Berke announces members of transition team
Group will discuss administration hires, policy goals
Chattanooga Mayor-elect Andy Berke announced Thursday a 13-member transition team, tasked with identifying candidates for key positions in his administration and reviewing city policies as he prepares to be sworn in as mayor on April 15.
In his first press conference since winning the election Tuesday, Berke said Wade Hinton and Travis McDonough would lead the committee and be committed to ensuring the public would have opportunities to give input on his first decisions as mayor.
"We are excited because the people on the transition team are active members of our community who want to be involved in shaping our future," Berke said, offering remarks in Founders Hall at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. "You look at the list, and you see an inclusive group representing all different facets of our community. That's what our administration is going to look like, and that's how it's going to perform over the next four years."
Hinton, a Chattanooga native, currently works as deputy counsel for Volkswagen Group of America, Chattanooga operations. Travis McDonough is chairman of the litigation department at Miller & Martin and a member of various boards.
Both Hinton and McDonough offered brief remarks Thursday.
"I'm honored to work with a group and a mayor-elect that is so committed to working to make this community great," Hinton said. "And work we will."
"I look forward to helping you shape your new administration," McDonough said. "As we've discussed many times, the path to renew Chattanooga includes an incredible group of opportunities for the community to participate and be involved, and I look forward to helping you engage the community."
Along with Hinton and McDonough, Berke announced the following members of his transition team:
Al Chapman, president of the Front Porch Alliance; Stefanie Crowe, executive vice president at Capital Mark Bank & Trust; Stephen Culp, founder of Smart Furniture, Delegator and Causeway; Kimberly Gavin, owner of Thrive Studio; Alison Lebovitz, author, television host and community leader; Rev. Ternae Jordan of Mt. Canaan Baptist Church; Bill McDonald, former Chattanooga Department of Public Works administrator; Chantelle Roberson, attorney with BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee; Bart Quinn, attorney at Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel; Donna Roddy, on-site healthy educator for BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee; and Donna C. Williams, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga.
Along with their vocations, the members also serve as board members and advisers for numerous community organizations.
"They know the community," Berke said.
