CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--This morning at her alma mater, Hixson High School, Chattanooga native Kim White announced her candidacy for the office of mayor of the city of Chattanooga.
"I am deeply humbled by the outpouring of support and encouragement as I take this important step into a new era for Chattanooga," said White. "I am a homegrown leader and product of this city. Running for mayor is a tremendous opportunity to take my leadership skills, business background and unending commitment to my hometown to create new possibilities for our city. Our future starts today and I look forward to the many conversations that lay ahead as I share my vision and ideas with voters on how best to move Chattanooga forward.”
White is a proven leader with a passion for making a difference in communities. With a successful 16-year career with Fortune 500 company, ALLTEL Communications, Kim was responsible for recruiting top talent and growing market share in existing and newly acquired markets throughout the southeast. Upon her return to Chattanooga in 2003, Kim served as president and CEO of the Corker Group, fully leasing and managing over two million square feet of real estate. For the past 11 years, Kim has served as the president and CEO of River City Company, a non-profit organization with a 34-year history focusing on the economic growth of downtown Chattanooga.
With the influence of her leadership, Chattanooga has seen a renewed focus on downtown housing, strengthened relationships with public and private partners and the development of widely enjoyed public spaces.
White's campaign will focus on reinvigorating the economy and community through job creation, small to large scale business recruitment, affordable housing and expanded services for low-income citizens. With a focus on creating strong public and private partnerships including partners in the faith, social, education, media, arts and business sectors, she is also committed to collaborative relationships across the city, county and other local municipalities to make this not only the best city but also the best region of our country. Creating a city where it’s easy to establish and expand business opportunities, White plans to work to streamline policies and eliminate barriers of doing business with the city. She will also invest in early childhood education, expand programming and maintenance of our city’s community centers and make massive infrastructure improvements in all neighborhoods across the city for a more sustainable future.
"I believe our city is at a crossroads. Civic leadership focused on service and responsibility matters now more than ever," said White. "As your mayor, it will be my duty to serve our city and its residents truthfully and transparently and help to create a city that lifts up all Chattanoogans regardless of zip code. From this moment on, I will remain accessible for continuous conversations on the different challenges facing our city to ensure all voices are heard, represented and respected."
The Kim White for Mayor campaign recently named Mary Kilbride treasurer. Alexis Bogo and Mitch Patel will serve as co-chairs of the Finance Committee. The Kim White for Mayor campaign headquarters is now open at 518 Georgia Avenue. For more information about White, please visit www.kimwhiteformayor.com.
