserve after completing his active-duty service.
His military background became an important part of his public identity when he entered politics. He frequently referred to the leadership and management lessons he learned while serving as an officer.
Matt Bevin Business Career
After leaving active military service, Bevin entered the financial industry.
He worked for several investment companies before establishing and managing his own business interests. His career included investment management, manufacturing, software, medical devices and other ventures.
Bevin moved to Kentucky with his family in the late 1990s after receiving a business opportunity in the state.
He later became associated with Integrity Asset Management and invested in several private companies.
Another significant part of his business career involved Bevin Bros. Manufacturing Company, a Connecticut bell manufacturer founded by his family in the 19th century.
When the company faced financial difficulties, Bevin became involved in its operations and helped continue the family business.
His financial and business background allowed him to partly fund his own political campaigns and contributed to his image as a businessman entering public service.
Matt Bevin’s Entry Into Politics
Bevin entered national political attention in 2014 when he challenged Mitch McConnell for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in Kentucky.
Although Bevin lost the primary, his campaign established him as a recognizable figure among conservative voters.
The following year, he entered the race for governor of Kentucky.
Bevin narrowly won the Republican primary before defeating Democratic candidate Jack Conway in the general election. His victory was considered notable because several polls before the election had suggested a closer or different outcome.
He was sworn in as governor on December 8, 2015.
Matt Bevin as Governor of Kentucky
As governor, Bevin pursued a conservative policy agenda focused on taxes, government spending, public pensions, abortion restrictions and changes to healthcare programs.
One of the major issues during his administration involved Kentucky’s Medicaid program. Bevin supported changes that would have introduced work and community-engagement requirements for some recipients.
His administration also became involved in a lengthy dispute over public employee pensions.
Education was another contentious area. Bevin frequently clashed with teachers and public-sector unions over pension reform and education policy.
Despite those disputes, his administration promoted business investment, workforce development and efforts to attract employers to Kentucky.
The 2019 Kentucky Governor Election
Bevin sought a second term in 2019.
He faced Democratic Attorney General Andy Beshear, the son of former Kentucky governor Steve Beshear.
The election was extremely close. Beshear finished ahead by roughly 5,000 votes out of more than 1.4 million cast.
Bevin initially requested a recanvass but later conceded the race. His term ended in December 2019.
One of the most controversial parts of his departure involved hundreds of pardons and sentence commutations issued during his final days in office. Some of the decisions generated significant criticism and national media attention.
Matt Bevin Wife and Divorce
Matt Bevin married Glenna Bevin in 1996 after the two met while he was serving in the Army.
Glenna was a registered nurse and already had a daughter from a previous marriage. Bevin later became her daughter’s adoptive father.
The couple built a large family and became known during his governorship for raising both biological and adopted children.
However, their marriage later broke down. Glenna filed for divorce in 2023 after the couple had reportedly been separated for more than a year.
Their divorce was finalized in 2025.
Matt Bevin Children
Matt Bevin is the father of nine children.
He and Glenna had five children together and later adopted four children from Ethiopia. He also adopted Glenna’s daughter from her previous marriage.
Their eldest daughter, Brittiney, died in a car accident in 2003 at age 17. The family later supported charitable and religious initiatives in her memory.
Bevin’s family life attracted renewed public attention in later years because of disputes involving one of his adopted sons and related court proceedings.
Matt Bevin’s Recent Legal Issues
After leaving public office, Bevin largely returned to private business but later became involved in a complicated family court dispute.
In September 2026, he was arrested in Kentucky on an outstanding bench warrant connected to contempt-of-court proceedings in his divorce and child-support case.
The warrant was related to allegations that he failed to provide required financial information and missed court proceedings. A judge ordered jail time, although the case remained connected to ongoing family court matters.
These legal developments are separate from Bevin’s former duties as governor and should not be interpreted as criminal convictions for unrelated conduct.
Matt Bevin Net Worth and Earnings
Matt Bevin’s exact net worth is not reliably known.
He has long been described as a multimillionaire because of his background in investment management and ownership interests in several private businesses.
His financial interests have included investment companies, manufacturing businesses, property and medical-technology ventures.
However, public financial disclosures generally provide ranges rather than a complete, independently verified valuation of a person’s wealth.
For that reason, specific online figures claiming to show Matt Bevin’s 2026 net worth should be treated cautiously.
Matt Bevin’s Political Legacy
The Matt Bevin biography combines military service, private business and a turbulent period in Kentucky politics.
His 2015 election demonstrated his ability to move quickly from political outsider to governor. However, battles over pensions, education, healthcare and his combative political style made his administration highly polarizing.
Since leaving office, Bevin has largely remained outside elected politics while returning to business activities. His governorship, narrow 2019 defeat and later personal legal disputes continue to shape public interest in his life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Who is Matt Bevin?
Matt Bevin is an American businessman, Army veteran and Republican politician. He served as the 62nd Governor of Kentucky from 2015 to 2019.
Q2: How old is Matt Bevin?
Matt Bevin is 59 years old in 2026. He was born on January 9, 1967.
Q3: Is Matt Bevin still married?
No. Matt and Glenna Bevin’s marriage ended in divorce in 2025 after nearly three decades together.
Q4: How many children does Matt Bevin have?
Matt Bevin is the father of nine children, including biological and adopted children. His eldest daughter, Brittiney, died in a car accident in 2003.
Q5: What is Matt Bevin’s net worth?
Matt Bevin’s exact net worth has not been reliably established. He has been described as a multimillionaire because of his investments and business holdings.
Q6: Was Matt Bevin in the military?
Yes. Bevin served as an officer in the United States Army and reached the rank of captain before later serving in the Army Reserve.
Q7: Why did Matt Bevin leave office?
Bevin lost his 2019 reelection campaign to Democrat Andy Beshear in an extremely close race. His term as governor ended in December 2019.
