Preceded by Al DuPont Website Official website Preceded by Clell Hobson Name Walter Maddox | Succeeded by Bob Lundell Role Mayor of Tuscaloosa Religion Methodist Spouse Stephanie Roberts | |
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Born December 27, 1972 (age 51)
Tuscaloosa, Alabama ( 1972-12-27 ) Alma mater University of Alabama at Birmingham (B.A., M.P.A.) Education University of Alabama at Birmingham Office Mayor of Tuscaloosa since 2005 Residence Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States Children Trey Maddox, Taylor Maddox | ||
Tuscaloosa al mayor walter maddox weighs in on tornado 2011
Walter Maddox (born December 27, 1972) is an American politician who has served as the 36th Mayor of Tuscaloosa, Alabama since 2005. From 2001 to present, he served on the Tuscaloosa City Council and served as executive director of personnel for Tuscaloosa City Schools. Maddox was a field director for the Alabama Education Association from 1996 to 2001.
Contents
- Tuscaloosa al mayor walter maddox weighs in on tornado 2011
- Early life and career
- Mayor of Tuscaloosa
- 2011 Tuscaloosa tornado
- References
In 2005 he successfully ran for Mayor of Tuscaloosa and has been re-elected three times since.
Early life and career
Maddox was born and raised in Tuscaloosa, attended the Tuscaloosa City Schools, and graduated from Central High School in 1991. He attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where he received a bachelor's degree in political science and a Master's in Public Administration.
From 1996 to 2001, Maddox served as a field director for the Alabama Education Association. In 2001, Maddox was appointed executive director of personnel for Tuscaloosa City Schools, serving until his election as mayor. On August 28, 2001, Maddox was elected to the Tuscaloosa City Council, defeating incumbent Clell Hobson, 61% to 39%. Maddox ran on a platform of education reform and crime reduction.
Mayor of Tuscaloosa
In 2005, longtime Tuscaloosa mayor Al DuPont retired. Maddox was an underdog against former city councilman Sammy Watson. Maddox came in second place in the initial round of voting, receiving 31.1% to Watson's 38%. This forced a runoff on September 13, which Maddox won with 54% of the vote to Watson's 46%. Maddox was inaugurated on October 3, in front of Tuscaloosa City Hall.
On August 25, 2009, Maddox was re-elected without opposition.
Maddox was re-elected again without opposition on August 27, 2013.
On November 4, 2013, Walter Maddox was sworn in for his third term as Tuscaloosa’s 36th Mayor. Since his first inauguration, he has led initiatives to increase economic development, improve customer service with the implementation of Tuscaloosa 311 and provide quality pre-k education for academically at-risk four-year-old children.
For the first time since 2005, Maddox faced a challenger in the 2017 mayoral election. His opponent was the founder of the Urban Progressive Party, Stepfon Lewis. Maddox defeated Lewis by receiving 89% of the vote to Lewis's 11%. Maddox was sworn into his fourth term as Mayor on May 22, 2017.
2011 Tuscaloosa tornado
On April 27, 2011, a large tornado struck Tuscaloosa and Birmingham, killing 53 people in Tuscaloosa and inflicting $100 million in damage. Two days later, Maddox toured the tornado damage with public officials including President Barack Obama and Governor Robert Bentley.
Mayor Maddox has been nationally recognized for his crisis management following the EF-4 tornado that destroyed 12 percent of the City and severely damaged or destroyed 5,300 homes and businesses. The New York Times stated that Maddox "emerged as an efficient, earnest, unwavering hero of the storm," and American City & County magazine named Maddox its 2012 Municipal Leader of the Year. Mayor Maddox is currently serving as a fellow with the Program on Crisis Leadership at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.