John C. Buechner served as the University of Colorado's 18th president from November 1995 to May 2000. Before his appointment, he served as Chancellor of the University of Colorado Denver campus (1988-95), having spent more than 34 years in the University of Colorado system.

In March of 2000, Buechner received a Gubernatorial Appointment to become president of the newly formed Colorado Institute of Technology. He is an elected fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration.

Buechner served his community and the state of Colorado as a member of the Colorado House of Representatives from 1972-74; as mayor of the City of Boulder, 1970-71; as a member of the Boulder City Council, 1967-76; and as a member of numerous community and civic organizations.

He received his MPA and a PhD in Political Science from the University of Michigan; his BA in Political Science is from the College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio. He authored and co-authored four books, as well as numerous monographs and articles on a number of topics relating to leadership, public administration and politics.